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Architects + long hair ?

rza

I'm interested in what people have to say about this topic. I have been growing my hair out past the midwestern "standard" for males and though I am not interested in the opinion of others, I am curious how it would be received in your office.

 
Jan 19, 10 10:26 pm
*your name

I heard this conversation in the internet:
"In the beginning my long hair wasn't well recieved in the office. I had my parents call my boss. These days it's okay except sometimes my hair gets in the drawings. I am laughing about it now but I hope you don't have to go through what I did. Are you curly too?
Needless to say I am working for Bob Stern and there are others with long hair in our office all because I really fought for it."

Jan 19, 10 11:39 pm  · 
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maxpower

how about non-ironic mullets??

Jan 19, 10 11:47 pm  · 
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mantaray
had my parents call the boss

??!

Jan 20, 10 12:04 am  · 
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NLW2

No such thing. Mullets are as steeped in reference as swastikas.

Jan 20, 10 12:05 am  · 
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maxpower

but they are just so practical, seems like the perfect haircut for an architect.

Jan 20, 10 12:23 am  · 
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liberty bell

If you've got it, flaunt it. Once you start balding, shave it all off. I think that latter is the case for most architects. Male, of course.

Jan 20, 10 12:37 am  · 
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NWA

I think my hair knew I was destined for architecture before I did. The fact that is receeding heavily at 22 is proof of this.

Jan 20, 10 4:51 am  · 
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chatter of clouds

long hair + architecture makes sense. you could use some to help you model nurb-based geometries. beats paper, you can bi/polyfurcate with the split ends, loops as much as you want. you might use resin as a casting element = hair reinforced resin.

Jan 20, 10 5:15 am  · 
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vado retro

i got a lot of problems, my hair ain't one of them.

Jan 20, 10 6:06 am  · 
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NWA

vado, i would have preffers,

"i got 99 problems but my hair aint one!"

Jan 20, 10 6:55 am  · 
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NWA

excuse typo

Jan 20, 10 6:56 am  · 
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strlt_typ
Jan 20, 10 9:03 am  · 
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liberty bell

Oh, thank you for that reminder, strit-tyo. Stoner Architecture never fails to make me laugh!

Jan 20, 10 9:06 am  · 
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Emilio

Sir Christopher Wren

Jan 20, 10 6:29 pm  · 
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liberty bell

Thank you Emilio, now the fun starts:


Will Bruder

Jan 20, 10 7:25 pm  · 
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Distant Unicorn
Jan 20, 10 7:35 pm  · 
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Distant Unicorn

This is probably one of my favorite shots I've found on Mike Reynolds.



Mmm. Yeah. Look... a wall made of tires!?

Jan 20, 10 7:36 pm  · 
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Alan Loomis

Remember, less is more. But less is a bore.

There is no middle ground. Go shaven. Or go Yeti.

Jan 21, 10 4:30 am  · 
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TenaciousArchitect2b

"I'm interested in what people have to say about this topic.....though I am not interested in the opinion of others"


I’m confused.. Same way i would be confused if i see grown man with long hair.. Its not cool nor does it add the cool architect image..

Good luck!

Jan 21, 10 3:27 pm  · 
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toasteroven
hair architects

keith campbell, hair architect

Jan 21, 10 5:53 pm  · 
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Emilio

"Its not cool nor does it add the cool architect image.. "

well, that's bloody nonsense: long hair has always been a signal or symbol for protean creativity of the mind within, and as such can be a code for "creative type here". So an architect is given more leeway as a creative type, both in the mode of dress and the length of hair.






Jan 21, 10 6:38 pm  · 
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LML

cut that hair, hippy!



Jan 21, 10 6:41 pm  · 
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liberty bell

Oh, toaster, those websites hurt my eyes. Not to mention my sensibilities.

Jan 21, 10 7:21 pm  · 
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chicagoarchitect

There really is an architect here named Keith Campbell, in this month's Dwell magazine!

Jan 21, 10 7:33 pm  · 
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My hair's a good 26" or so and shaggy/curly like a mofo*. However I'm just finishing up high school so I suppose there's plenty of time for me to opt for a cleaner look. On my own time I might look mad, but at school or interviews a simple hair tie and combing of the facial hair makes "intellectual". I envy a sleeker look but even my friends maintain that I just don't look right that way.

Enjoy your hair while it lasts! Keeps the sun, wind, and cold all off my face and neck.

Jan 21, 10 9:44 pm  · 
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Paradox

If I was a guy and and architect I'd shave it all off..not only it looks cool (well on some males) but it gives the impression that you're an intelligent/wise person and sometimes you get to urge to pull your hair out in these times..

Jan 21, 10 10:05 pm  · 
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rza

Well tenacious, you can look at it two ways:

a) I am interested in how long hair would be received in your office and not interested in your opinion of long hair.

b) I am not interested in your opinion of my decision to grow my hair.

Jan 21, 10 10:59 pm  · 
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Distant Unicorn

Long hair is instant douchebag zone.

But just because someone is a douchebag doesn't mean they aren't a cool or lovable douchebag.

Douchebags come in all flavors and all levels of popularity and acceptability.

Still douchey. Like people who love classic rock but were born in the 1980s.

Jan 21, 10 11:03 pm  · 
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toasteroven

LB - and that's only the tip of the iceberg...

I wonder if there is a standard AIA form for a cut and color.

Jan 22, 10 11:55 am  · 
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archiTEKE

ME



I live in San Francisco.....long hair has been accepted here for a long time.

I cut it just before I started working here 3 yrs ago cause I was worried about what people would think. Once I got the job I didnt cut my hair for 2 years. Last time I cut it was last April. People compliment my hair at the office....It aint no thang!

Jan 22, 10 8:39 pm  · 
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aceclubs

Is anyone going to argue with this:

Jan 24, 10 1:54 pm  · 
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NLW2

WHAT A COLLAR!

Jan 24, 10 1:57 pm  · 
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The say Karl actually has a moon (bald at the top) and wears a well crafted toupee. My head of school similarly has a bald top and has a pony tail and in our anally repressed society it doesn't even raise a stir.

But I started going thin at the top about 10 years ago... it hasn't gotten worse but it does make me self conscious enough to shave it all off.

Jan 24, 10 2:39 pm  · 
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toasteroven
Jan 24, 10 10:01 pm  · 
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toasteroven

above: Shigeru Ban

below:Kazuyo Sejima (SANAA)

Jan 24, 10 10:05 pm  · 
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toasteroven

oh shit - sejima is a woman - sorry...

Jan 24, 10 10:07 pm  · 
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charlotte240
<img src="http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/charlotte240/IMG_4064_crop_small.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/charlotte240/IMG_4064_crop_small.jpg

This is me.
I'm with ArchiTEKE on this one.
Grow it before you go bald.
If it starts receding and/or you have a baldspot, get rid of it.
I'm 34 and happy as hell I don't have any hairloss issues yet.

Jan 25, 10 2:49 pm  · 
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a-f

In the Netherlands, it is in fact regulated by the BNA that architects must have long hair:


Erick van Egeraat


Mels Crouwel


Roberto Meyer

... here I wanted to post an awesome photo from the 1970's with Moshé Zwarts sporting an afro, but I can't find it online...

Jan 25, 10 6:01 pm  · 
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Sarah Hamilton

Some of those guys dont have long hair. Just because the top layer isn't short, doesn't mean the hair is long. Of those Netherlanders, I'd say only the top one is even close to long, and thats not really long. If it can't be pony-tailed, then it aint long.

Sir Christopher Wren is DEFINITELY long; the blank and white dude that Emilio posted, not so much. Very distinguished looking, though.

Jan 25, 10 6:50 pm  · 
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liberty bell

charlotte, you have really nice hair. Wish my curls were that adamant.

Jan 25, 10 8:07 pm  · 
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Emilio

not true, Sarah, but that's just a post-hippie perception (and the hair bands that came after)...the Beatles' mop-top hair cuts were considered disgustingly long by most of society at the time, and if you look at them now they don't seem long at all....hair length on men is more harshly judged and depends much more on context and era.

Wren's hair IS long....for a woman even, never mind a man, but having a wig like that was perfectly proper for an upper class man in his time. Frank Lloyd Wright's length (the black and white dude) would have been considered rebellious and not proper in turn-of-the-century Chicago.

Jan 25, 10 9:18 pm  · 
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Sarah Hamilton

Well so it is! FLW looks so happy and distinguished in that photo. I'm so used to him looking pissed off and old. Amazing.

Jan 25, 10 10:20 pm  · 
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liberty bell

Hahahaha Sarah that's hilarious!

Actually you misspelled it "blank" and white which made me think it was Karl Lagerfeld there - rarely have I seen such a blank looking guy. Botox, maybe?

Jan 25, 10 10:44 pm  · 
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Distant Unicorn

No, Karl has just made several deals with several devils.

He's the only 76 year old I know who can run in healed boots and skinny jeans.

Jan 25, 10 10:50 pm  · 
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charlotte240

Thanks LibertyBell. It is always fun when women ask if they can touch my hair. I am aware that if men in the office hate long hair, they are just jealous because they are going bald.

Long hair with no balding can work... It is far better than the dreaded "combover" of short haired men. Check it:


Sometimes looking avant garde and on the cutting edge (instead of running with the corporate herd)) helps people trust your design sense. If you look like a mulleted freak from the 80's, not so much.
There are different kinds and types of long haired men in design offices, and their clothing style must be up to par as well. It is your whole appearance that makes you, not only your hair.

Jan 26, 10 11:58 am  · 
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brian buchalski

for architects, i don't feel that length of hair is much of an issue...except in the sense that long hair tends to imply youth. since architects gain more respect in part by looking aged/experienced/etc, the long hair can work against one in that sense. of course, long white hair may give the impression of a sage guru...

regardless of length, for a professional it is probably more important that it look well maintained. even if you prefer it long, i'd recommend visiting the salon every 3-4 weeks to have the edges cleaned up & keep everything looking sharp. nobody wants to see or work with an architect that looks like a backwater hillbilly.

Jan 26, 10 1:23 pm  · 
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jealous of the world


Defines structure and adds SHINE!

Jan 26, 10 1:34 pm  · 
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brian buchalski

"adds shine" -how many architects do that?...and they wonder why they aren't paid more.

Jan 26, 10 2:19 pm  · 
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Ms Beary

I just gave myself a haircut!

Jan 26, 10 3:08 pm  · 
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Sarah Hamilton

I bet puddles has that white-haired sage look.

Puddles, you should have them trim your nails when your have your ends cleaned up. It would save you loads of grief.

Jan 26, 10 3:46 pm  · 
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