Architect & Developer: A Guide to Self-Initiating Projects

I am very impressed with this book. Not only is it a well-researched, theoretically grounded treatise on architect-led development projects, it also provides real-world practical advice on how to get started with a project yourself. In clear, concise, and accessible prose, the author presents a compelling vision for the implementation of a hybrid approach for architecture and development, drawing from his own research and experience in the field and a series of interviews with other successful architects currently developing projects. He even provides sample pro formas and offers advice on how to make the economics work on a range of project types and geographical areas, all of which are thoughtfully illustrated with interesting examples. I would highly recommend this book for any architect, developer, or anyone else interested in a thorough, practical, and entertaining guide on how to get started with a self-initiated building project.

Great starter book for the Architect - Developer.I’ve been an architect for over 25yrs. This book is a great introduction to transitioning into developing on one’s own. It covers basic terms and concepts of developing paired with examples and personal insights from others. Will read a second time and move on to another book with more depth. Overall a nice inspirational introduction!

This is literally the gospel for Architects or emerging design professionals who want to do their own thing and have an interest in real estate. I’m obsessed. The read was also very entertaining on top of being extremely informative.

Excellent book for those with a design-driven mindset thinking about development. Clear writing, concise examples, insightful interviews with practitioners.Found it incredibly relevant & up-to-date, even from outside the US context. The website & resources are a great counterpart to the book – don’t hesitate to purchase.

“Long overdue in our industry”, definitely.A must buy!This book is a great tool for beginner would-be arch/ developers. Petty gives great advice and resources that every would be arch/dev should have in their toolbox.I personally would like to see a follow up book soon. More detail on the financial side (the dark side that architects can’t comprehend). Maybe even some videos, like Segal?Some great books that dovetail with this one are:The real estate game - PoorvuCREATING & GROWING REAL ESTATE WEALTH - PoorvuPowerhouse Principles - Jorge M. Perez(Maybe? - prolific residential developer in South Florida. Don’t buy it. Loan it from your local library)

informative and concise. the Kindle edition has blurry images for the proforma but the author promptly sent the information via email after I sent a request.

James is a lovely young man, who has written a terrific book.There are so few books on the topic, I'm glad that someone has tackled this subject area, and given it a thorough explanation.

First of all, this is a self-published book. And like many self-published books, it's not very professional or polished, and reads like a series of overlong Reddit posts.As a "guide to self starting" I ultimately I found it to be really unfocused and confusing. For something that's supposed to be a pretty linear process, it jumps all over the place and the author doesn't separate broad concepts from ultra-specific details, tricks, or opinions. Everything feels out of order.In terms of offering actionable information in the form of a "guide," this book just doesn't have it. The author could have offered a step by step walk-through of one of their own projects, but they don't.