• • 03 April 2015
  • 
  •  Billy Mwangi
• Architects , Architecture , Selected Works , Opinion ,

A designer's day is a constant battle to fight through constant chaos and opinionated self absorbed egos that rage on within the soul. Be it an architect, a graphic designer, a rocket scientist, okay i added that in just because we need to have scientists too in this category, we daily struggle with nuances and external forces that threaten to vanquish us on a whim. Here are parts of the greater global irking matters that we deal with....only eleven 

1. When people don’t understand that there are so many different kinds of designers.
Yes, I’m a designer. No, I don’t do typography… I’m an architect. No, I don’t build factories… I am programmed for the things I like to design. cONTRARY tO pOPULAR bELIEF, i aM nOT eINSTEIN, and Yes, I wrote in jumbled case letters on purpose.

2. When a non designer (outcast) gives you a critique over your shoulder.
We don’t come into your cubicle and tell you how to make excel spreadsheets and accounting forms.

3. When you spend hours just trying to decide if a project is done yet.
I know to you it looks done, it looks complete, it looks like I am wasting time, but really I am not done. I need the line below the title block to be just a little more thicker, no thinner, no longer…wait….I will let you know when I am done.

4. When people ask for free designs.
This especially includes wedding invitations and a logo for a friend of a friend’s cousin who is getting a new company up its feet and thinks you are the best person to render Red Cross/Red Crescent/Architecture for Humanity services. Yes, I am your friend, no friendship will not pay my bills. Pay up cheapskate.

5. When you have to wait an eternity for a tiny, little thing to render.
IT IS THE YEAR 2014! Why does it still take so long?! If Hollywood can make Avengers and all those super heroes kick alien assess, surely cant HP, DELL and all these pretenders to the technology throne make machines and softwares that render in seconds? Better yet shouldn't we be designing in render mode by now instead of line work and shaded modes? And better yet still shouldn't we be seated and the desk and giving computers orders whilst they slave? (Read Render Slave making no sense at all)

6. When clients say, “I’ll know what I want when I see it.”
Good God Almighty. You do not know a thing. That is why you have hired me. I know what you want when you see it. Let me help You. Your intellectual phony face isn't helping anybody.

7. When your eyes are assaulted by bad work.
Oh the horror; Oh, the humanity.

8. When clients ask if you can “whip something up real quick.”
Designers are not kitchen utensils. There is a certain  number of hours within which our minds rebel against pressure. Take a walk, come back in a week and I will be done. Better yet, Sit in the reception and trans-night (is this a real word) with me. It will be fun.

9. When you see a poorly designed structure and wish you could erase it from the planet.
When you wish you had the powers they have bestowed upon Clark Kent and Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne…

10. When you’re sent massive layered files to dig through.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!

11. When someone rips off one of your designs.
There’s a special place in hell for thieves.

Ripped off to a small extent (Really, very very veeeeery small extent) from Autodesk Students.