7/25/2019
Today I’m starting a series I’m calling “Practicing as a Rural Architectural Designer" to provide some insight into how my process is going thus far heading towards licensure in a rural region and the steps I’ve taken to develop an architectural practice outside of cities that have access to architects traditionally (where firms are based in the city proper).
This series is likely not going to be structured or planned, but rather, a series of thoughts and in-the-moment happenings as the days and weeks go by during the process of my practice’s development.
Today, I dug into how to gain more Architecture Experience Program, or AXP, hours while being self-employed, and of course, unlicensed and not working in a traditional firm to gain experience.
I’ve run into some difficulty with this area but am lucky to have two projects that are creating an avenue to get some more hours carved away.
THE AXP PROGRAM AND EXPERIENCE “O” WORK
July 2019 Miranda Moen AXP Hours
My friends, it is super important as a rural architectural designer (unlicensed architect) that you pay attention to the Experience O section in the AXP Guidelines! This can be a great section for us, especially if you have some hours already filled in from previous traditional architecture firm experience (like I do).
Source: Page 20; Experience O Page 20-25 https://www.ncarb.org/sites/default/files/AXP-Guidelines.pdf
On a couple recent projects I’m becoming more acquainted with the “Other Work Experience Under Licensed Professionals” where I can have an AXP Supervisor that is not employed in the same “firm” as I am (because, hello, I am an independent practitioner) who is still a licensed architect and can sign off on AXP hours provided that they are supervising my work. In this project, I am acting as a consultant-type relationship with this architect.
In addition, I am working on a Habitat for Humanity project where I was paid (important) to provide design services for the project. At the moment, I am exploring if the Executive Director of our local Habitat for Humanity chapter (La Crosse, WI) will sign off on my hours. This has been a tricky investigation as the architect I was working with decided not to sign off on hours for me, which essentially puts me out of the Community-Based Design Center/Collaborative section which would have been perfect, had this hiccup not occurred.
I should note that I received extensive guidance my the MN State Licensing Coordinator on these situations and it has proved so helpful and supportive! I encourage you to look into your local/state licensing coordinator for input and advice whether you are employed by a traditional architecture firm or are an independent practitioner like me.
Find info here for MN: https://www.aia-mn.org/events/continuing-education/axp/
If you are from another state, just Google search and you should be able to find some info, even if you go down the rabbit hole of the internet for a few minutes (as I did).
YOUR PUBLIC LIBRARY AND RESEARCH DATABASES!
Secondly, I’ve also taken steps to get access to FREE books to help both instruct me on aspects I am not as familiar with (i.e. construction and evaluation of architectural projects) and get inspiring articles and books to inform my research and creative processes within my practice.
As an Iowa State alum, I am thankful to have access to the Interlibrary Loan system which I can access due to a “visitor card: that cost $5! This is different from other institutions as, for example, the University of Minnesota does not have this access for alumni to reach their library materials.
Luckily, the great state of Minnesota has a great library system that I have recently become acquainted with SELCO or the Southeastern MN region library services (not the acronym but you get the point). They have a wonderful Interlibrary Loan service as well! I for one didn’t know that public libraries offered this and now I am thoroughly addicted. Lastly, MNLINK is the virtual library where Minnesotans can access electronic links, articles, books, etc. They partner with SELCO/SELS. Find more info here: https://www.selco.info/services-for-libraries/interlibrary-loan-and-delivery/ and https://www.selco.info/services-for-libraries/electronic-resources/
Thirdly, MN Link provides Research Databases! This got me excited because research is critical to my creative process and a pillar of my practice that I hope to continue developing since graduating from school. I was really nervous that because I am not part of an academic institution any longer, that I would not be able to access important research articles. MN Link’s services as it accesses all of MN’s libraries and also your university’s research databases. https://mnlink.org/ However, Iowa State’s alumni access provides research database access as well - woo!).
Lastly, I found out that we can access ebooks and audiobooks for free through Libby - https://meet.libbyapp.com/. I am excited for this so that I can multi-task and perhaps “read” while driving since much of my work involves distance driving.
I hope the beginning round of this series is helpful for anyone who wants to understand how to start their own path towards independent rural practice and anyone interested in how the heck I am even beginning this process in general.
Thanks!
Miranda