Advancement

I stumbled upon this interesting article about advancement in Architecture. The article is written by Brinn Miracle, Associate AIA who has several blogs and other sites of self publication which are worth checking out.

What struck me about this article is the challenge to think about advancement not as a ladder to climb,  but as a net to expand. She suggests that successful advancement is not really about completing tasks in a logical or incremental way, but rather to find something more intrinsic in your own values and skills that can be leveraged within the social environment of work in which you live. You can become a trusted adviser only if you are willing to engage others, to ask for help, and to give help in return. This type of practice becomes deeper, more connected, and quite honestly less intimidating. All of your future work (and perhaps even social relationships) are not things to be conquered or achieved, they simply need to be nurtured and allowed room to grow.

Becoming a Valued Architect is Something That Must be Earned

An Architect can be truly valued by two types of people:

1. People who understand what we do.
2. People who trust that we know what we are doing.

People capable of recognizing our talents are often familiar with design and construction because they are either in the business or immediate family.  They have a first hand understanding of our technical knowledge.  They can recant our perpetual efforts.  They have witnessed our genuine concern for the end product and user experience.  For most of us, Architecture is a selfless act to create spaces for the users that gets egoistically implemented because we know your needs and interpret your wants.

Earning people's trust allows them to appreciate us and value what we bring to the table without inhibitions.  Without this trust, we face an uphill battle for the duration of the project.

The person that doesn't fall into either of these categories is someone who thinks they understand the process and the Architect's expertise.  They have the potential for the least amount of appreciation for an Architect.  They can often make generalizations, assumptions, and think that all an Architect does is draw manipulate some computer software to print drawings.  Look at the deliverable that we give an Owner.  We give them a roll of drawings that can almost be discarded when the project is complete.  A contractor delivers something with resale value.  Our contribution to the project are the intangible such as organized ideas, project coordination, and quality control.  How do you put a price on that?

Vision and Skill

The value of an architect is their vision and skill.

Their vision of the past can bring ruins to life, their vision of of present can describe behaviors and environments that affect how we live today, and their vision of the future can imagine worlds that are yet to be realized.

Their skill allows these visions to become reality, to be described in technical detail, and to create economical and elegant solutions. In the end, the value of an architect is their ability to envision desire and to create space for those desires to live.

One of my favorite local projects that demonstrates this is the first stage of the renovations at the Cincinnati Art Museum where the creative vision of Jim Cheng at emersonDESIGN has helped bring new life to an old building. The project is just recently completed. This photo was taken several months ago during construction.

architects offer a fresh perspective

photo courtesy: backfirecptn via flickr

I love the concept of the “elevator pitch” and I am thankful to have been reminded in our last meeting of its importance. In January, we were asked to write an elevator pitch essentially about how an architect brings value to society. For me 30 seconds equals 75 words, so here it goes:

When you begin to craft a solution to your issue or problem, you will find solutions based on repetitive patterns from the past, others via linear thinking, and still others realized through innovation and creativity. While an architect may not always be the first person on your mind to ask for advice, I guarantee you that the solutions generated by an architect will offer you a fresh, creative perspective – and perhaps that is precisely what you need.

I love the idea of talking to people on an elevator. These “mighty wonders of the world” have allowed our society to become so much more sustainable and efficient. They have molded some or all of our great cities. When I think about the years I lived in New York City, I most certainly associate my time spent in that great city with elevators. 

Thoughts: Value of an Architect

Lack of Value of an Architect:

The lack of value placed on an architect began with our first days in architecture school.  I remember one of the first books I was required to read in Introduction to Architecture,  A Candid Guide to the Profession, by Roger K. Lewis, addressed some of the larger overall concerns with the profession:  the hours, lack of compensation, and all the testing required to actually be titled an "architect" .  As a freshman in college, already unsure of what my future would hold, reading this book did nothing to give me assurance in my dream job.  This is just the start to why it has become so difficult to attract young and bright students to embark on the journey of becoming an architect.  If we cannot bring people into the profession, how can we expect others on the outside to look at us as a valued profession and service?  

Value of an Architect:

The value of an architect goes beyond the “drawing board” and pretty pictures.  Architects are advocates for their clients, their community, and their built environment, just to name a few.  We are thoughtful problem-solvers and observers in all things we encounter.  Given the economic environment over the past several years, architects have shown their value in non-traditional ways.  We have become resourceful and marketed ourselves and our services to a broad range of jobs.  Who wouldn't want a well-rounded problem solver on their team?

The Value of an Architect… An Elevator Speech   

Architects facilitate the design and construction process, and among all disciplines we have the greatest influence upon the long-term costs of a facility.

Through keen listening and awareness of a plethora of factors, we gather the critical information about a client’s needs and goals.  With our unique aptitude and training, we then synthesize the information, in all its complexity, into a design that goes beyond what the client imagined. 

Architects improve the quality of life for building occupants, improve efficiency, and strengthen the community through designs that exude craft, style, and beauty.

Skimping on design, you get what you pay for… you get a mess.

Through quality architectural design, you get a quality product… you get architecture. 

Value with a Capital V

The topic of Architect Value came up quite often during our last Vision session focused on Advocacy.  In trying to sell our Value to a client for a building project, I have often compared architectural training to that of a doctor.  Both have more schooling, both have to train as (poorly paid) interns for years.  Architects have to take multiple tests to become licensed and then we have to maintain our knowledge through continuing education credits.  Doctors certainly have to put a lot more effort, time, and investment to become an M.D., yet they are compensated quite well during the long term, six figure incomes certainly can be an extrinsic motivator.  Either profession is not easy to practice, both carry a huge amount of training, knowledge, and liability.  Ultimately, both professions host a plethora of technical knowledge and comprehend the complexities of our respective professions.  Doctors save lives, Architects add to the quality of life.

From my perspective, Architects aren’t in it just for the money (although it certainly helps), many are intrinsically motivated to make the built environment better because we entered this profession for the opportunity to do so.  We are the wearer of many hats, understand the big picture, and inevitably bring Value to our clients through our collective understanding and integration of the many elements / systems to put together a successful project.  Through doing so we bring efficiency, economy, quality, and importance to our projects that inevitably result in Value that good clients understand are critical to a successful project.  It is our job to sell this Value to clients for them to understand our impact on the final result, because without us, the void of our involvement can be quite obvious.     

Chris