This is something that, as a profession, we need to address. In my office we do a ton of tenant improvements and many other architects drawings make it to my desk. They are almost always uniformly horrible. All I need to do is compare the floor plan to the structural framing plan to see if the set is going to be any good. I often find columns on the structural plan missing from the architectural drawing. If not that, then the size of the columns drawn on the architectural sheets does not match structural. If not that, then shaft openings are shown on the architectural drawings are not shown on the structural plans. I could go on and on. Not to only mention the things that are not there, many of the sets are totally over drafted. Why are we showing generic wall and building sections when we end up blowing them up to a larger scale (sometimes twice)? We are producing and printing whole series of sheets of drawings that are of absolutely no use to the contractor.
We moan about our lack of monetary reward in comparison to other professions (I know I do), but we often do not ask ourselves why this might be so. The fact is, our incompetence costs us and our clients (sometimes lots) of money. All architecture firms are struggling these days, but there will always be a demand for firms that can bring value not just during the design phase, but during construction as well. I work at one such place and while we have had a tough year things have picked up for us lately.
So, why do we suck? I think this is the result of numerous factors. One of which is the way architecture is taught in schools. The concentration in nearly all architecture schools is on design, with technical pedagogy taking a backseat. Now, I enjoyed studio classes in college. I learned much about myself in the long hours in studio and made lasting friendships, but my first day in an architecture firm I realized I did not know a damn thing about construction documents. The second problem is that fresh out of school we are asked by our employers to put together drawing sets and create details. In my experience, mentoring and developing talent at the intern level is non-existent. Unfortunately, so is meaningful quality control. With no one teaching interns how to develop drawing sets and no one checking their work, disaster ensues. The construction administration phase of projects becomes a painful and costly back and forth between the architect and general contractor with the owner in the middle.
Is there hope? I don't know. I'm intrigued by the idea of design-build, but there's been no demand for this type of project delivery in my corner of the industry and I have no experience with it. We need to realize that, in order to survive, we have to do a better job conveying our design intent to the contractor. Our clients will be happier and so will the contractors we work with and there's enormous value to making the contractors lives easier.
If you’re out there, what’s your take?
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
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This is an observation I can reassure anyone of. I am quitting the office job I have had for the last 4 years because it does not provide for me. Not economically (on the contrary) but carreer-wise. It does not provide me any relation cultivation, no knowledge, no mentoring, not even control over what I produce. This is something that took me too long to realise. I hope that more employees try to follow this path of self respect, even at these harsh times.
ReplyDeleteChris
ReplyDeleteGreat to see a new posting!
I agree, the teaching of how to produce clear, accurate, well thought out technical documentation seems to be lacking both in schools of architecture and in the field of practice. We don't seem to get that a very large part of what we do is producing instructions for the builder. I have found that even when there the architect or technician has a good understanding of building assemblies and systems there is little or no understanding of how to convey that information so that a builder can find what he needs to construct what was intended.
In part, perhaps, low fees are to blame. We, not just our clients, undervalue what it is we do. We undercharge (I'm not just talking about fee cutting, I would contend that my provinical architectural association's fee schedule undervalues our services as well) in order to get the job. But in so doing we do not have the resources to take the time to think, let alone to mentor, or to train. The consequence is poorly thought out, coordinated and presented documents that further lower our credability (and, therefore, value)in the industry.
Absolutely agree with you. I think the biggest problem is that what you learn in school seldom gets applied to the real world. The best class I have ever taken was a construction materials and methods class in undergrad where we actually mixed our own mortar and laid out the bricks. The hands-on experience was fun and interesting and a great way to learn.
ReplyDeleteI went back to grad school after working for 5 years and what a huge disappointment that was! There is just way too much emphasis on design and I feel it gives graduates a skewed perspective on the real world, where they believe that its wicked easy to find design jobs.