The River Run, a True Story by Josh / June 2, 2025 by Josh Brincko

“The River Run: A True Story of a Drowning Fly Fisherman” is the latest book written by Josh Brincko outside of the context of architecture. It is the second text that focuses on personal experiences in survival situations.

Buy "The River Run" on Amazon

In the heart of Pennsylvania’s untamed nature, amidst the roar of a relentless river, a day of serene fly fishing quickly spirals into a harrowing fight for survival. "The River Run" plunges you into the gripping true story of a group of friends whose tranquil adventure turns into a desperate race against time. When a fellow fisherman is swept away by the river's ferocious current, their camaraderie and courage are put to the ultimate test. This dramatic account captures the raw power of nature, the fragility of life, and the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit. Prepare to be riveted by a tale of heroism, where the bounds of friendship and bravery are pushed to their very limits, and where every second counts in the battle between life and death. You will garner a new respect for rivers after experiencing this story.

If you’d like to learn more about our design process, visit www.josharch.com/process, and if you’d like to get us started on your project with a feasibility report, please visit www.josharch.com/help

An Architect's Insights - On Construction / May 1, 2025 by Josh Brincko

Josh has recently compiled his insights on design through his perspective as an architect into a book: “An Architect’s Insights - On Construction: A Lifetime of Wisdom in Design, Business, and Construction”. These are the stories that you have enjoyed hearing over the years all compiled into a written format for your desk, lap, and bookshelf.

Buy “Insights - On Construction" on Amazon

Within these pages, you'll discover a wealth of wisdom distilled from years of navigating the complexities of the industry from the voice of a seasoned architect with a humorous, yet don't F with me sort of tone. From the intricacies of unique construction methods to the nuances of communicating effectively with builders, each chapter is a masterclass in itself. With candid anecdotes and practical advice, the author shares insights that can only be gained through a lifetime of hands-on experience.

Whether you're an aspiring architect, seasoned business owner, or ambitious builder, "An Architect's Insights - On Construction" is your indispensable guide to achieving excellence in your craft. Learn how to streamline your processes, cultivate creativity, and overcome common challenges with ease. Delve into the art of understanding construction issues, getting the build team to be a team, and implementing lessons learned for successful projects from trials and tribulations of an experienced architect. This volume will help prime you for success as it guides you to the shortcuts in the world of construction administration.

Embrace the wisdom of a lifetime and embark on a transformative journey through architectural excellence. Let "An Architect's Insights - On Construction" be your companion as you navigate the intricate landscape of construction as experienced by an architect, and watch as your projects flourish like never before.

An Architect's Insights - On Business / April 1, 2025 by Josh Brincko

Josh has recently compiled his insights on design through his perspective as an architect into a book: “An Architect’s Insights - On Business: A Lifetime of Wisdom in Design, Business, and Construction”. These are the stories that you have enjoyed hearing over the years all compiled into a written format for your desk, lap, and bookshelf.

Buy "Insights - On Business” on Amazon

Unlock the secrets to success in architecture, business, and construction with the volumes from "An Architect's Insights" series, a compelling journey through the experiences of a seasoned architect and business owner. Drawing from a rich array of lifetime encounters, this book is a treasure trove of invaluable knowledge, offering a fresh and unique perspective on the multifaceted world of running a business in the field of architecture.

Within these pages, you'll discover a wealth of wisdom distilled from years of navigating the complexities of the industry from the voice of a seasoned architect with a humorous, yet don't F with me sort of tone. From the intricacies of educating clients to the nuances of effective strategies tips to becoming a better architect, each chapter is a masterclass in itself. With candid anecdotes and practical advice, the author shares insights that can only be gained through a lifetime of hands-on experience.

Whether you're an aspiring architect, seasoned business owner, or ambitious builder, "An Architect's Insights - On Business" is your indispensable guide to achieving excellence in your craft. Learn how to streamline your processes, cultivate creativity, and overcome common challenges with ease. Delve into the art of managing clients, harnessing the power of negotiation, and implementing lessons learned for running a successful design firm from trials and tribulations of an experienced architect. This volume will help prime you for success as it guides you to the shortcuts in the world of being a business person and not just an architect.

Embrace the wisdom of a lifetime and embark on a transformative journey through architectural excellence. Let "An Architect's Insights - On Business" be your companion as you navigate the intricate landscape of practicing architecture, and watch as your career flourishes like never before.

An Architect's Insights - On Design / March 3, 2025 by Josh Brincko

Josh has recently compiled his insights on design through his perspective as an architect into a book: “An Architect’s Insights - On Design: A Lifetime of Wisdom in Design, Business, and Construction”. These are the stories that you have enjoyed hearing over the years all compiled into a written format for your desk, lap, and bookshelf.

Buy “Insights - On Design” on Amazon

Within these pages, you'll discover a wealth of wisdom distilled from years of navigating the complexities of the industry from the voice of a seasoned architect with a humorous, yet don't F with me sort of tone. From the intricacies of obtaining permits to the nuances of effective design strategies, each chapter is a masterclass in itself. With candid anecdotes and practical advice, the author shares insights that can only be gained through a lifetime of hands-on experience.

Whether you're an aspiring architect, seasoned business owner, or ambitious builder, "An Architect's Insights - On Design" is your indispensable guide to achieving excellence in your craft. Learn how to streamline your processes, cultivate creativity, and overcome common challenges with ease. Delve into the art of navigating building departments, harnessing the power of innovation, and implementing lessons learned for successful design solutions from trials and tribulations of an experienced architect. This volume will help prime you for success as it guides you to the shortcuts in the world of design and permitting.

Embrace the wisdom of a lifetime and embark on a transformative journey through architectural excellence. Let "An Architect's Insights - On Design" be your companion as you navigate the intricate landscape of design and permitting, and watch as your ideas flourish like never before.

Details Addendum, another book by Josh / February 3, 2025 by Josh Brincko

My latest book, "Details: A Collection of Construction Details - An Addendum", was recently published as a resource addendum to my previous book called, “Details! Introduction to Drafting Interior Residential Details”. The new book is a collection of architectural detail drawings used in my design firm on previous projects. The collection of construction detail drawings in this book provides designers, drafters, architects, builders, and students with a robust resource with many examples that can be adapted into their own projects. "Details: A Collection of Construction Details - An Addendum", can be found on Amazon.

Several years ago, I wrote the original book for a college course I was teaching because a suitable textbook did not exist. The content was on designing and drafting interior residential details. What is that? It is a sort of architectural drawing that focuses in on a very particular element like a crown molding, handrail, etc. It explains to a builder some of the specific items that should be built into that feature.

I didn’t just start writing a book one day. Instead, I began by including a few excerpts from my various projects that I would hand out to students to use as a reference. Eventually, that turned into a stack of stapled pages that I would hand out. Then, it got more serious and turned into a curated binder with some organization to it. Eventually, I tried to find a text book that could explain what I was trying to explain, but I could not find one. Then it hit me: I needed to write a book.

I took all of that content and re-compiled it into a format that would be easy to use, I added illustrations and additional drawings, and I included step-by-step guides. Then I figured out how to print and bind it all together, so the students would have a useful textbook that would get them through the class and serve them well through the launch of their careers in the design industry. That is where the original book, “Details!”, was born.

I started to work with a well-known publisher who specializes in school textbook production, but I was not thrilled with all the compromise they were forcing on me. I actually met with an attorney to see if I was being unreasonable. He agreed with me, and I decided not to continue working with that publisher. Instead, I went another route, and now you can find the book on Amazon for a fraction of the cost that the big publishers wanted to charge to starving students. I am now proud to offer the companion book to the “Details!” text.

Unlock the blueprint of creativity with "Details: A Collection of Construction Details - An Addendum", the captivating companion to the acclaimed book, "Details: Introduction to Drafting Interior Residential Details". Delve deeper into the intricate world of architectural design with this stunning collection of hand sketches and CAD drafted construction details.

Step into the creative process of the architectural mind as each page unveils meticulously crafted sketches and detailed CAD drawings. From the intricate parts of custom staircases to the precise angles of modern fixtures, every detail is meticulously documented, offering a comprehensive understanding of the artistry behind the detailing of residential design.

Feast your eyes on a visual journey that transcends mere blueprints, transporting you into the heart of architectural innovation. Each sketch tells a story, each detail a testament to the passion and precision required to bring architectural dreams to life. Every drawing in this collection was used in various phases of the design process to communicate design intents to clients and builders on actual projects, and now they are released to you!

Whether you're a seasoned architect seeking inspiration or an aspiring designer eager to learn, "Details: A Collection of Construction Details - An Addendum" is an indispensable addition to your library. Let these sketches ignite your imagination and empower you to push the boundaries of design.

Uncover the secrets hidden within each line, each curve, and each meticulously crafted detail. Join us on a journey where creativity knows no bounds and where every stroke of the pen is a step towards architectural brilliance.

Brick Isn’t Structural / January 1, 2025 by Josh Brincko

Your chimney doesn’t hold your house up. In fact, when your house was built, a hole had to be built in the roof and floors because the chimney was in the way. If anything, the chimney makes your house weaker. The roof and floors are not held up by the chimney. You can remove your chimney, and your house will stand up just fine. You might just want to plug the hole though, so rain and birds don’t come inside:)

Brick is not a structural building material. Brick is merely a veneer. It’s a siding. The walls of your home or even high rise buildings are not held up by brick these days. Almost always, there’s a wood stud wall in brick homes that is the actual structure. Instead of nailing wood siding to that wood stud wall, brick was used as the siding instead. Brick is really no different than wood siding: both are just a nonstructural veneer. It’s just there to protect the real structure from the weather.

Brick facades are spaced about an inch away from the actual structural wall, so any moisture that makes its way through the brick has a way of draining down to the ground. This space is called a “drain plane.” At the bottom of a brick wall, you will often see little tubes, screens, or gaps where any water that found its way through a brick wall can escape. These are called “weep holes.” Since you just learned a new word, here’s another brick-related word: wythe. A wythe is a stack of bricks forming a wall. It’s an old English word.

Back in medieval times, bricks did used to be structural, and a single wythe wall meant there was a single layer of brick between the inside and the outside of a house. Since brick and the mortar that holds it all together is somewhat porous, a single wythe wall was not very luxurious. Water could seep through, and there is no way to insulate a solid brick wall. A double-wythe wall means there are two layers of brick with an air gap between those layers. This gap provides a place for moisture to drain and likely not leak through the second, interior wall. It also provides a place for insulation to go.

Brick walls were structural when our limited engineering knowledge was as basic as: just stack things up and hope they stay. As buildings got higher over the years, the bricks got bigger, and/or the walls got thicker to provide a more sturdy base. Think about it: the pyramids were built of giant stone blocks just stacked on top of one another. Gravity pulls down, so a massive brick base can resist that force. That was the limit of structural knowledge back then.

Something that brick doesn’t support well is side-to-side motion from earthquakes and wind (lateral forces). When a brick building moves sideways, there’s nothing to stop the forces (like the ground works to resist the effects of gravity pulling downward). As brick moves sideways, each one starts to individually separate, and you can see this sort of structural failure when there’s a staggered separation in the mortar joints of bricks that looks like stair-step shaped cracks as it works its way across a building facade. This is sure-sign evidence of lateral failure (which means side-to-side movement).

Notice the two areas with thicker white mortar “repairs” that creates the telltale stair-step patterns of lateral failure where the unreinforced brick has separated over time.

To help to resist this sideways force, braces that look sort of like ladders made of metal bars are laid horizontally within the mortar “glue” between the layers of brick to help to join several bricks together since they are all “glued” to the same metal “ladder.” This is known as metal reinforcing. Brick facades without these metal reinforcing ladders are known as URM (unreinforced masonry).

Before metal was readily used or available, a row of bricks would be oriented on end with their short side facing out, so they could span to connect each wythe of a double wythe wall to unify each wall together to act as one. This was an early form of reinforcing. When you see a brick building that has a different orientation of bricks every ten courses (rows) or so, this is a sure bet that the building does NOT have metal reinforcing. You should stay away from these buildings during earthquakes.

Look closely! Notice the row of narrower bricks that are about 8 rows apart from each other. This is how they used to “reinforce” brick walls before metal braces were used.

This image also shows the row of narrower bricks spaced every 8 courses to act as reinforcing.

When these sorts of buildings are remodeled, it is common that building departments will require the building to be “seismically braced.” This means a steel frame needs to be erected within the brick facade, so the steel does the job of holding up the brick (properly). Needless to say, adding steel frames within existing buildings is VERY expensive. Tearing the building down to rebuild would be much cheaper, but often, old brick buildings are preserved because they are deemed “historically relevant.” Consequently, owners of old brick buildings face really expensive retrofit costs if they ever want to remodel their building. These are often project-stoppers. Even though everyone has good intentions when they want to historically preserve a brick building and make it more sturdy, the cost of doing so is rarely feasible for most people.

So, if you like brick, know that it’s just a facade in modern architecture. In historic architecture, it’s a beautiful burden because it’s not as strong as the three little pigs have made everyone think. The 2nd pig’s flexible house of sticks would actually resist the forces of an earthquake quite well:)

Josh Wrote Another Book! / December 1, 2024 by Josh Brincko

You may remember a few years back when I shared a story about helping to rescue two ladies on a remote island in the Puget Sound. I originally wrote the story to assist in dealing with a bit of PTSD, and it seemed to help. After sitting on it for awhile, and after learning more details about the traumatic event, I decided to compile it into a book!

The goal of the book is to help others learn about a danger that may exist in their own home and to help unravel this experience a little further to put it (mostly) behind me. It is a captivating story, and I hope you will enjoy it. You can find it here and could be a meaningful and cost-friendly gift idea around the holidays, and portions of the proceeds are used to provide carbon monoxide detectors to tenants in need. Find it on Amazon:

Breathe Again: A True Story of Survival on a Remote Island

Seattle Pre-Approved DADUs / October 31, 2024 by Josh Brincko

The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspection (SDCI) made an initiative to pre-approve drawings for a few Detached Accessory Dwelling Units (DADU’s), also known as backyard cottages and mother-in-law houses. These are secondary homes on a property that are detached from the main house, and they are limited to 1000 square feet, have lower height limits, and have relaxed property line setback limitations. These are not to be confused with AADU’s (Attached Accessory Dwelling Units) which are the same thing as a DADU but they are contained within the primary residence. A lot is allowed to have one AADU and one DADU (or two AADU’s).

You can see the drawings that Josh Architects submitted to the building department here:

https://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/OPCD/OngoingInitiatives/EncouragingBackyardCottages/DADU_Submission001.pdf

https://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/OPCD/OngoingInitiatives/EncouragingBackyardCottages/DADU_Submission002.pdf

https://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/OPCD/OngoingInitiatives/EncouragingBackyardCottages/DADU_Submission003.pdf

https://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/OPCD/OngoingInitiatives/EncouragingBackyardCottages/DADU_Submission004.pdf

Our design solutions are the first entries to appear after the ones pre-approved by the city, but they are not actually pre-approved. To be honest, we like the idea of pre-approved structures, but this is a bit far-fetched for Seattle’s thick bureaucratic permitting system. Here’s why pre-approved DADU plans rarely work in the most common neighborhood residential zones of Seattle:

Lot Size: for a DADU to be allowed, your lot must be at least 3200 square feet (and min 25’ wide and min 70’ long). Not all lots are big enough to allow them.
Lot coverage: the percentage of a lot that is allowed to be covered with structures has a limit, so selecting a pre-approved DADU rarely works in our experience since most don’t fit within the remaining percentage of the land that is still allowed to be developed.
Setbacks: DADU’s are required to be spaced a certain distance from each property line, from the main residence, and also from any other structure. It is pretty rare that a pre-approved DADU happens to be the exact size required to magically fit on a property without violating the setback requirements (and also without exceeding the percentage limit in #2 above).
Trees: trees are good, but Seattle likes its trees more than you and more than the housing problem. Removal of trees to make way for a DADU is regulated, and commonly, many trees are not allowed to be removed since they exceed the size threshold to get permission to remove them. Consequently, the required setbacks from protected trees commonly do not leave enough space for a pre-approved DADU to fit on the remaining property. There is a way to relax property line setbacks in this scenario, but it rarely helps.
Topography: there’s usually something about the slope of Seattle lots that causes the foundations of any structure to require special custom design considerations. Consequently, the pre-approved structure needs to be re-evaluated, so there’s really not much about the design that is truly “pre-approved” (if it even happens to fit on your lot based on the previous points). It is common that the topography will be a catalyst for a custom designed DADU.

As you can see, there are many factors that cause the pre-approved plans to not work on many lots. We have never seen one that actually fits outright without some sort of modification. There’s even more reasons than the ones listed above, but another common reason they don’t work is because of a homeowner’s specific needs. They may want the entry door to face a certain direction, or they may not want the DADU’s living room window to be facing the master bathroom window of their main house.

Once a pre-approved DADU doesn’t fit for one of the reasons above, or if a homeowner wants to make a change to it, a redesign happens, and the pre-approval is no longer effective. This almost makes the pre-approval a little scammy. It gets homeowners’ hopes up that they can pick a plan and just expect things to flow smoothly, but the building department doesn’t make anything easy. The redesigns required for most of these situations make the system of pre-approvals nearly pointless.

The moral of the story is not to rely on buying a pre-approved plan because there’s a really really really good chance you will be wasting your money on something that won’t be allowed. It would be best to use the pre-approved plans for inspiration, and to contact an architect that you like, so they may design something for you that will actually fit on your lot that also meets your wants and needs. That would be a much smarter investment and result in no compromise. After all, a DADU is an actual house in your backyard, so it makes sense to spend the money to do it right rather than compromising and selecting something that doesn’t meet all your needs.

Seattle Modern Architect & Artisan