Project Delivery

-------------------------------------------
Richard Fischer AIA
Architect
Richard Fischer Architects
White Bear Lake MN
-------------------------------------------

Some very good insights into the marginalization of the architecture profession.  I think the observation by Alan Burcope is right-on as it relates to the two choices we face in order to sustain the profession and create value for what we do.  Either specialization or integration.  The common agreement that I see in all of these opinions is that we as architects are giving away the profession because of our fear in accepting responsibility for decision making in the building process.  This may be because many architects have a limited knowledge of construction and refuse to learn.  As a result we hide behind the excuses of todays building complexity and litigation fear, and as a result hand off this responsibility (and profitability) to others, such as the contractor or construction manager.  It comes down to "no guts, no glory".  I think the best hope for the "architect", by way of integration, is to become the "design talent and master builder", where we can walk on both sides of the street and reap the profitability that comes with accepting this joint responsibility.  Just as many artists find it difficult to make a living selling art, architects cannot promote their "design ability" to be their "art" and expect this to be the only value we can offer to the construction industry.  It is too subjective and limited to sustain a business.  We need to combine our artistic expression with our construction expertise to present a total package to our clients.  I believe we need to promote the concept of the "master builder" to redefine our profession in the historical context of those great Renaissance master builders that came before us and stood tall in accepting the responsibility (and prestige) for the buildings they created.  Their expanding knowledge, inventiveness and willingness to take risks made them giants in their profession and in their societies.  The "architect" of today has become timid and fearful that we cannot compete in the marketplace and take the leadership role in design/build.  Let's move forward to "design" and "build" with confidence.  Therein lays our destiny if we have the courage to accept the challenge.

I have been silently following this discussion with much interest. I think Mr. Butters has really hit the nail on the head with the problem here. Great input also from Mr. Burcope.

I have known since I was in college in the late 80's and early 90's that I would end up with my own design/build firm. When I first struck out on my own in the late 90's, I started by providing strictly architectural services and while I developed some really good relationships with builders as the architect who "gets it", I also found that we really do lose so much through the construction process in our limited role (as it has been directed by liability issues and the AIA itself).

It is very frustrating to look back at how architects have lost control through the construction process. Details that don't get built the way they were intended. Our drawings and our relationship with the Owner trashed. And the the biggie, after all the blood sweat and tears, friends of the Owners come over to their house/building and say "Wow, this is beautiful, who BUILT this for you?" Ouch. At that time, I had to specifically educate our clients on how to answer that question, while at the same time starting to plan the build side of my business.

Being in control of the whole process, being a Master Builder, does not mean being omniscient. It's when you think you know it all, that you make the biggest mistakes. Being in control is much different than being all-knowing. It means knowing what you don't know and finding the right person (tradesman, engineer, product rep, etc.) to fill the gap. It means empowering other experts to do what they're experts at.

Mr. Rawlings (who I am normally very like-minded with) got his response to this all right and all wrong at the same time. Who says an architect has to put installation information in a specbook? I am very anti-architect-specbook. I think that is a liability nightmare that we should all be avoiding. I have no idea why we put together these long books with information that we ourselves don't, can't and shouldn't understand (and nobody reads until something goes wrong and the lawyers need someone to blame). Our specs should be much more general and performanced based, putting the onus on the experts to furnish and install their own systems properly (and warrant them).

I worked at a company back in the day who had an in-house roofing expert. The company spent countless hours drafting very comprehensive roofing details. Details that ignored manufacturer's standard details and actually voided the roofing manufacturers' warranties, greatly increasing the cost of the roof and also placing all the liability on the architect when something failed. I always thought this was completely idiotic (because it is). All we need to do as architects is spec a system, make sure control joints line up through the building properly and let the contractor do what the contractor is paid to do (install the system he is providing properly). We often provide way too many meaningless details that only serve to increase our liability. So just stop doing it!!! I don't know who came up with the idea of providing more and more and more information which is outside the scope of what is really needed to get a building built. I know it seems like a rational response that providing more information would lower your risk of liability (because that's what's been pounded into our architect brains for years and years), but it is totally irrational when you really think about it.

Our job as architects is to provide the details necessary to articulate the design properly (to meet our vision) and to make sure the building is safe and functional for it's intended use. I love old sets of drawings. If you've never sat down with a great set of plans from the earlier 1900's, you're missing out on an educational experience. Those guys knew how to f'ing draw a set of plans. Everything that you really need and none of the bull. So draw your drawings and write your specs to put the liability where it belongs. It's not hard, you don't have to settle for the status quo because that's how you were taught it was supposed to be done, change it, just do it.

Buildings are indeed very complex entities these days. Architects need to examine their drawings and rediscover the true essence of the service we are providing. Our drawings should be a reflection of that essence. It would improve the respect we get from the contracting community, save us wasted money on wasted drawing/specing time, lower our liability, etc.

I seem to have digressed from the discussion of master builder, but if we can't get the architecture part right I suppose my thoughts on that are wasted too. But like I said, to control the process, it is not required that you be all-knowing, it just requires you to lead. It's amazing how much easier everything becomes when you do (and it actually helps you control that whole liability issue too). Trained to serve and being afraid to lead is the heart of the problem with architects.

Sorry, I'm going on too long ... way to long.



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John Richert AIA
Owner
Crossroads Design, Inc.
Lake Forest IL
-------------------------------------------

During times like this the Architects always suffer much more than any of the construction trades for one simple reason. They build every kind of building known to man and we design everything but the most numerous building type in the country. Yes, there are many residential Architects, but we are barely designing a fraction of the single family dwellings. Let me repost some figures. During the boom there were 6 single family residences for every one multifamily unit. It's pretty common for one Architecture firm to design a 200 unit complex or tower, but that's 1200 single family residences, each a potential project. During the boom 82% of all houses built were spec houses. 7% were Owner built and 11% were contracted to a private builder by a private Owner. How many of those 11% of houses came from plan books and how many do you think were custom designed by licensed Architects?

Hi Eric,
Okay, okay, okay....I get it.  There.was.no.Architect.as.Master.Builder. (Except for the guy, or Head Mason of the Parthenon, I guess...).  You're a very talented writer; I enjoy reading your posts.  I guess I need to revise my former list of the top 8 things we architects need to do to regain our profession.  We can cross off becoming more like the mythical Imhotep/"Master Builder," as that is n/a. :D 

Don't we still need to understand construction better in order to draw it?  How do we accomplish this in the most expedient way?   

And Alan Burcope's points are very interesting about CAD becoming so burdensome that many seasoned architects have trouble keeping up with it as the upgrades keep coming and many architects don't have time what with marketing, running a firm, meeting payroll, meeting with clients, managing projects, etc.

We are becoming more and more divorced from our craft...is this a necessary evil of progress?  Why does the piano and easel exist, but I must burn my drafting table?  Wahhhh, it's not fair I say.

Have a great weekend everybody...

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Tara Imani AIA
Owner
Tara Imani Designs, LLC
Houston TX
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-15-2011 14:36
From: Eric Rawlings
Subject: Our Destiny - Our Choice

During times like this the Architects always suffer much more than any of the construction trades for one simple reason. They build every kind of building known to man and we design everything but the most numerous building type in the country. Yes, there are many residential Architects, but we are barely designing a fraction of the single family dwellings. Let me repost some figures. During the boom there were 6 single family residences for every one multifamily unit. It's pretty common for one Architecture firm to design a 200 unit complex or tower, but that's 1200 single family residences, each a potential project. During the boom 82% of all houses built were spec houses. 7% were Owner built and 11% were contracted to a private builder by a private Owner. How many of those 11% of houses came from plan books and how many do you think were custom designed by licensed Architects?

Our problem isn't with the delivery method. Our problem is that we're fishing from the smaller pond and ignoring the most profitable construction sector. Since 1992 the residential sector has made 35% more GDP than commercial. At the height of the boom it was making almost 300% more! Our problem is that we can't figure out how to make our services available for average home owners, so the largest chunk of work is left to the amateurs and a few Architects like me. We think we need to control more of the least numerous jobs. We think we need to invent more things to do for the same small group of projects. If the proportion of residential Architects matched the available projects there would be at least 4x more residential Architects than commercial and you know we're not even close to that. I know I'm in the minority in my field.

We need to focus on taking over the residential sector. It will be a long process, but one we can't ignore. Regular people have no idea who we are because regular people don't ask to have banks built or post offices. They need houses. Right now they need renovations. You better get used to people nesting and fixing what they have for the next few years. Renovations need Architects more than new homes. It is much more dangerous leaving this up to amateurs. I've made a good living fixing their mistakes. This is our chance to insert ourselves in an industry we forgot about, so they moved on without our help. The answer is expanding the net we cast, not the next best method for casting the same small net in the same old pond. Many of us think we're above designing houses, as we work on corporate bread and butter jobs or ugly strip malls that are so much better. When I look around anywhere America, I don't see 90% decent buildings. I'm lucky to see 20%, but in most places I see nothing but junk - 0%. Someone's designing this stuff. 

I believe our absence from the most personal of buildings has created our absence in what is relevant to the majority of people. Regular people don't work with us and only fantasize about this mythical creature they hear about, but never really encounter. Real Estate agents are social networking hubs. They have established far more worth than us because they are connected to everyone. Because the residential business dwarfs commercial, they have become much more valuable to many more people that we never even encounter because we focus on the commercial mostly. Agents help builders find the best new property first, they tip people off, they know everything going on like your nosey little sister. They are there when the house is bought and they are back when it sells. Where are we? Are we in any regular person's face, ever? 

We think we're going to sneak another cent or two out of the same pool of work by doing something a little different and I'll bet we end up performing another BS service and get paid the same for it while accepting another mountain of liability. That is the history of our profession, so why should it turn out different next time? The answer is figuring out how to take over the residential sector. In the end, we should design every inhabitable structure. I feel humiliated that we don't! We must have a clear goal and meticulously go after it piece by piece. Certain jurisdictions could be convinced to require our stamps sooner than others. NY could be convinced to make our stamp additional to the engineer's, not an either or. Structural is responsible for structure only, but not allowed to be responsible for the building as a whole. Beyond a long term goal of requiring our stamps, the short term goal is for us to really insert ourselves into the residential sector, particularly the renovation market. Sustainability is another justification for our metamorphosis into something new and necessary. We have an opportunity to really drop the ball or make some serious, positive changes to our profession. If we were to double our numbers and potential work load, then we could become powerful enough to make a difference for our profession among an industry full of powerful construction trades. The only way to do this is to expand our territory! It's just sitting there...waiting.

-------------------------------------------
Eric Rawlings AIA
Owner
Rawlings Design, Inc.
Decatur GA
-------------------------------------------

After two lay-offs within a couple of years from a couple of different firms, I started working on my own in the residential sector and I've been really surprised by several things (and I'm echoing Eric's remarks in much of this):

First, I've been surprised that there's so much work out there. With so few commercial and public architectural jobs out there, I assumed that the entire economy was so depressed that there was no money out there for residential projects either. I was wrong about that. I formed a design/build joint venture with a startup general contractor and his phone rings every day. Yes, they are small projects. But many small projects equal one large project. At the rate things are growing, I may need to hire help before the year is over.

Second, many of these projects come through our contacts with banks, real estate agents, property managers and others in the business of selling and managing real property. Every day they encounter problems that require construction expertise--and construction is the last thing they want to manage themselves, even on a small scale.

Third, we have found that there are federal home loan programs that have been out there for decades that require certified contractors and architects in order for homeowners to participate--and there are states where no contractors and architects are certified yet--so no banks and no homeowners are yet participating. Well, obviously, we're jumping all over that and the phone rings more and more.

Fourth, I find that I'm working with people every day who have never worked with an architect before. I get to set their expectations. They are pleasantly surprised when I ask insightful questions about their tastes, their preferences and their lifestyle. Their minds are completely blown when I show them a couple of simple computer-generated renderings showing a couple of options for their little project, explain the differences, let them choose which option they want to pursue and then listen carefully to their input for completing the design. I am also noticing that local building officials who seldom work with architects on residential projects are changing their expectations about the quality of documents they review.

Which brings me to my fifth and final point: I am seeing more and more that, as people (homeowners, local bankers, real estate agents, small town building officials) work with architects for perhaps the first time, they quickly tell their friends about their experiences. If that experience is a positive one, the PR is better than any national marketing campaign the AIA could ever put together. If it is negative, the damage is insurmountable.

-------------------------------------------
Sean Catherall, AIA
Herriman, UT
-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 04-15-2011 14:36
From: Eric Rawlings
Subject: Our Destiny - Our Choice

During times like this the Architects always suffer much more than any of the construction trades for one simple reason. They build every kind of building known to man and we design everything but the most numerous building type in the country. Yes, there are many residential Architects, but we are barely designing a fraction of the single family dwellings. Let me repost some figures. During the boom there were 6 single family residences for every one multifamily unit. It's pretty common for one Architecture firm to design a 200 unit complex or tower, but that's 1200 single family residences, each a potential project. During the boom 82% of all houses built were spec houses. 7% were Owner built and 11% were contracted to a private builder by a private Owner. How many of those 11% of houses came from plan books and how many do you think were custom designed by licensed Architects?

Our problem isn't with the delivery method. Our problem is that we're fishing from the smaller pond and ignoring the most profitable construction sector. Since 1992 the residential sector has made 35% more GDP than commercial. At the height of the boom it was making almost 300% more! Our problem is that we can't figure out how to make our services available for average home owners, so the largest chunk of work is left to the amateurs and a few Architects like me. We think we need to control more of the least numerous jobs. We think we need to invent more things to do for the same small group of projects. If the proportion of residential Architects matched the available projects there would be at least 4x more residential Architects than commercial and you know we're not even close to that. I know I'm in the minority in my field.

We need to focus on taking over the residential sector. It will be a long process, but one we can't ignore. Regular people have no idea who we are because regular people don't ask to have banks built or post offices. They need houses. Right now they need renovations. You better get used to people nesting and fixing what they have for the next few years. Renovations need Architects more than new homes. It is much more dangerous leaving this up to amateurs. I've made a good living fixing their mistakes. This is our chance to insert ourselves in an industry we forgot about, so they moved on without our help. The answer is expanding the net we cast, not the next best method for casting the same small net in the same old pond. Many of us think we're above designing houses, as we work on corporate bread and butter jobs or ugly strip malls that are so much better. When I look around anywhere America, I don't see 90% decent buildings. I'm lucky to see 20%, but in most places I see nothing but junk - 0%. Someone's designing this stuff. 

I believe our absence from the most personal of buildings has created our absence in what is relevant to the majority of people. Regular people don't work with us and only fantasize about this mythical creature they hear about, but never really encounter. Real Estate agents are social networking hubs. They have established far more worth than us because they are connected to everyone. Because the residential business dwarfs commercial, they have become much more valuable to many more people that we never even encounter because we focus on the commercial mostly. Agents help builders find the best new property first, they tip people off, they know everything going on like your nosey little sister. They are there when the house is bought and they are back when it sells. Where are we? Are we in any regular person's face, ever? 

We think we're going to sneak another cent or two out of the same pool of work by doing something a little different and I'll bet we end up performing another BS service and get paid the same for it while accepting another mountain of liability. That is the history of our profession, so why should it turn out different next time? The answer is figuring out how to take over the residential sector. In the end, we should design every inhabitable structure. I feel humiliated that we don't! We must have a clear goal and meticulously go after it piece by piece. Certain jurisdictions could be convinced to require our stamps sooner than others. NY could be convinced to make our stamp additional to the engineer's, not an either or. Structural is responsible for structure only, but not allowed to be responsible for the building as a whole. Beyond a long term goal of requiring our stamps, the short term goal is for us to really insert ourselves into the residential sector, particularly the renovation market. Sustainability is another justification for our metamorphosis into something new and necessary. We have an opportunity to really drop the ball or make some serious, positive changes to our profession. If we were to double our numbers and potential work load, then we could become powerful enough to make a difference for our profession among an industry full of powerful construction trades. The only way to do this is to expand our territory! It's just sitting there...waiting.

-------------------------------------------
Eric Rawlings AIA
Owner
Rawlings Design, Inc.
Decatur GA
-------------------------------------------

Thank you very much for your exciting story of bucking this recession with residential work. Everything you say is consistent with my experience. There is a pessimism about the unknown, a fear of residential design stereotypes, etc. For an industry in shambles, residential is still providing jobs and what Mr. Catherall has discovered is that residential dwarfs commercial. Of course the jobs are smaller, but there are so many more the further you dig into the regular people sector. I can't find the bottom and as the economy improves the further I have to dig to find it. New construction numbers still look just as bad as the commercial market if not worse. The renovation market, on the other hand, is booming! I hope other Architects see the light!

-------------------------------------------
Eric Rawlings AIA
Owner
Rawlings Design, Inc.
Decatur GA
-------------------------------------------







Original Message:
Sent: 04-18-2011 09:39
From: Sean Catherall
Subject: Our Destiny - Our Choice

After two lay-offs within a couple of years from a couple of different firms, I started working on my own in the residential sector and I've been really surprised by several things (and I'm echoing Eric's remarks in much of this):

First, I've been surprised that there's so much work out there. With so few commercial and public architectural jobs out there, I assumed that the entire economy was so depressed that there was no money out there for residential projects either. I was wrong about that. I formed a design/build joint venture with a startup general contractor and his phone rings every day. Yes, they are small projects. But many small projects equal one large project. At the rate things are growing, I may need to hire help before the year is over.

Second, many of these projects come through our contacts with banks, real estate agents, property managers and others in the business of selling and managing real property. Every day they encounter problems that require construction expertise--and construction is the last thing they want to manage themselves, even on a small scale.

Third, we have found that there are federal home loan programs that have been out there for decades that require certified contractors and architects in order for homeowners to participate--and there are states where no contractors and architects are certified yet--so no banks and no homeowners are yet participating. Well, obviously, we're jumping all over that and the phone rings more and more.

Fourth, I find that I'm working with people every day who have never worked with an architect before. I get to set their expectations. They are pleasantly surprised when I ask insightful questions about their tastes, their preferences and their lifestyle. Their minds are completely blown when I show them a couple of simple computer-generated renderings showing a couple of options for their little project, explain the differences, let them choose which option they want to pursue and then listen carefully to their input for completing the design. I am also noticing that local building officials who seldom work with architects on residential projects are changing their expectations about the quality of documents they review.

Which brings me to my fifth and final point: I am seeing more and more that, as people (homeowners, local bankers, real estate agents, small town building officials) work with architects for perhaps the first time, they quickly tell their friends about their experiences. If that experience is a positive one, the PR is better than any national marketing campaign the AIA could ever put together. If it is negative, the damage is insurmountable.

-------------------------------------------
Sean Catherall, AIA
Herriman, UT
-------------------------------------------

Again, we all keep referring to this fantasy Master Builder who did not exist in the context I keep hearing. Trades in ancient times were far more complex than we credit them for. The word Architect comes from the Greek word Architectonas which literally means Head Mason, not Master Builder. There are many Greek words dating back to ancient times describing other very specific construction jobs as well. In city states like Athens, trades were very extensive and very specific. They not only had shoe makers, but had people who just made the sole or just the lace. They had so many layers of trades in every aspect of society. The Spartans didn't make masonry buildings, they used wood. So is a carpenter, or Evlourgos, not a Master Builder because he uses wood? He's certainly not a Head Mason or Architectonas, but someone designed it and someone built it. Where's this master builder? I'm not sure we really know how extensive the construction trade system was, but we do know that more sophisticated city states had very complex layers of workers. The Head Masons coordinated the material that made the form of the building, it was the most important component, but he didn't control the entire design/construction process like this Master Builder I keep hearing everyone describe. What we're looking for can't be found in ancient times. What I hear is a new, more comprehensive service. Even through the middle ages, the masons didn't design, perform or coordinate ALL of the work, just the most important part. Who made the stained glass, coordinated installation, or designed it? The mason? I doubt it, but this is who we're looking for. How many generations did it take to build Notre Dame? Who designed it? Generations of Master Builders? I don't think we're fantasizing about generations of us passing down the design batton. I think we want the design figured out sooner than 150 years from now on a single building. The answer isn't in ancient Greece, Rome, or the Renaissance.