A flat ontology of architecture is a way of seeing the world as a collection of lively, complete entities that cannot be reduced to universal elements or systems. While it cannot be codified into a singular language, it points to an architectural style in the broadest sense.

Architecture today is often designed as a hierarchical exercise in which: components build up into mass; outside dictates inside; form trickles down from function; context dictates architectural form. So much mindless subservience!

TWA approaches architecture, instead, as if all of its parts were laid out on a flat playing field... imagine a collection of toys on a table. Each part can be operated on independently from the others, and each is treated as a unique and lively entity in its own right.

Interiors are separated from exteriors, each developing its own features independent of the other. Tectonic and ornamental surface effects can deploy freely with or against the grain of architectural mass, following their own logic. Building circulation, rather than gluing functions together, can be extracted and shaped as independent entities. Grounds, rather than neutral receptors of buildings, can multiply independently of the earth-datum, inside or outside building boundaries.

The discreteness of these parts-- interiors, exteriors, circulation, facades, grounds, and many others-- creates tension and liveliness across architectural compositions, and unsettles our sense of the world as one big articulated lump of matter. A better world model for this century is one based on what philosopher Levi Bryant calls a “democracy of objects,” where all things exist equally but differently in the world. Buildings, landscapes, snowflakes, apples, cities, stardust, memes, mountains, bioluminescent algae, glass, supercars, galaxies-- can be regarded equally, without subjecting them to vertical relations and categories.
Architecture thus becomes a playful act of collecting, curating, and composing discrete, independent things (and their interfaces), rather than some form of wizardry where nondescript matter is pulled from the earth and subjected to all-too-human hierarchical patterns of thought founded in power relations. This is the true ecological thought for architecture today, founded in kindness.

MEP systems are a huge part of a buildings, and often 25-30% of their construction cost. Yet the MEP space is very short on conceptual ideas. Yes there has been some movement on natural ventilation and renewable energy in the last 25 years, but that makes up a small part of MEP systems in buildings. The majority of MEP systems are bramble bushes of metal ductwork, wet piping, and wiring, often conflicting with structural systems and breaching architectural cavities.

What we see of MEP is usually at its outermost tips- diffusers, access panels, and sprinkler heads breaching architectural surfaces. Sometimes we see exposed ducts if the architect is invested in fetishizing 20th century techno-mechanical aesthetics, which is anachronistic at this point. The rest of the equipment resides in the darkness of floor cavities and cores, suppressed from the visible world, which is maybe why it is so often left untheorized. You could say out of sight, out of mind, if it were not  for the negative impacts of MEP in lost floor area, head height, endless design coordination hours, and cost. It also has to be said that so much of MEP is driven by prescriptive building code, the requirements of which have gotten entirely out of hand and can be daunting for even the best MEP engineers. These onerous requirements make the problem one of the state and not one of design, and must be addressed as a form of bureaucratic resistance.



Aesthetics can change the way we think about MEP. We need x-ray vision to see the kit stuffed into buildings, which is one reason TWA has been illustrating all of the building systems in architecture equally, and simultaneously, in our giant Godzilla cutaway drawings. By aesthetics I don't mean we should aestheticize mechanical and electrical systems, but rather that we should use our compositional skills to help determine clear pathways, bundle things together, and create hierarchies for systems in ways that do not conflict with architecture and other systems. Just look at the development of the SpaceX Raptor engine over the past 10 years alone-- this shows a fast shift from 20th century engineering to the 21st, which has to be argued in aesthetic as well as engineering terms. The simplicity and strong silhouette of the Raptor 3 engine  vs. the 20th c. ball of wires and ducts of Raptor 1 shows how they go hand in hand. This new aesthetic territory is defined by its movement from line to mass, from field to strong graphic silhouette, and from complexity and contradiction to integration and serenity. Increasingly, when you look at humanity's best design objects, you see this swerve-- the graphic guts of an iPhone 14, the total integration of the B-2 Stealth Bomber-- and you realize how far behind architecture is.



We need global overview, not local problem solving. We need to act early in the design process, rather than later, when solutions will always be a messy retrofit. We need to rethink cores as Z-extrusions in favor of three-dimensional integrated core-objects, horizontal, inclined, and vertical, with their own aesthetics and inner life. Tendrils and spider webs should be woven into integrated braids of tech. Giant channels should be designed into floors, in a way that the infrastructural backbone of a building can be replaced when obsolete, like an automotive wiring harness. Fine-grained vector systems like sprinklers, chilled piping, and electrical conduit should be embedded in architectural surfaces. Ultimately, MEP systems need to be raised up in the building system hierarchy and be given new respect and care. I hesitate to call this approach sustainable design, because of the hollowness of that term today, but it is the only way to get past LEED brownie points toward a comprehensive new way of thinking about the relations of technology and architecture for the 21st century.

While BIM (building information modeling) has ostensibly changed the game by allowing us to see and deconflict MEP systems, it is truly surprising that this superior vision has not really changed much in terms of catalysing big new ideas about building infrastructure. "Clash detection" processes are used to resolve local clashes before they are discovered on site, in a case by case, battle by battle mode, and always toward the end of projects, when comprehensive evolution is no longer possible. Project administration is not design, it is just a way of muddling through problems whose source lies at an entirely different scale. Late administration urgently needs to be replaced with early, brave compositional moves, an ethos of extreme integration, and a sense of play. It's time to stop worrying and learn to love MEP.

We often hear about “landscape architecture,” without a clear definition of how this is different from “landscape design” or even from “landscaping.” This lack of clarity is not a problem of language but rather a problem of ideas. The cultural discourse of landscape has fallen behind the discipline of architecture because it fails to explore and debate contemporary ideas about nature and science, instead often remaining in the vague realms of wilderness reconstruction, sustainability, and reiterating local ecologies. It fails to define nature as something distinct from science on the one hand and from outmoded philosophical ideas about nature on the other. It also fails to define clear aesthetic agendas for our time, which is strange because landscape design exists to show us what nature should look like when it is not found naturally occurring in the world. 

One of the most suspicious claims we hear is that landscape design should mirror some primordial planetary state where things were untouched by humans; the problem with that is that there is no such thing. Humans have spent millennia engaged in both conscious and accidental terraforming of the planet through city-building, agriculture, domestication of animals, and deforestation.

At TWA, we are committed to the idea that all landscape is synthetic and therefore must have an independent aesthetic and ecological agenda that does not rely on origin stories. We have found that the best way to proceed is to architecturalize our thinking about landscape, forming our approach around objects and discreteness rather than the usual continuums and fields. We focus on strict boundaries, copy/scale language, stamping, and stark shapes over flows and gradients. An architecturalized landscape is one that is unapologetically based on terraforming the earth in ever more playful and aggressive ways, with all of the freedom and possibility that implies.

We believe that landscape architecture, in its currently weakened state, is ripe for radical transformation and debate. Our hope is that landscape design can shed developer expectations and decorator instincts, in a deep reconsideration of what “natural” means today. This will need to include rejection of over-simplified definitions of “ecology” as well, a term which is simultaneously overused and misunderstood. This is not a call for academic consideration, but for practicing landscape designers and architects to step up and show us shocking and beautiful landscapes of the future.

Tom Wiscombe Architecture (TWA) is an internationally recognized architecture practice known for its powerful massing, alluring graphic qualities, and tectonic inventiveness. We specialize in civic, entertainment, cultural, and high-end residential design, and we are known for our radical integration of ecological thinking and technology into our work.

Located in the American Cement Building at the edge of downtown Los Angeles, our office is a unique indoor-outdoor workplace with an engaging creative and intellectual environment.

We are seeking a Project Architect with a minimum of 8 years post-graduation experience, including prior experience as a PM or PA, in a design- and innovation-driven office for several iconic cultural buildings with international clients as well as a variety of other complex, form-driven projects. You bring:

Qualifications

• International competition experience
• Ambition, passion, and leadership qualities
• Strong Rhino skills
• Production experience in REVIT- at least 2 years of office experience is required.
• Ability to draw and organize complex buildings in legible and thoughtful plans and sections
• Ability to lead a team of technical designers and mentor younger architects
• Ability to manage and coordinate external consultants and integrate requirements such as program, structure, circulation, envelope, and FLS into comprehensive building designs.
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally for work
• Preexisting authorization to work in the USA

Your role would be to collaborate directly with the Principal on some of the world's most audacious and intriguing projects and manage an energetic and talented design team. We highly value creativity, a good eye, a love of architecture, a desire for professional growth, and the ability to work well with others.

Starting salary commensurate with experience. We offer health, dental, and vision benefits, an IRA retirement savings plan with employer matching, paid time off, and paid sick leave.

TWA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants for employment are recruited, hired, and assigned based on merit without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or any other non-merit factor.

Please submit a Letter of Intent (indicating availability), Portfolio, and CV in a single PDF not to exceed 10Mb to jobs@tomwiscombe.com. In order to be considered for the position you must live locally or have plans to relocate, and you must be authorized to work in the USA.
No phone calls please; email only.

Tom Wiscombe Architecture (TWA) is an internationally recognized architecture practice known for powerful massing, alluring graphic qualities, tectonic inventiveness, and our radical integration of ecological thinking and technology in our work. We specialize in civic, entertainment, and cultural projects.

Located in the American Cement Building at the edge of downtown Los Angeles, our office is a unique indoor-outdoor workplace with an engaging creative and intellectual environment.

We are seeking several Intermediate Technical Designers/Job Captains with 5-8 years post-graduation professional experience, preferably in a design- and innovation-driven office, to work on several complex, iconic cultural projects with international clients. Your role will focus on document production and management, BIM standards, controls, and workflow, and building out the custom REVIT families and systems required for these projects in collaboration with technical detailers, project architects, consultants, and the design team. You will work directly with the Principal and senior design and technical staff to support the project documentation team and develop the resources needed to support the work of the office.

Qualifications

• Professional degree in Architecture
• 5-8 years of office experience, post graduation
• A minimum of 4 years Revit project experience
• Knowledge of architectural design and the basics of architectural drawing set production and 3D coordination
• Portfolio demonstrating work in Revit and Revit Family Editor
• Demonstrated reliability, accuracy, and attention to detail
• Attention to schedule, workflow, and critical-path project priorities
• Expert level Rhino skills
• Expert level Revit modeling skills including wall types, furniture, lighting, symbols, tags, etc.
• Strong plain-language communication skills and ability to interface with consultants
• Experience with ACC.
• Pre-existing authorization to work in the USA

Salary commensurate with experience and skills. We offer health, dental, and vision benefits, paid time off, paid sick leave, and an employee retirement savings plan with employer matching.

TWA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants for employment are recruited, hired, and assigned based on merit without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or any other non-merit factor.

Please submit a Letter of Intent (indicating availability), Portfolio, and CV in a single PDF not to exceed 10Mb to jobs@tomwiscombe.com. In order to be considered for the position you must live locally or have plans to relocate, and you must be authorized to work in the USA.

No phone calls please; email only.

Tom Wiscombe Architecture (TWA) is an internationally recognized architecture practice known for powerful massing, alluring graphic qualities, tectonic inventiveness, and our radical integration of ecological thinking and technology in our work. We specialize in civic, entertainment, and cultural projects.

Located in the American Cement Building at the edge of downtown Los Angeles, our office is a unique indoor-outdoor workplace with an engaging creative and intellectual environment.

We are seeking an experienced Technical Architect for several complex, iconic cultural projects with international clients. Your role will focus on document production and management, BIM standards, controls, and workflow, and building out the custom REVIT families and systems required for these projects in collaboration with technical detailers, project architects, consultants, and the design team. You will work directly with the Principal and senior design and technical staff to support the project documentation team and develop the resources needed to support the work of the office.

Qualifications

• Professional degree in Architecture
• 6-8 years of office experience, post graduation
• A minimum of 5 years Revit project experience
• Knowledge of architectural design and the basics of architectural drawing set production and 3D coordination
• Portfolio demonstrating work in Revit and Revit Family Editor
• Demonstrated reliability, accuracy, and attention to detail
• Attention to schedule, workflow, and critical-path project priorities
• Expert level Rhino skills
• Expert level Revit modeling skills including wall types, furniture, lighting, symbols, tags, etc.
• Strong plain-language communication skills and ability to interface with consultants
• Experience with ACC
• Pre-existing authorization to work in the USA

TWA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants for employment are recruited, hired, and assigned based on merit without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or any other non-merit factor.
Please submit a Letter of Intent (indicating availability), Portfolio, and CV in a single PDF not to exceed 10Mb to jobs@tomwiscombe.com. In order to be considered for the position you must live locally or have plans to relocate, and you must be authorized to work in the USA.
No phone calls please; email only.

Tom Wiscombe Architecture (TWA) is an internationally recognized architecture practice known for its powerful massing, alluring graphic qualities, and tectonic inventiveness. We specialize in civic, entertainment, cultural, and residential design, and we are known for our radical integration of ecological thinking and technology in our work.

Located in the American Cement Building at the edge of downtown Los Angeles, our small office is a unique indoor-outdoor workplace with an engaging creative and intellectual environment.

We are seeking multiple entry-level designers who are motivated, passionate, and interested in contributing to our work. You will work directly with the Principal and Senior Designers on several large, iconic cultural projects with international clients. We highly value curiosity, enthusiasm, a commitment to professional growth, and the ability to work well with others.

Qualifications

• Masters or B.Arch. Degree
• Expert Rhino modeling skills (scripting not required)
• Excellent Photoshop/ InDesign layout skills
• Good graphic sensibility and careful craft
• Fascination with 3D printing and model building
• Preexisting authorization to work in the USA
• Rendering skills a plus

TWA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants for employment are recruited, hired, and assigned based on merit without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or any other non-merit factor.

Please submit a Letter of Intent (indicating availability), Portfolio, and CV in a single PDF not to exceed 10Mb to jobs@tomwiscombe.com. In order to be considered for the position you must live locally or have plans to relocate, and you must be authorized to work in the USA.
No phone calls please; email only.