7 REASONS ARCHITECTURE (AS WE KNOW IT) IS OVER

By: Steve Mouzon

Steve Mouzon, a principal of Studio

Sky and Mouzon Design, is an
architect, urbanist, author, and
photographer from Miami. He
founded the New Urban Guild,
which hosts Project:SmartDwelling a
nd helped foster the Katrina
Cottages movement. The Guild's
non-profit affiliate is the Guild
Foundation, which hosts the Original
Green initiative.

Architecture has changed irreparably in the past decade, but those who
know how to adapt just might find themselves in a far better place in a
few years. It has now been 8 years since construction peaked in 2005,
nearly 6 years since the subprime meltdown, and close to 5 years since
the big meltdown that really kicked off the Great Recession.

Today, it appears that construction is finally beginning to pick back up, but
it's too late for architecture as we knew it. Here are seven reasons why...

The End of Experienced Employees

More than half of the people working in architectural offices in 2005 aren't
there anymore. Some are still unemployed, some have gone in business
for themselves, but many have left the profession. And when people leave
architecture, they rarely come back for three reasons: an architecture
degree prepares you to do so many other things, it's such a stressful
profession, and the pay is usually significantly lower than other
professions like law and medicine. So if you're a firm owner, your former
employees are likely either gone for good, or have started their own firms
and are competing with you for work. So you can't simply gear back up
with the same experienced people you once had.

The End of Trusting Clients

During the past 8 years that we've essentially been out of business, our
clients have changed in several ways. A decade ago, clients were much
more likely to accept the expert opinion of an architect. Now, they've all
learned to Google. Just ask doctors about their experience with patients
who know WebMD for a look at what a web-searching clientele means to
another profession.
The New Frugality

Your one-time clients have become much more frugal over the past 8
years, and because the construction crash has now lasted twice as long as
it takes to get a college degree, this new frugality is likely to stick. Just
look at how the Great Depression transformed a generation of Americans
almost a century ago, forever imprinting them with high frugality. When
they do spend money, frugal people are more likely to buy products than
services. They buy store-bought clothes rather than patronizing a tailor,
for example. Frugal homeowners-to-be are more likely to buy a stock
house plan than commission a custom design. Today, if you have only
services to sell, you may want to start thinking about packaging useful
things you've done into products.

Smaller & Smarter

When those homeowners-to-be build, they're facing a banking industry

that has changed dramatically. Many banks have sworn off real estate
lending entirely, whereas those who are still making mortgage loans are
much more conservative. This means that your clients have a much better
chance of getting a smaller project financed so long as you design it to
be smart enough that your client prefers it over a larger, less intelligent
design.

Younger & Greener

Your clients have also gotten younger. A decade ago, most custom design
clients were Baby Boomers, but they are now beginning to move out of
the home-building market as they age, and are being replaced with GenX
and GenY. These generations are much more concerned with building and
living sustainably. As a matter of fact, if you're a Boomer architect, you
may well be viewed as part of the sustainability problem because
Boomers have consumed more than any generation in human history, not
only because we were so large, but because we were so hungry as well.

Patience, Generosity, and Connectedness

Those changes would be enough to rock any profession, but there's more.
Business is currently undergoing a change that I believe will prove to be
as great as the Industrial Revolution 250 years ago. For that quarter-
millennium, the prime virtues of business have been better-faster-
cheaper, or quality, speed, and economy, if you prefer. I believe that the
new age that is now dawning may come to be known as the Age of the
Idea, and it appears that the three prime virtues of this time we are now
entering may become patience, generosity, and connectedness. So
this isn't just about remaking our marketing it's about remaking
ourselves.

The New Tools

Most marketing methods architects have used for decades don't work so
well anymore for two reasons: First, the market is leaner, and the
old methods worked best when there were lots of jobs to go around.
Second, and less obvious, is the fact that we've all been vaccinated by
spam against wanting to hear anything about your business. We turn a
deaf ear to sales pitches just as quickly as we hit the delete key on a
spammy email. The good news is that new tools are emerging that work
much better, and again, for two reasons: First, you can reach far more
people with tools like blogging, tweeting, online communities, video, etc.
than you can by playing a round of golf. And these tools reach the places
that are heavily populated by your younger potential clients.

I firmly believe that even though the Great Recession has been
architecture's bleakest epoch of my lifetime, it also has the potential to be
a great transformational event that can change the profession for the
better. At least for those who adapt and transform themselves. What do
you think?

This article originally appeared as "The End of Architecture as We Knew It"

on Original Green. Steve Mouzon, a principal of Studio Sky and Mouzon
Design, is an architect, urbanist, author, and photographer from Miami. He
founded the New Urban Guild,
which hosts Project:SmartDwelling and helped foster the Katrina
Cottages movement. The Guild's non-profit affiliate is the Guild
Foundation, which hosts the Original Green initiative.

Image of "concept city" via shutterstock.com

WHAT WILL THE ARCHITECTURE PROFESSION LOOK LIKE
IN 2025?
By Kelly Minner

What will the architecture profession look like in 2025? According to the
Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) think tank Building Futures new
survey, we have a tough road ahead of us. The year long study asked,
who will design our built environment, what role will architects have, and
how might practice change by 2025.

Our global economy and the economic recession have effected our
business practices and the RIBA has taken a look at how these factors
have transformed our profession and what trends we may see continuing
in the future. The survey suggests that not only will architecture firms
have to focus on a financial and business approach rather than
predominantly design-led offices, but also company names are predicted
to drop architect altogether and insert spatial agencies and design
houses.

In order to compete against the cheaper workforces from the emerging

markets and the financially savvy mega consultancies, the architect must
learn to speak the language of the client particularly to become financially
literate. In addition to financial literacy, the client-savvy architect must be
able to see beyond building a building and offer a service that embraces
the clients broader aims becoming a problem solver as well as a
designer.

Even more concerning is the projected shift in size of an architecture firm,

multi-disciplinary mega practices are the anticipated new norm. The
medium-sized 50-120 employee firms based mainly in London are at high
risk to be squeezed on fees and acquired by larger firms becoming extinct
to the profession altogether.
Parts of the industry that could remain relatively stable according
to RIBA are the small local general practice, the international star
architects, specialist niche practices, and the traditional regional delivery
driven practice.

A number of practices we interviewed were planning to formalize the

diverse services that they offer, said the report, too many architects
were carrying out pre-project work for free, claiming this would never
happen in any other profession.

Although the results of the survey are a bit daunting, there is an evident
opportunity to actively participate in shaping the development of the
profession. These circumstances provide an ability to not react after
luxury fashion houses start designing mixed-use skyscrapers, but rather
be a player within the future of a profession that could provide
opportunities for architects have never been greater.

Source: RIBA think tank Building Futures report

THE FUTURE OF ARCHITECTURE PROFESSION

By: Brandon Donnelly

Yesterday I had a really interesting conversation with somebody about the

future of the architecture profession. We spoke about how Joshua Prince-
Ramus of REX believes that architects have marginalized themselves as a
result of shying away from liability. We spoke about how architecture
schools need to teach more about business and making money. And we
spoke about why I decided to never practice architecture and instead
become a developer.

At the end of it all, he came to more or less the same conclusion that I did
in this post. He felt that as more and more trained architects choose to
become developers, that maybe the future will be firms that vertically
integrate both architecture and real estate development. For those of you
not in the building industry, this is fairly uncommon practice today.
Typically, developers retain the services of an architect to design their
buildings and do not handle this in-house.

But there are firms that do. DDG out of New York and San Francisco is one
example. Although theres a subtlety worth mentioning. According to their
website, they say that they often act as the design architect for their
projects. This means that there would still need to be an architect of
record, whose name would appear on the building permit and who would
ultimately end up shouldering the liability for the design.

You see, a bifurcation has happened even within the architecture

profession itself. You have design architects who may or may not be
licensed, but do a lot of the fun design work upfront for a project. And you
have production oriented firms that actually produce the technical
drawings needed for construction. The fees are generally higher in the
latter case (unless maybe youre a starchitect), but the work is less
creative.

The emergence of these two streams of architecture is precisely what

Joshua Prince-Ramus is talking about when he says that architects have
marginalized themselves by shying away from liability. He believes that
architects are reducing themselves to designers and stylists, from master
builders. So his argument is that architects need to reinsert themselves
into more of the building process.

What Ive been suggesting is that architects should become owners. They
should insert themselves into the development process. And the reason I
feel this way is because I worry about the tendency for production and
construction to just be farmed out to the lowest bidder. Design and
development, on the other hand, are high value creation items.

Truthfully though, I dont really know which option is better for the
profession in terms of relevance. I know which one Im most interested in,
but that could just be a personal preference. What do you think?

WILL ARCHITECTS EXIST IN 2025?

By: Rose Etherington

Launch of RIBA Building Futures The Future for Architects? report

The demise of the mid-sized practice, a dearth of work in the UK, and no
more architects; the architects' profession could look radically different in
2025, according to a new study by the Royal Institute of British Architects'
(RIBA) think tank Building Futures.

Setting out a radical vision for the future, The Future for Architects?
examines how the demands of a global economy and economic recession
have transformed business practice, and projects the evolution of these
trends into 2025 by questioning:

Who will design our built environment in 2025?

What role might those trained in architecture have in 2025?

How might practice change by 2025?

The study looks at how architects practice now, and predicts how this
could change in the future.

One of the top issues highlighted in the study was how the label architect
is perceived to hold practices back in terms of the type of work they are
able to do. Some practices have already created offshoot companies with
a separate identity and different branding to their main practice avoiding
use of the title architect, in order to reach more diverse markets and
branch into areas such as lighting design, product design, industrial
design, interior design, installation design, branding and community
consultation. Many practitioners are not architects in the formal sense
recognized by the RIBA and the ARB, yet still have a significant role in
affecting the built environment; this prompts the question whether the
RIBA might need to consider evolving the 20th century definition of what
it means to be an architect in order to fit better with the broader 21st
century reality of the profession, or whether the title should be used at all.
Students and graduates echoed these concerns, and saw the label
architect as restrictive and as creating a barrier between themselves and
other professions such as planning and urban design.

Amongst those interviewed there was a call for architects to ensure they
could navigate the dramatic changes taking place within the profession,
particularly by improving their financial literacy and ability to offer a
service that embraces the clients broader aims and goes beyond building
a building. The greatest threat was envisaged for medium sized practices,
who were considered likely to threatened by larger practices with an
established commercial approach towards clients, and global
interdisciplinary consultancies for their ability to quickly complete
different scale projects at low cost, leading to a polarisation of practices
by size. One large practice felt that in the longer-term future, the
architects' practice could become far more nimble by reducing to a very
small core group with established links to a range of cutting edge
technological consultants, enabling them to keep up with advances in
technology, programming and skills by having access to the best
practitioners in each field.

The decline in demand for architects services in the UK (dropping 40%

since 2008) highlights how the UKs finite market has pushed architects
with larger scale aspirations to look overseas for work. In many cases,
larger practices looking to work effectively abroad are gaining local
expertise by recruiting directly from local schools of architecture, and
establishing a talent pool for each office. However, a number of small
practices felt that working abroad was not a viable option for them.
Speaking today, Dickon Robinson, Chair of Building Futures said:

This report seeks to stimulate a discussion about the challenges and

opportunities which architects in the broadest sense face, in the hope that
the ensuing debate will put them in the best position to succeed.

The past fifteen years have been particularly interesting. The

combination of lottery funding, Millennium euphoria and the global debt
binge have been a great period for architecture. Our cities have seen
radical change. Most now boast examples of exemplary contemporary
architecture, and many have been transformed by architect designed
residential towers and retail developments. For perhaps the first time the
public perception of architecture has been informed by direct experience
of well designed buildings large and small, and by the popularity of
television programmes on architecture.

However, this burst of activity, and its consequent creation of an

employment bubble, has tended to obscure the continuing changes in the
construction industry that creates the context in which architects work.
Architects are not alone in needing to respond to the impact of a
globalizing economy, exploding information technology capability and
cultural confusion. However, in the face of a continuing erosion of
traditional architectural skills to other players, the profession seems
peculiarly vulnerable to a nostalgic backward glance at a bygone age in
which the architect was the undisputed boss. Fortunately, it is clear that
many young graduates see nothing but opportunity in these extraordinary
times; if they are to be fulfilled it is important that our professional
institutions work to create the conditions which will optimize their
chances.

Dezeenwire: the Royal Institute of British Architects' think tank, Building

Futures, have published a report predicting dramatic changes in
architecture practice by the year 2025.

The following details are from the RIBA:

THE FUTURE OF ARCHITECTURE

08/03/2016 by Shannon
Calder.

Architecture requires a
modicum of character and
a modicum of grit. Young
architects have to feel the
deliciousness along with
the pain.

Michael Lehrer, FAIA

At the Jul. 29 AIACC Board

Meeting, many attended a
special guest panel comprised
of architects, intellectuals,
CEOs and academics brought
together to discuss their
opinions about the future of the architecture profession.

With 87 people in the audience, a Facebook live streaming video of the

panel presented in its entirety, a live tweet wall for those wanting to
extend the conversation, and a reception afterwards, the profession was
discussed in a lively and optimistic manner.

The panel included Andrea Cohen Gehring, FAIA, Ingalill Whalroos-Ritter,

AIA, Leanna Libourel, AIA, Michael B. Lehrer, FAIA, Michael Armstrong, and
Ric. Abramson, FAIA, was sponsored by Concrete Masonry Association of
California and Nevada (CMACN). The views were often similar with slight
variations of opinion on the ever-present theme these days: How do we
develop a mindset and curiosity amongst multiple ranges and
generations?

The attempt to bridge generation gaps can be filled with moments, days
and months of tension and misunderstandings, miscommunication,
resulting in negative experiences. But rather than dwell in the negative, in
the pool of frustration, why not view the learning curve as educational
opportunity for all? Let it be about fostering relationships; fostering
collaboration and appreciating the sublime and the profound that this
profession has to offer.

As Armstrong spoke of the rising number of licensed architects and the

ever-changing testing procedures, people in the audience anxiously and
excitedly flipped to the California graphic: (page 66) The tools are
changing, but the paradigm of architectural practice has remained largely
the same, Armstrong explained.
Basically, the profession should be proud of who they are, what they are
creating, as well as those brave souls entering the world of architecture.
Interim Dean of the School of Architecture, Woodbury University, is proud
of her students and is very optimistic about the future of the profession.
We have never been as diverse as today, she said as she listed the
many various culturally-rooted names of some of her alumni which were in
the audience. Perhaps it is all summed up best by one single thought. To
Lehrer, the word architect has very magical quality. Its best to use this
magic for powerful greater good, as evidenced by examples within our
society and within our cultures.
THE FUTURE OF ARCHITECTURE PROFESSION
By: Brian Hill

One of the most popular posts that I have ever written on this site is The
Future of Architecture as a Profession? which I wrote about two years ago.
A recent article by Steve Mouzon for ArchDaily has caused me to revisit
the issue.

In Mouzons article, he identifies some trends in the architecture

profession that I hadnt anticipated. Specifically:

More than half of the people working in architectural offices in 2005 arent
there anymore. Some are still unemployed, some have gone in business
for themselves, but many have left the profession. And when people leave
architecture, they rarely come back for three reasons: an architecture
degree prepares you to do so many other things, its such a stressful
profession, and the pay is usually significantly lower than other
professions like law and medicine.

Mouzon lists seven ways that the Great Recession has permanently
altered the business of architectural design:

The exodus of experienced employees (see the quote above)

Clients no longer trust the expert opinion of an architect

The Great Recession is drastically impacting consumer attitudes,

introducing a new era of frugality

Homeowners seek smaller and smarter, in part due to lending practices

by financial institutions

Clients are younger and very motivated to make more sustainable choices

Patience, Generosity, and Connectedness will replace Better, Faster,

Cheaper

Most marketing methods architects have used for decades dont work so
well anymore

Mouzon ends his article with the following:

I firmly believe that even though the Great Recession has been
architectures bleakest epoch of my lifetime, it also has the potential to be
a great transformational event that can change the profession for the
better. At least for those who adapt and transform themselves.

As far as the future of architecture as a profession is concerned, I still

stand by what I wrote two years ago:

Architects will need to become more involved in the networked world that
we now live in. Instead of the perception that now prevails, where
architects are often viewed as an expensive nuisance and obstacle,
architects need to position themselves as integrated and essential
resources for improving the built environment. The walled gardens of
architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Frank Gehry will be replaced by
forward-thinking design consultants that move easily between disciplines,
with an eye for cost and energy efficiency.

Here are a couple highlights from the study:

Global population growth from 2000 to 2050 will rise 46% and 70% of the
population will live in urban areas.

As of 2008, demand for architectural services has declined 40%.

Only 50% of the architecture firms interviewed have a business plan.

Areas of the profession predicted to remain relatively stable in 2025: small

local general practices, international starchitects, specialist niche
practices, traditional regional delivery driven practices.

Emerging areas of practice: developing economies, global inter-

disciplinary consultancies, build/own/operate/transfer designers,
subcontractors and specialists, design houses and creative agencies.

Areas of practice most at risk: medium-sized firms of 25 to 150 people,

and small metropolitan boutique practices.

My perspective, one that is shared by the findings in the report, is that

overall the role of architects has been greatly reduced. Traditional services
that architects rarely provide: project management, contract
administration and cost control. As more of the detailed design services
are provided by supply chain, the role of the architect is further
diminished. I have seen many projects where the architects work involved
little more than CAD drawings showing floor plans, elevations, section
drawings and mostly boiler-plate specifications. Specific details are often
not supplied, or are copied and pasted from standard libraries or supplied
by material manufacturers. Other information incorporated in construction
drawings are supplied by engineers and other consultants. Contractors,
engineers, project management professionals, energy efficiency
consultants, owners representatives and others have taken on expanded
roles in the construction field.

What Happened?

I dont know. Though I suspect that some of the problem has to do with
the failure of the architectural profession, in general, to properly meet the
needs of clients and to adapt to changing environments. Architects used
to be the main representative of the owners interests on construction
projects. Other professionals have stepped in to provide those services
more efficiently and with less hassle than architects. Technology has
impacted the role of architects as well. Specialized tools for project
management, scheduling, cost reconciliation, etc., have become more
integral to larger projects. Most architecture firms do not place a priority
on use of these tools, in my experience.

Perhaps the largest factor that I have seen impact the role of the architect
is arrogance. More than almost any other profession in the construction
industry, architects tend to hold fast to romantic or idealized views of their
role. There is a reluctance to relinquish the creative and artistic side to the
increased need for the technical and more pragmatic side of the practice.
Contractors, engineers, and other professionals responsible for the built
environment have evolved to expand their roles. Even smaller general
contractors have staff proficient in use of standard computer-based design
tools. A general contractor is much more likely to bring in a design
professional on staff, than an architecture firm is to bring in a licensed
contractor.

How Can Architects Adapt?

A theme that I have proposed to many architects I have worked with is to

shift more towards consulting. The report by Building Futures hammers
that point home as well. According to a project manager interviewed by
the researchers, the profession is heading towards consultancy. I think
that architects will have the greatest influence if they concentrate on
high-end consultancy and strategic thinking. And this isnt at all hard to
imagine. Due to standardization and accreditation, architectural education
has become very sophisticated and evolved. In many ways, I see a lot of
similarity between MBA programs and advanced architectural degree
programs. The Bachelors/Masters of Architecture degree is to me, the MBA
of construction. If architecture professionals could embrace the changes in
the marketplace, their training and experience would be ideal for a role as
a consultant and strategic planner for the built environment.

Many architects have embraced sustainable design practices and sought

out relevant credentials. I see much greater potential for architects that
position themselves as sustainable design consultants than as a
traditional architect. So positioning and broadened service offerings are
important. The other component necessary to the evolving role of
architects is broadening strategic alliances and partnerships. By
integrating professionals from other disciplines, such as engineering,
project management, project controls, etc., an architecture firm becomes
a one-stop shop for facilitating owners needs.

Finally, the biggest change that architecture firms and professionals need
to embrace is in regards to culture. From the report:

A number of architects and designers we spoke to had built their brand

on the basis of a very particular way of working, or a set of founding
principles. This was consistently tied to ideas of longevity and of survival
beyond the founding partners.

In order for the architectural profession to evolve and thrive, the buyers of
these services will need to perceive the changes in practice. Architects will
need to become more involved in the networked world that we now live in.
Instead of the perception that now prevails, where architects are often
viewed as an expensive nuisance and obstacle, architects need to position
themselves as integrated and essential resources for improving the built
environment. The walled gardens of architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright
and Frank Gehry will be replaced by forward-thinking design consultants
that move easily between disciplines, with an eye for cost and energy
efficiency. As Building Futures report advises, the client-savvy architect
must be able to see beyond building a building and offer a service that
embraces the clients broader aims becoming a problem solver as well
as a designer.
THE FUTURE OF ARCHITECTURE INCLUDES YOU
Architecture as a profession is in a state of transition. As an example,
the American Institute of Architects (AIA) has recently begun a
repositioning effort with the goal to reach a wider, younger, and more
diverse audience. This is timely, because what architects have become
good at today is giving each other recognition and awards, and this is
oftentimes done without the input of their clients. It is time for the
profession to re-engage with their clients and the public at large if they
are to remain a relevant participant in the design of tomorrows world.

Design, Planning + Research

Today it is possible for architecture practices to expand their service

offerings beyond that of the traditional architect. We can service our
clients in a variety of ways that support their overall mission with an
emphasis on research. I do believe that there is an opportunity for us to
leverage our design methods and processes for the betterment of our
existing clients and to engage new clients that may be attracted to a
rigorous research based approach. Research to me means engaging
clients on their terms and digging deeper into their needs to uncover
otherwise unfounded opportunities. There shouldnt be a one-size-fits-all
approach to our work if architects are to become leaders in their
profession.

Currently we have lost ground to builders as many governmental agencies

are looking to the build community to lead the design process. How do we
as architects working today differentiate ourselves from the services that
contractors offer? Architects have long lost the BIM (building information
modeling) battle to the building trade. I would even suggest that some
subcontractors know how to use Revit better than many architecture
practices.

Encouraging signs that I see in the spectrum of design research include

the resurgence in community based design efforts. Groups such as Public
Architecture, the SEED Network, and Architecture for Humanity are
inspiring the next generation of young people to enter the profession in
service to others. The Museum of Modern Art showcased this work in
their Small Scale Big Change exhibition, suggesting perhaps that an
enhanced relationship was being forged between architects and
underserved communities. Some practices (such as ours) are engaging in
this kind of work, finding a way to integrate both pro-bono and fee for
service projects.

Research of course is also happening in academia. The Design Studies

program at the Boston Architectural College is allowing designers to focus
their studies on such subjects as urban farming, public policy, technology
related to architectural software, and ecological aspects of sustainability.
The Center for Architecture Science and Ecology (CASE), is an exciting
partnership between an academic institution and one of the largest
architectural practices in the world. CASE is investigating and realizing
innovative new architectural applications all grounded in remarkably
sustainable practices. MITs Digital Design Fabrication Group is looking at
new ways to physically represent digital design information. The Rural
Studio at Auburn University has established a relationship between their
architecture program and the community of Hale County, Alabama.
Students design and construct buildings for that community through a
hands-on educational experience in service to an underserved population.
There are many other programs focusing on the myriad issues of the
architecture professions, however, practice needs to engage with this in a
way that is relevant for our clients.

Article published by: Silverman Trykowski Associates