Ryan, I'm sorry I can't wait for ya.
Ed, I've got a number of projects going on right now. Unfortunately I do not have that one project yet that I can absolutely strut my stuff, primarily because the projects do not lend themselves to that opportunity.
It's been a while since I've participated in a GCA thread, thankfully because I've been so busy, but I still haven't lost my ability to deflate the room with another dose of "this is how it really is for most of us".
As all of my projects are renovations, I have more constraints by project than most Architects have with new projects. As my calling card at this point in my career is to solve problems that seem unsolvable (whether it is finances, site constraints, or client needs), I am not blessed with the "freedom to design" from a design-standpoint as I would like. A lack of constraints allows for a more free design palette and an easier task. But design at its most basic form really is to solve problems.
That said, I am proud to say that the results of my current work will satisfy my clients' needs, be playable for the market the work serves, and will be cost controlled.
I sam currently under construction with a greens renovation at Keowee Key GOlf and Country Club, where the challenge is in minimizing slopes for greens on very difficult sites and a lack of space to move machinery (in other words, the budget is such that we are limited to the amount of sod we can use, therefore limited to the limits of disturbance, therefore limited in freedom of movement of machines). This challenges me to create some very subtle, yet interesting contours for the golfing membership (avergae age over 60) and tie in many different conflicting landforms in an acceptable way. As I have told my shaper, although we can limit our putting slopes to 2% to 2.5% in general, there is no reason we can't have a whole slew of converging lines, highs, and lows at 1.5%. The project is going well and the members are happy.
We are to start construction of greens, bunkers, tees, and miscellaneous items at a place called The Water's Edge Country Club in Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia the end of July. The challenge here is to understand that the Owner loves the course as it is, despite some flaws. He was deeply involved in the design and construction of it in 1985 with the Architect, Buddy Loving. Loving was a standard seventies/early eighties architect who routed a nice golf course, yet the features are outdated. Despite the introduction of a few double fairways and wel-placed hazards in the Business Plan, the Owner is reluctant to make these changes. As much as many GCAers may think this is a sell-out, it is just doing what is best for the client. The other challenge here is getting enough bang for a very tight buck, if you know what I mean.
Another project we are just beginning to do construction drawings for is another Donald Ross course in Fayetteville, North Carolina (Highland CC). This project is especially exciting as it is the first Ross course for me that I have the original Ross grading plans. The previous Ross projects I have done (Monroe in NC and Raleigh CC) have only had master plans. Another project I am working on, Southern Pines CC, has no drawings whatsoever. This project has the potential to be fantastic and I will fill you in as we go. Right now, we have to get the project approved through the membership and hope to start construction next Spring.
The Southern Pines CC project will be an extreme challenge as there is no money available to do much and the charge is definitely "guerrilla renovation", coming up with very creative solutions.
The last project I am actively working on is Army Navy Country Club in Washington DC. It is fifty-four holes (twenty-seven holes in Arlington and twenty-seven more in Fairfax). The challenge here is to create a game plan to phase the numerous projects and financial challenges in such a way that the membership will accept. Past Architects have failed at this. We don't intend to. After that, the actual design will be a breeze.
We've got some other things brewing, but nothing that we can talk about right now.
One last project I would like to mention is our new practice facility at The Country Club of North Carolina. It has gotten great reviews so far and is a great compliment for my practice facility work at Raleigh CC, where we will finish the remaining tee complexes and a creek restoration next Spring.
I know these aren't oceanfront sites in Oregon or New Zealand, but these are the type of projects most Architects have and the ones that will help keep the game affordable.
Thanks for letting me share Ed.