Building Performance Knowledge Community

Mr. Lanza: 

Your comments sum up what's wrong with the profession , and why we've lost credibility. 
1.  If an architect has "lost aptitudes to exercise design capabilities", they should lose their license, period.  They do the profession no favors. 
2.  The profession needs to assert its collective cultural value, not through legislation, but by inspiring enough people to realize the potential of well-designed space and high-quality, high- performing, buildings. 
3.  Architects who continue uninspiring practice  through propagating mediocrity will simply accelerate the vaporization of the profession. 

The new mantra of AIA National suggests individual and local responsibility.  Seems like we should take them up on that, as National isn't doing much at the moment to improve the cultural status of our profession.

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Michael Wilkinson AIA
Solomon Cordwell Buenz
Chicago IL
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Michael,

In response to a couple of your points:
2. I see no reason why we can't pursue BOTH communicating our value AND legislation. They're not mutually exclusive.
3. In my experience of speaking to clients and potential clients, I have never heard one say that they fear a mediocre design outcome with a licensed architect. Not a single one said they can get better design from a non-licensed designer or a contractor. I have heard many of them say they fear that an architect will take control of the project away from the owner, turning it in a cost, aesthetic, scope or sustainability direction that the owner does not want. I have heard almost all of them say they don't want to spend the money on architectural design, regardless of value.

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Sean Catherall AIA
Herriman UT
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