Where do architects hangout online?

It is a question that's been bugging me for a while now: where do architects go to talk to each other online?

You see, I am an architect. But I am also quite into the whole web development scene.

As a self-learner, I regularly rely on the dev community for help and inspiration. Developers are easytofind, are very welcoming on most channels, and do not hesitate to share knowledge and support.

In fact, many developers share knowledge as part of their career strategy, be it with videos, open-source software, or just by writing.

Muchhasbeen said about the benefits of writing for your career. It helps you build authority, an audience, and connect with like-minded people all over the world. The success of platforms like Medium, or the return of the personal blog as one of the main communication channels for a professional, show that writing and sharing knowledge is not only beneficial, it is essential.

However, I am pressed to find architects sharing written knowledge online. Our online forums are limited to one, reigning supreme for decades despite a sometimes toxic and snarky environment. Does it prevail because it is the best or because it is the only one?

Twitter has become the next best thing. As an entirely different format, its quality comes from the people you can find and connect and engage with. From Nobel laureates to incrediblewriters to prestigiousarchitects: on Twitter, direct connections with incredible people are quite attainable.

However, when you compare to other professions on Twitter, architects are far behind both in the number of users or sparked discussions.

Instagram and Facebook and Pinterest all fall in the same category. They are less about sharing knowledge and more about sharing eye-candy. It is all much more about the final results, the sexy photos, the prestigious won competitions, the fancy completed project, than about the process.

And that's where we are lacking — writing about the process. About what does it mean to practice architecture. About how to practice architecture in an inspiring and respectful way.

I would love to read about the intricacies of the design process that led to that beautiful building than to only look at pretty pictures of it.

But who is talking about it? Who is writing about it? And where?

Help me find them and tell me, where does the architect in you hang out online?