Archinect - Features2024-10-31T19:13:59-04:00https://archinect.com/features/article/150450860/10-tips-for-architects-to-survive-downturns-by-former-hok-ceo-patrick-macleamy
10 Tips for Architects To Survive Downturns by Former HOK CEO Patrick MacLeamy Niall Patrick Walsh2024-10-18T13:55:00-04:00>2024-10-21T13:44:51-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/f3/f3356f13400fadf375583eea4ddafcf5.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>“I spent 50 years at <a href="https://archinect.com/firms/cover/9343/hok" target="_blank">HOK</a>, working my way up from junior designer to CEO,” <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/1644187/patrick-macleamy" target="_blank">Patrick MacLeamy</a> wrote in his 2020 book <em></em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Designing-World-Class-Architecture-Firm-Strategies/dp/1119685303" target="_blank"><em>Designing a World-Class Architecture Firm: The People, Stories, and Strategies Behind HOK</em>.</a> “Where else can you do that?” </p>
<p>During his time as HOK CEO and Chairman from 2003 to 2016, MacLeamy exerted great effort in shaping a resilient practice that, in many ways, harks back to the ethos of the firm’s founding. As a child of the Great Depression, co-founder <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_F._Hellmuth" target="_blank">George Hellmuth</a> purposely structured HOK along the principles of what he described in 1944 as a 'Depression-Proof Firm,' one that could step off the typical economic rollercoaster that many firms, then and now, continue to ride.</p>
<p>Eight decades later, MacLeamy believes the industry has much to learn from the approach taken by Hellmuth, along with his co-founders <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/1941977/gyo-obata" target="_blank">Gyo Obata</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Kassabaum" target="_blank">George Kassabaum</a>. “Architecture is a passion, not just a profession, and my own passion for the field extends to the business side,” MacLeamy writes...</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150449395/the-industry-reacts-to-interest-rate-cuts-archinect-s-state-of-aec-september-2024
The Industry Reacts to Interest Rate Cuts: Archinect’s State of AEC September 2024 Niall Patrick Walsh2024-10-08T08:39:00-04:00>2024-10-07T19:39:43-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/37/37548bfe687a502f8b1901d8da0ed44d.jpeg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Welcome to the fourth installment of Archinect's new series, <a href="https://archinect.com/features/tag/2534772/archinect-state-of-aec" target="_blank"><em>State of AEC</em></a>. At the end of each month, we will guide you through the latest analyses, indexes, and trends on how the architecture and construction industries are performing economically.</p>
<p>Since <a href="https://archinect.com/features/article/150444748/architecture-s-interest-rate-prayers-answered-archinect-s-state-of-aec-august-2024" target="_blank">our last edition</a>, the U.S. Federal Reserve announced its first interest cut in four years, lowering its rate by half a percentage point. In previous editions of this series, we noted that many commentators had expressed hope that such a move would begin to reverse the fortunes of firms that, as can be seen in the data published below, continue to see declining billings. As we noted in a <a href="https://archinect.com/features/article/150446836/the-fed-just-cut-interest-rates-what-does-it-mean-for-architects" target="_blank">recent feature</a> published after the rate cut, history tells us the move will indeed have a positive impact on architectural business conditions, though it may be several months before such an impact is felt.</p>
<p>Read our full roundup of the month's economic and business figures below and find out more about how the business health of the architecture prof...</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150448257/delivering-projects-on-time-is-a-challenge-here-s-how-architects-do-it
Delivering Projects on Time Is a Challenge. Here’s How Architects Do It Niall Patrick Walsh2024-09-30T14:35:00-04:00>2024-10-04T00:27:04-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/01/01de493cf4f0744e19aa8aa013163e0c.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, “plans are nothing; planning is everything.” This sentiment rings true in architecture, where architects are required to establish project timelines potentially spanning several years for schemes potentially costing millions of dollars. No matter how robust the timeline is at the beginning of the project, however, unforeseen circumstances often threaten to <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/59313/delay" target="_blank">derail</a> our best-laid plans. </p>
<p>To explore how architects can effectively design project timelines, as well as adhere to plans and respond to disruption, we speak with both <a href="https://archinect.com/assembledge" target="_blank">Assembledge+</a> founder and principal David Thompson and <a href="https://archinect.com/firms/cover/150126640/ec3-design" target="_blank">EC3</a> founder Edwin Chan for their tips and perspectives.</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150446836/the-fed-just-cut-interest-rates-what-does-it-mean-for-architects
The Fed Just Cut Interest Rates. What Does It Mean for Architects? Niall Patrick Walsh2024-09-27T08:13:00-04:00>2024-09-26T21:13:29-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/07/07fe948dbe448256982abd918c9d08bb.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>In September 2024, the U.S. Federal Reserve <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/federal-reserve-rate-cut-credit-cards-mortgages-already-lowering-rates/" target="_blank">cut</a> the target range of interest rates for the first time in four years. The move was long anticipated by AEC commentators, who hoped that the lower cost of borrowing would begin to pull the sector out of a <a href="https://archinect.com/features/article/150435347/architects-and-clients-downbeat-about-economy-archinect-s-business-survey-results-revealed" target="_blank">two-year stagnation</a> in business conditions. </p>
<p>We explore what the interest rate cut means in the context of 2024’s architectural business conditions with input from Phillip Ross, partner at the AEC division of financial firm Anchin.</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150445782/how-to-effectively-introduce-your-architecture-firm-in-under-2-minutes
How to Effectively Introduce Your Architecture Firm in Under 2 Minutes Niall Patrick Walsh2024-09-11T08:13:00-04:00>2024-09-22T13:17:04-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/30/30871f4eae6bf268caef4c37d6a2af68.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Recently, we <a href="https://archinect.com/features/article/150439876/how-to-create-an-elevator-pitch-for-your-architecture-portfolio-when-job-searching" target="_blank">explained how to create an elevator pitch</a> for your architecture portfolio when searching for your next role as a job seeker. As we noted, the ability to capture a body of work as rich, complex, and varied as an architecture portfolio in a timely, clear, and succinct manner requires planning and preparation.</p>
<p>The same holds true when introducing your architecture firm. In addition to hosting their own portfolio of work, firms possess their own ethos, characters, specialties, and value propositions to clients, collaborators, and beyond. For architects representing their firm, there is, therefore, merit in developing an elevator pitch that is brief, persuasive, and capable of sparking outside interest in what a firm stands for and what it can do for others.</p>
<p>With that in mind, we have assembled below a series of tips to help you design and deliver a brief elevator pitch to introduce your architecture firm.<br></p>
<p><em>Do you have further advice for succinctly pitching your firm to new a...</em></p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150444748/architecture-s-interest-rate-prayers-answered-archinect-s-state-of-aec-august-2024
Architecture's Interest Rate Prayers Answered: Archinect’s State of AEC August 2024 Niall Patrick Walsh2024-09-04T08:00:00-04:00>2024-09-03T19:48:32-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/b7/b71513a1818debcfa50fae464b70fd5a.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Welcome to the third installment of Archinect's new series, <a href="https://archinect.com/features/tag/2534772/archinect-state-of-aec" target="_blank"><em>State of AEC</em></a>. At the end of each month, we will guide you through the latest analyses, indexes, and trends on how the architecture and construction industries are performing economically.</p>
<p>In our <a href="https://archinect.com/features/article/150440724/an-industry-pins-its-hopes-on-interest-rate-cuts-archinect-s-state-of-aec-july-2024" target="_blank">previous edition</a> of the series, we noted the almost unanimous hope expressed by commentators across the AEC industry that the U.S. Federal Reserve would announce interest rate cuts in the coming months, which may propel growth in design studios and construction sites alike. In August, those prayers were answered by the Fed's confirmation that rates would be cut from September onwards.</p>
<p>While the industry waits to see what impact such cuts will have, divergent trends among architecture and construction business activity continue. While billings and design contracts in architecture firms continue to decrease, construction starts rose 10%, and both apartment and hotel construction activity sits at record highs.</p>
<p>Read our full roundup of ...</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150443932/many-architecture-firms-don-t-know-how-to-pursue-international-work-we-spoke-with-some-that-do
Many Architecture Firms Don’t Know How To Pursue International Work; We Spoke With Some That Do Niall Patrick Walsh2024-08-29T09:07:00-04:00>2024-08-29T00:21:27-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/04/043da0539b65c2f2b4ffba1dbb2bf79b.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Over the past year, the number of U.S. architecture firms working on international projects has gently increased. However, a recent AIA survey found that many firms do not know how to pursue international work. In search of insights and advice on the topic, we spoke with three practices who have won acclaim for projects far beyond their base of operations: <a href="https://archinect.com/firms/cover/106501/safdie-architects" target="_blank">Safdie Architects</a>, <a href="https://archinect.com/stevenholl" target="_blank">Steven Holl Architects</a>, and <a href="https://archinect.com/mecanoo" target="_blank">Mecanoo</a>.</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150442038/being-laid-off-is-tough-so-is-waiting-to-be
Being Laid off Is Tough; So Is Waiting To Be Niall Patrick Walsh2024-08-26T08:00:00-04:00>2024-09-03T10:16:38-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/d4/d42f11f3380e0a99822193eb658b322d.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Findings from our recent <a href="https://archinect.com/features/article/150435347/architects-and-clients-downbeat-about-economy-archinect-s-business-survey-results-revealed" target="_blank">Archinect Business Survey</a> suggest that many architecture employees do not feel secure in their current roles. For those facing the looming prospect of layoffs in the coming weeks or months, the emotional strain can be as taxing as that experienced by those who have already lost their jobs. What can employees and employers alike do to mitigate such anxiety?</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150442496/the-pandemic-is-history-but-for-architects-its-impact-on-office-design-remains
The Pandemic Is History, but for Architects, Its Impact on Office Design Remains Niall Patrick Walsh2024-08-21T08:45:00-04:00>2024-08-21T22:53:37-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/d0/d0523a9b6d8473044bc7129e55963760.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Our recent analysis of the <a href="https://archinect.com/features/article/150435347/architects-and-clients-downbeat-about-economy-archinect-s-business-survey-results-revealed" target="_blank">Archinect Business Survey</a> highlighted concerns among architects that their business health has been impacted by the ongoing adoption of <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/1492832/remote-work" target="_blank">remote and hybrid working</a> patterns across the U.S. in the wake of the <a href="https://archinect.com/features/tag/1536843/covid-19" target="_blank">COVID-19 pandemic</a>. We explore in more detail how the supply and demand of workplace real estate has changed in recent years, where it is heading, and what opportunities and challenges it presents for architects.</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150442062/are-architectural-workers-more-pessimistic-about-the-economy-than-firm-owners
Are Architectural Workers More Pessimistic About the Economy Than Firm Owners? Niall Patrick Walsh2024-08-19T08:00:00-04:00>2024-08-16T19:16:05-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/91/91d666ff51c687c6193e95606850cc73.png?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>In our recent analysis of the <a href="https://archinect.com/features/article/150435347/architects-and-clients-downbeat-about-economy-archinect-s-business-survey-results-revealed" target="_blank">Archinect Business Survey</a> published last month, we observed a distinct divergence between how firm owners and workers were feeling about the business health of their firm, industry, and the wider U.S. economy. Across the board, our survey suggests that firm workers felt more pessimistic and insecure about today’s economic landscape than firm owners. Why?</p>
<p>There is likely no ‘one size fits all’ answer to this question. However, a number of trends playing out across the economy, including architecture-specific trends <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/581859/labor-union" target="_blank">previously reported</a> by Archinect, offer several lines of speculation.</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150440724/an-industry-pins-its-hopes-on-interest-rate-cuts-archinect-s-state-of-aec-july-2024
An Industry Pins Its Hopes on Interest Rate Cuts: Archinect’s State of AEC July 2024 Niall Patrick Walsh2024-08-08T13:49:00-04:00>2024-08-09T10:46:09-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/1d/1d94ad33e84fccabfda8c53bdede0273.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Welcome to the second installment of Archinect's new series, <a href="https://archinect.com/features/tag/2534772/archinect-state-of-aec" target="_blank"><em>State of AEC</em></a>. At the end of each month, we will guide you through the latest analyses, indexes, and trends on how the architecture and construction industries are performing economically.</p>
<p>As we reflect back on June and July 2024, we see continued declines in billings among architecture firms, in addition to a decrease in new on-site construction activity. Commentators on the business health of the industry are almost unanimous in voicing hopes that interest rate cuts, rumored to be announced by the Federal Reserve next month, may propel growth in design studios and construction sites alike.</p>
<p>Read our full roundup of the month's economic and business figures below, and find out more about how the business health of the architecture profession is faring via our recently-released survey results <a href="https://archinect.com/features/article/150435347/architects-and-clients-downbeat-about-economy-archinect-s-business-survey-results-revealed" target="_blank">here</a>.<br></p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150435476/five-big-factors-behind-the-architecture-industry-s-economic-slowdown
Five Big Factors Behind the Architecture Industry’s Economic Slowdown Niall Patrick Walsh2024-07-05T12:59:00-04:00>2024-07-15T18:11:13-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/1a/1a284299454024e698a92da1be3ff02c.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Earlier this week, we released <a href="https://archinect.com/features/article/150435347/architects-and-clients-downbeat-about-economy-archinect-s-business-survey-results-revealed" target="_blank">Part One of our findings</a> from the Archinect Business Survey, which invited you to share how you were feeling about the economic outlook of your firm and sector. Our analysis found that across the United States, architects have seen business conditions decline in the past year and are downbeat about their firm’s business health, the health of the architecture industry at large, and the wider U.S. economy. Meanwhile, clients are cautious about starting or continuing projects.</p>
<p>While Part One offered an insight into how architects and clients are faring within the architecture industry’s current economic slowdown, this article, Part Two, explores the potential causes of the slowdown itself. The five factors set out below reflect what respondents to our survey, and economists and commentators from within and beyond the architecture industry, have identified as driving forces behind today’s business climate.</p>
<p>While each of these factors deserves to be isolate...</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150435347/architects-and-clients-downbeat-about-economy-archinect-s-business-survey-results-revealed
Architects and Clients Downbeat About Economy: Archinect's Business Survey Results Revealed Niall Patrick Walsh2024-07-03T08:29:00-04:00>2024-07-08T11:57:14-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/eb/eb00f19c531129ca49f57bf7e4afa488.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Throughout May and June 2024, <a href="https://archinect.com/features/article/150427251/architects-how-is-work-feeling-these-days" target="_blank">we invited our community</a> to offer us insights and feedback on how you were feeling about the economic outlook of your firm and sector. As we explained at the time, this project was motivated by several observations from economists within and beyond the AEC industry that the U.S. may be “sleepwalking” into a recession.</p>
<p>To investigate how the architecture profession was fairing against such headwinds, we asked you a series of questions on the economic health of your firm, your sentiments on the wider sector, your experience of the job market, your conversations with clients, your plans for the future, and more.</p>
<p>Having analyzed your feedback, Archinect can now reveal our findings, which will be published in two parts. Part One, below, offers an overview of how both architects and clients are feeling about the industry, in addition to how they are responding to the challenges they are facing. <a href="https://archinect.com/features/article/150435476/five-big-factors-behind-the-architecture-industry-s-economic-slowdown" target="_blank">Part Two</a> sets out some of the key factors and driving forces behi...</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150429595/how-the-business-of-architecture-and-construction-fared-in-may-2024-introducing-archinect-s-state-of-aec-series
How the Business of Architecture and Construction Fared in May 2024: Introducing Archinect's State of AEC Series Niall Patrick Walsh2024-06-03T12:13:00-04:00>2024-06-03T12:14:01-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/12/1288ba5cc44bf0274d87e4a5d788c7bb.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Welcome to the first of Archinect's new monthly series, 'State of AEC.' At the end of each month, we will guide you through the latest analyses, indexes, and trends on how the architecture and construction industries are performing economically.</p>
<p>As we approach the midway point of 2024, data on the economic performance of the AEC sector suggests a subtle divergence between design and construction services. While the <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150428576/april-s-architecture-billings-index-shows-business-conditions-for-firms-remaining-soft" target="_blank">AIA's Architecture Billings Index</a> shows a nine-month-long decline in billings within U.S. firms, construction starts are on the rise, albeit hampered by minor decreases in construction spending and increases in construction costs.</p>
<p>What unites all sides of the industry, however, are concerns over interest rates. While some held out hope that interest rates may fall from their 5.5% level at the beginning of May, no such fall materialized. As a result, analysts in the architecture and project planning sector note that clients have become hesitant to commit to new design proj...</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150428583/freelancing-and-architecture-a-complicated-relationship
Freelancing and Architecture: A Complicated Relationship Niall Patrick Walsh2024-05-23T14:49:00-04:00>2024-06-02T13:25:14-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/a1/a1a32d869d1be8647551e293c3336b0c.png?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>For many salaried workers, freelancing and contracting may once have been a scary proposition, little more than placeholder labels as one moved between secure, salaried positions. However, the past decade has seen a notable increase in skilled workers and professionals becoming freelancers out of choice, with a unique skillset increasingly being capitalized upon by firms and businesses. Where do the architecture industry and its workers sit in this emerging landscape of the blended workforce?</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150427570/how-to-understand-architecture-business-conditions-using-the-aia-s-architecture-billings-index
How to Understand Architecture Business Conditions Using the AIA's Architecture Billings Index Niall Patrick Walsh2024-05-20T08:23:00-04:00>2024-05-21T16:56:25-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/12/127ba99b0f4d7e1554cc4e377d68579d.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Since 1995, the <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/546776/american-institute-of-architects" target="_blank">American Institute of Architects</a> has conducted a monthly index detailing trends in billings by architecture firms in the United States. Over time, the <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/107273/architecture-billings-index" target="_blank">Architecture Billings Index (ABI)</a> has become a valuable metric for charting the economic health of the profession, with Archinect <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/107273/architecture-billings-index" target="_blank">reporting on the index</a> monthly since 2012.</p>
<p>To help readers better understand how metrics from ABI translate into the reality of design and construction and to equip them with the tools to interpret the numbers, understand their source, and delineate between various categories, we have assembled a series of questions and answers pertaining to the index.</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150427251/architects-how-is-work-feeling-these-days
Architects, How Is Work Feeling These Days? Niall Patrick Walsh2024-05-16T10:45:00-04:00>2024-05-15T20:46:51-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/8d/8de4ba7cd2ce1d3e0e3b5051772e57c6.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>We want to hear from our community: How are you feeling about the economic outlook of your firm and sector? How easy or difficult are you finding it to secure projects? What is your employment outlook? What are you hearing from clients?</p>
<p>Fill out our anonymous survey below.</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150422545/ai-is-good-for-architects-for-now
AI is Good For Architects (For Now) Niall Patrick Walsh2024-04-15T13:30:00-04:00>2024-04-17T08:45:05-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/eb/eb6e6d79ed228151a0cf268afa6ff89f.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>In the final chapter of <em><a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150348101/introducing-the-archinect-in-depth-artificial-intelligence-series" target="_blank">Archinect In-Depth: Artificial Intelligence</a></em>, Niall Patrick Walsh reflects on the historical relationship between architecture and technology, charting a trajectory for the potential impact of <a href="https://archinect.com/features/tag/1136495/artificial-intelligence" target="_blank">artificial intelligence</a> on the future of the architectural profession. New contributions on the topic from Autodesk's Mike Haley and <em>Superusers</em> author Randy Deutsch are joined by earlier reflections from throughout the series by Richard Saul Wurman, Carlo Ratti, Bjarke Ingels, and Molly Wright Steenson.</p>
<p><em>This article is part of the <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150348101/introducing-the-archinect-in-depth-artificial-intelligence-series" target="_blank">Archinect In-Depth: Artificial Intelligence</a> series.</em></p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150421391/a-guide-to-salary-transparency-laws-across-the-united-states
A Guide to Salary Transparency Laws Across the United States Niall Patrick Walsh2024-03-26T08:54:00-04:00>2024-03-25T20:32:23-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/4c/4c582f51c36906ca316f54153fa44116.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>At present, there is no federal pay transparency law in the United States. However, as Archinect <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/270832/salaries" target="_blank">frequently reports on</a>, several states and cities across the United States have enacted their own requirements for employers seeking to hire or promote within their organization. </p>
<p>Below, we have listed the details of salary transparency laws across American cities and states as they exist in March 2024. As is noted towards the end of this resource, several more states with no existing requirements are currently in the process of debating or passing legislation to strengthen salary disclosure requirements. </p>
<p>You can help us make architecture salaries more transparent through <a href="https://salaries.archinect.com/" target="_blank">Archinect’s ongoing salary poll</a>. The poll, currently approaching 20,000 submissions, allows workers from practices across the U.S. and globally to anonymously offer their salary levels.</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150417753/creativity-won-t-protect-architects-from-automation-but-labor-unions-might
Creativity Won’t Protect Architects from Automation — But Labor Unions Might Niall Patrick Walsh2024-02-27T07:31:00-05:00>2024-03-05T20:01:09-05:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/ee/ee4c3c1330cad2cf65d6eae9594df177.png?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>The proliferation of generative AI tools such as Midjourney and ChatGPT has undermined long-held assumptions that artificial intelligence would not threaten creative disciplines. In an effort to balance the opportunities and limits of artificial intelligence in the architecture studio, we ask what lessons architects can take from recent successful labor actions by screenwriters and actors in Hollywood's entertainment industry. </p>
<p><em>This article is part of the <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150348101/introducing-the-archinect-in-depth-artificial-intelligence-series" target="_blank">Archinect In-Depth: Artificial Intelligence</a> series.</em></p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150352996/ai-is-both-incredible-and-terrifying-a-conversation-with-neil-leach
'AI Is Both Incredible and Terrifying'; A Conversation with Neil Leach Niall Patrick Walsh2023-06-19T11:00:00-04:00>2024-01-05T13:16:08-05:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/d5/d5783500219fc75ceb7d814cb0e76253.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p><a href="https://neilleach.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Neil Leach</a> is a British professor and licensed architect currently based in California. He has worked for <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/58983/nasa" target="_blank">NASA</a> developing a 3D printer for the Moon and Mars, and is co-founder of <a href="https://digitalfutures.international/" target="_blank">DigitalFUTURES</a>. Having authored over 40 books on architecture and digital design, and taught at some of the world's leading architecture schools, including the <a href="https://archinect.com/schools/cover/298/architectural-association-school-of-architecture-aa" target="_blank">AA</a>, <a href="https://archinect.com/harvard" target="_blank">Harvard</a>, <a href="https://archinect.com/sciarc" target="_blank">SCI-Arc</a>, and <a href="https://archinect.com/columbiagsapp" target="_blank">Columbia</a>, his in-depth understanding of architecture's professional and academic landscapes allows him to speculate how <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150348101/introducing-the-archinect-in-depth-artificial-intelligence-series" target="_blank">artificial intelligence</a> will impact the future of design.</p>
<p>For Leach, conversations limited to popular AI tools such as Midjourney and ChatGPT detract from a broader reckoning that the architecture profession must have in the face of ever-more-capable AI models and platforms. This AI-induced reckoning includes, though is not limited to, the supply and demand of architectural labor, liabilities, and insurance, and the future of all pillars of the architectural community, be it practice, academia, or licensure...</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150320746/the-pandemic-exposed-deep-flaws-in-the-architecture-profession-but-also-inspired-remedies
The Pandemic Exposed Deep Flaws in the Architecture Profession — But Also Inspired Remedies Niall Patrick Walsh2022-08-25T11:26:00-04:00>2022-09-06T14:16:08-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/a9/a92c8caa8e2545247f166713463946cf.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Two and a half years after the initial outbreak of <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/1534026/covid-19/60" target="_blank">COVID-19</a>, the U.S. architectural profession has emerged from the global pandemic in a stronger condition than many could have expected during the depths of 2020. However, many questions remain unanswered on how the pandemic impacted the architectural job market, firm operations, and the design process; questions which deserve scrutiny in the interests of avoiding future economic pain, and building a more resilient profession. In search of answers, we speak to three firms in differing parts of the U.S. to hear their reflections on how the profession fared during the pandemic, and where it goes next. To understand how these unique experiences fit within a national picture, we also speak with <a href="https://archinect.com/firms/cover/49568164/the-american-institute-of-architects" target="_blank">AIA</a> Chief Economist Kermit Baker, who reflects on a deeper supply-demand issue across the profession.</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150305321/unionization-in-architecture-reviving-a-dormant-movement-to-fix-a-broken-industry
Unionization in Architecture: Reviving a Dormant Movement to Fix a Broken Industry Niall Patrick Walsh2022-05-27T12:50:00-04:00>2022-08-13T19:01:07-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/e3/e3a8d60b784c5b31c27abfca470c737c.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>After decades of inactivity, 2022 saw the resurgence of the union movement in architecture with an <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150291824/shop-staffers-announce-unionization-as-the-industry-continues-to-shift-away-from-traditional-firm-models" target="_blank">effort by workers</a> at New York-based <a href="https://archinect.com/SHoP" target="_blank">SHoP</a> to collectively organize. Where does this effort, which was <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150297472/following-the-withdrawal-of-shop-s-unionization-effort-the-architecture-community-reacts" target="_blank">ultimately withdrawn</a>, sit within the broader discourse of architectural labor conditions? How might unionization impact employer-employee dynamics, architectural fees, and the design process itself? <br></p>
<p>In search of answers, we speak with <a href="https://www.goiam.org/" target="_blank">IAMAW</a> union organizer, and former SHoP employee, Andrew Daley, who assisted in the unionization effort while at the firm. We also speak with <a href="https://archinect.com/peggydeamer.com" target="_blank">Peggy Deamer</a>, founding member of <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/370511/architecture-lobby" target="_blank">The Architecture Lobby</a>, for whom the SHoP effort was the culmination of years of activism and campaigning for reform of what an increasing number of architects see as a broken business model. </p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150305322/cooperatives-the-real-employee-owned-firms
Cooperatives: The Real Employee-Owned Firms? Niall Patrick Walsh2022-05-06T09:00:00-04:00>2022-05-19T18:18:46-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/68/6879066639d2dcdc44841da87a29bb4e.jpeg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>In a follow-up to our <a href="https://archinect.com/features/article/150291107/a-guide-to-employee-owned-architecture-firms-by-those-who-have-made-the-change" target="_blank">January 2022 feature</a> on employee-owned architecture firms, we question if the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) models which represent the majority of employee-owned architecture firms adequately fulfill a growing worker-led clamor for reform within the profession. For organizations such as the <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/370511/architecture-lobby" target="_blank">Architecture Lobby</a>, and its founding member <a href="https://archinect.com/peggydeamer.com" target="_blank">Peggy Deamer</a>, meaningful worker ownership of an architectural firm goes far beyond the ESOP model of stock and retirement plans, and instead requires a fundamental rethink, or even abolition, of the employer-employee dynamic.</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150305199/debunking-architecture-s-mythological-work-culture
Debunking Architecture’s Mythological Work Culture Sean Joyner2022-04-04T14:36:00-04:00>2024-09-15T21:16:09-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/56/56e56e3aca17799a8b884523128bed67.jpeg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>After a recent panel hosted within <a href="https://archinect.com/sciarc" target="_blank">SCI-Arc</a>, called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iszdoZCdWZE" target="_blank"><em>Basecamp: How to be in an office</em></a><em>, </em>sparked protest from students and alumni, a slew of events unfolded within the school that rippled into the architecture community, prompting passionate discourse about ethics within professional practice and academia, especially as it relates to internships and the treatment of students and young professionals. But this isn't an essay about SCI-Arc, or an account of what is going on at SCI-Arc. The events have already been well documented online and in <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150305088/controversy-at-sci-arc-over-labor-practices-leads-to-faculty-members-placed-on-leave-isolated-incident-or-a-wake-up-call-for-the-industry-at-large" target="_blank">Archinect's latest reporting on April 1</a>. </p>
<p>Instead, I want to explore the deeper historical and philosophical concepts that I believe underlie what we’ll call the conservative view of architecture work culture: that long hours, toil and suffering, and low pay are inevitable realities of pursuing a rigorous design career. I see a disconnect between the traditional professional ethos and the advent of the current zeitgeist that has been born, particular...</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150291107/a-guide-to-employee-owned-architecture-firms-by-those-who-have-made-the-change
A Guide to Employee-Owned Architecture Firms, by Those Who Have Made the Change Niall Patrick Walsh2022-01-10T12:09:00-05:00>2022-03-08T20:57:44-05:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/80/802af4fb866aa5453e0d9bc872481686.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Throughout 2020 and 2021, the world of work has been <a href="https://archinect.com/features/article/150281808/archinect-survey-results-did-the-architecture-community-return-to-the-office-this-summer" target="_blank">subject to a relentless evaluation</a>, triggered by the <a href="https://archinect.com/features/tag/1536843/covid-19" target="_blank">COVID-19 pandemic</a>. Conversations around <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/1492832/remote-work" target="_blank">remote working</a>, <a href="https://qz.com/work/1853725/why-asynchronous-communication-works-for-teams/" target="_blank">asynchronous office hours</a>, and <a href="https://www.ilo.org/infostories/en-GB/Campaigns/Wages/globalwagereport" target="_blank">workers’ wages</a> have gained added agency, as almost all economic sectors seek to balance health and safety with turnover and productivity. Stepping back from specific employment topics such as these, COVID-19 has also caused a more fundamental re-evaluation of how work shapes our lives. A study earlier this year found that <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/02/10/unemployed-americans-are-feeling-the-emotional-strain-of-job-loss-most-have-considered-changing-occupations/" target="_blank">66% of unemployed Americans</a> were considering changing their occupation, dwarfing levels seen during the 2008 recession, while <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/help-your-employees-find-purpose-or-watch-them-leave" target="_blank">research by McKinsey</a> found similar metrics even among those still in employment.</p>
<p>Within this context, it is perhaps no surprise that the topic of employee ownership of businesses has gathered pace. In a time where many are critically reflecting on how meaningful or fulfilling their core occupations are, the idea of employment generating results for the...</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150288460/shepley-bulfinch-talks-about-the-post-covid-office-diversity-firm-leadership-and-serving-both-employee-and-client
Shepley Bulfinch Talks About the Post-Covid Office, Diversity, Firm Leadership, and Serving Both Employee and Client Katherine Guimapang2021-11-17T13:23:00-05:00>2021-11-17T13:27:39-05:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/47/471e943646e07e7ff3946c3cd5ad017c.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>It's nearing the two-year mark since the pandemic forced businesses to stop, reassess, and plan viable steps for their employees and clients. The team at <a href="https://archinect.com/features/tag/1502098/remote-work" target="_blank">Archinect has kept close tabs on the industry</a> and how the architecture community has been impacted as well as responded to drastic changes happening across the industry. As 2021 slowly comes to a close, we have spent time reaching out to firms to learn more about how offices are approaching adjusted workflows, staying connected to their teams, and how firms are staying transparent with their goals entering 2022. </p>
<p>For the latest post-pandemic installment of Archinect’s <a href="https://archinect.com/features/tag/1222145/studio-snapshots" target="_blank">Studio Snapshots</a>, we connected with <a href="https://archinect.com/shepleybulfinch" target="_blank">Shepley Bulfinch</a>'s President and CEO <a href="https://shepleybulfinch.com/people/angela-watson/" target="_blank">Angela Watson, FAIA</a>. Since the firm's establishment in 1874, it has survived "the Great Depression, multiple wars, civil unrest, and massive technological changes," as Watson shared. This level of business acumen and survival is met with progress in the firm's team, portfolio, and, most importan...</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150213098/a-conversation-with-trey-trahan-faia-architecture-s-business-centric-polymath
A Conversation with Trey Trahan, FAIA, Architecture’s Business-centric Polymath Sean Joyner2020-08-31T13:54:00-04:00>2020-09-20T23:31:04-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/87/87eb41613c926316bd46b5f89979547d.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Archinect <a href="https://archinect.com/features/article/75715/trey-trahan-defining-local-architecture-at-a-variety-of-scales" target="_blank">first connected with Trey Trahan back in 2008</a> for an enlightening interview about architecture, design, and the origins of his practice, <a href="https://archinect.com/trahanarchitects" target="_blank">Trahan Architects</a>. Perhaps one of the most intriguing things about Trey are his inherent <a href="https://archinect.com/features/article/150141056/radical-curiosity-and-the-modern-polymath" target="_blank">polymathic qualities</a>. He is a true modern renaissance man. While the design leader has reached undoubted success in the architecture industry, he has also developed a deep and profound relationship with art, drawing inspiration from his personal collection in many areas of his business and architectural work. </p>
<p>Business is a craft for Trey, something to be mastered and thoughtfully practiced. There is a holistic approach to life, with service to people and the community as the focus, and architecture, business, leadership, and art as vehicles to facilitate that service. Here 12 years after our first meeting, we connect with the architect again, for a discussion about leadership, creative philosophy, art, the recent pandemic, and architecture’s more pro...</p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150199631/op-ed-don-t-waste-a-recession
Op-Ed: Don’t Waste A Recession Lonny Rossman2020-05-30T09:00:00-04:00>2021-10-10T06:54:38-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/5a/5a5733859a02d2aaffa4e66ed686c52a.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p><em>"Your Life Must Suck."</em></p>
<p>That was the greeting I received from the CEO of a structural engineering firm during an AIA event in 2010. As the founder of an executive search + management consulting firm in the depth of a recession, I didn’t think his sentiment was unexpected - but it was profoundly wrong. Yes, many companies were in the midst of layoffs. The economy was struggling and companies were challenged to navigate the unpredictable future. My response: <em>“Yes, many firms are downsizing. At the same time, those same firms are adding key leadership talent to propel their short- and long-term growth.” </em>We were retained for and successfully recruited two new leaders for his company, one to run a new division and the other to establish a new office. <br></p>
https://archinect.com/features/article/150193981/how-the-pandemic-is-impacting-architectural-photography
How the Pandemic Is Impacting Architectural Photography Alexander Walter2020-05-06T12:14:00-04:00>2024-04-12T01:01:23-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/f2/f25dbae6c97661362ce96f2c38400b98.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>While most of the professional and academic architecture world managed to, <em>more or less</em>, cope with the new reality of the pandemic by transitioning to <a href="https://archinect.com/features/tag/1502098/remote-work" target="_blank">remote work</a>, some specialized roles in the industry intrinsically rely on the physical interaction with space in its unique location. <br></p>
<p>To find out how architectural photographers around the world have kept up so far with the sudden limitations to business, we have reached out to a number of photographers previously featured in Archinect's popular <a href="https://archinect.com/features/tag/7347/in-focus" target="_blank"><em>In Focus</em></a><em></em> series.<br></p>
<p>We asked them how architecture had been impacted in their region, if social distancing was even possible during shoots, and how they planned on operating now with numerous new safety measures in place.<br></p>