The Top Architects

Since so many folks in our industry are focused on architects, the following is for you.  Recently the ranking of the top revenue producing architectural firms was released.  The overall good news is that in 2013, total revenue grew at these firms from 10 billion to 11 billion.  So obviously the uptick that our industry is seeing right now, started on the boards of these groups last year.  Meanwhile the #1 architectural firm in the country by revenue in 2013 was not even close.  Bringing in more than 800 million in sales last year was Gensler.  They doubled 2^nd place CH2M Hill and 3^rd place AECOM.  Well known names like HOK (8^th) and Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill (9^th) also showed well.  9 of the top 10 were the same in 13 as they were in 12, which shows you those big players do have their ways of getting the work and holding their spots.  Overall the growth is the best news of this story for sure.

Elsewhere…

--  Last weeks bird glass story surely hit home for many.  I received some incredible and helpful feedback from great minds like Kerry Haglund and Frank D’Aprile among others.  One of Kerry’s points was about the new law in place in Minnesota that the stadium is basically skirting due to the time it was designed.  (Also as Kerry pointed out, it was noted in Katy Devlin’s piece).  Meanwhile Frank provided some excellent insight on the codes in various cities and things that we are all not paying attention to in this process.   Plus he left me with this excellent quote:

“City folk love to encourage mother nature and her kin to visit their urban neighborhoods while the very buildings in which they live may harm her.”

And while my issue was with the press aspect of the story, there’s no question we’re only touching the surface here.  And with great minds out there on the case, this will be a problem that will be addressed well and hopefully solved in the long run.

--  Have to give props to Kevin Roth, Arbel Martin and the team from Vistamatic on their excellent new website.  Believe me building or refreshing a website is not easy and these guys did a tremendous job with their new approach.  Congrats!

--  Speaking of new sites, PPG also did an upgrade of their GlassNET site that was very strong and well done.  Positive changes including the fact that there’s more info and its more simple to use than before make this upgrade a winner. 

--  My weekly GlassBuild note… have you registered yet?  Make those plane reservations?  Hotel?  You are a month away basically, time to get it done.  And a reminder, I will be on the floor in my bright yellow media vest (or looking like an airport worker as my brother Steve pegged it last year) so please stop me and say hi.

--  Last this week… if you have not seen Guardians of the Galaxy- give it a shot.  I saw it and loved it.  Funny, different and creative.  Really worth the movie ticket that is for sure. 

LINKS of the WEEK

--  Start prepping now… your Winter forecast predictions by region

--  Sign me up… Family Guy and the Simpsons together!  Love it

--  I have seen many of these “collecting rain water” illegally stories a lot and I still just don’t get it.

VIDEO of the WEEK

A surfing pig.  Seriously.