Archinect - News

Don't call me an intern: AIA changes title to "design professional"

2017-03-28T13:05:00-04:00

In a bold semantic move years in the make, the AIA has renamed a NAAB-accredited, employed graduate on the path to licensure as either a "design professional" or "architectural associate." While you can still call a student pursuing their degree while working in an office an intern (which is apparently vastly preferred to thundering "hey, you!" while pointing at them), the new titles for their graduated peers are partly meant to reflect their commitment to the field. The AIA has a detailed linguistic play-by-play of how the titling process went down, including this nuanced observation from Danielle Mitchell:

"'Architectural' as the adjective and 'associate' as the noun means this individual is associating with the profession, with licensed architects, and working with them," she adds. "The phrase itself indicates that you're working toward licensure, toward the success of the profession, but you're not licensed."

Naming names: how do architecture firms choose what to call themselves?

2016-03-02T14:12:00-05:00

Unlike industries such as automotive, which spend big bucks hiring branding and naming experts, architects often name themselves – sometimes on the fly. There’s the story about ARO (Architecture Research Office) in New York. The name is generic, but what can you expect from the partners who named themselves on the way to a meeting, said Christian Unverzagt, design director at Detroit-based M1/DTW, a multidisciplinary studio specializing in design.

Architects spend years designing a single project, so it may come as a surprise that they sometimes name themselves in only a few minutes. While some firms have chosen a more clever approach to naming—Design, Bitches and BIG (with web address BIG.dk) spring to mind—many firms seem to choose from the oblique vowel-less bin, sounding less like design entities and more like grim governmental agencies. Many of them just cut to the chase:

What's the ideal architectural name? A while back, Archinect's forum commentors took a crack at naming:

Daydreaming: Your studio/firm name?

NCARB will resolve "Intern Architect" title debate at AIA National Convention

2015-05-05T20:48:00-04:00

Back in August of 2014, NCARB began reevaluating whether the title "Intern Architect" was an appropriate label for those pursuing licensure. Currently used to call an architect experienced enough to be working towards licensure, but not yet licensed, "Intern Architect" is fraught by the associations around the status of an "intern" in most professional cultures, as someone not inherently experienced and near the absolute bottom of an employment hierarchy.

Now, NCARB aims to settle the debate over the title in an announcement formally made at the AIA National Convention next week in Atlanta, Georgia. Culminating the efforts by NCARB's "Future Title Task Force" devoted to this issue, the announcement will not only mark changes in titling for the architecture profession, it will also set out new guidelines for US licensing boards.

If you plan on attending the AIA National Convention, NCARB CEO Michael Armstrong will address these issues on May 14 at 2pm (booth #2145), at the Georgia Worl...

NCARB revises "Intern Architect" title for architects pursuing licensure

2014-09-04T21:25:00-04:00

The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) convened its new Future Title Task Force, which is comprised of interns and architects from across the country, to discuss the profession’s title debate. The task force is charged with discussing the terminology used for those who are candidates for licensure and those who are architects.

The word "intern" contains a minefield of professional connotations. The job-title is often associated with a position that is unpaid, undervalued, or disposable, flying in the face of employment laws and professional ethics. And in some ways, it's no different in the architecture industry: it's deplorably and repeatedly the case that unpaid internships play an integral role in professional practice. It seems strange then, that the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) uses the title "Intern Architect" as the official term for those educated enough to pursue licensure. Under this definition, the babe in the woods can have the same title as a seasoned vet.

This disconcerting overlap of meanings has led NCARB to reconsider the term used to describe practicing professionals seeking licensure. NCARB's newly formed Future Title Task Force met late last August to outline the issues of this sticky naming-debate, eventually to determine what architects, before and aft...

Daniel Libeskind Is No Architect

2013-11-01T12:19:00-04:00

Many top designers whom the general public may believe to be architects are, in technical terms, not allowed to use the terminology. And this isn’t raising ire just in America. A British architecture publication was instructed last year to stop calling Renzo Piano and Daniel Libeskind architects since they aren't officially registered as such in that country.

AIA|LA Statement on Tragic Death of LA Firefighter

2012-02-28T17:35:00-05:00

Last week's LA Times article, "Architect of Hollywood Hills mansion damaged in fire, is charged in firefighter's death," stirred discussion, particularly among architects, as the individual who designed the home was not a licensed architect. Aside from requesting that the LA Times retract the word "architect" from the article, the [AIA|LA], in conjunction with [AIACC] Executive Vice President, Paul Welch, Hon. AIA, have released the following statement...

Previously: Architect charged for the death of a firefighter

Statement from AIA|LA...

Editor,

The recent Los Angeles Times article concerning the negligent activities of an individual purporting to be an architect, and how those activities resulted in the tragic death of Los Angeles Firefighter Glenn Allen, serve to remind us all that the profession of architecture is about much more than aesthetics.

The profession of architecture is carefully regulated in the state of California by the California Architects Board (CAB). While the title of "architect" is easily understood by the public, unfortunately, we find many examples of misuse of the term. Despite the Los Angeles Police Department, Fire Department, Building Department, and District Attorney's Office identifying Gehard Albert Becker as an architect, and Mr. Becker identifying himself an architect, a query of the California Architects Board's (CAB) records confirms that Mr. Becker is not, nor was he ever, licensed to p...

Bogus architect claims inflate house values

2011-10-05T19:35:00-04:00

Ryan also described a property as being designed by 'award-winning architect Noel Jessop'. A search of the New Zealand architect's register reveals that Jessop is not an architect, but that he has a certificate in drafting. Ryan rejected the claim his conduct was misleading, saying members of the public use the words 'architecture', architecturally' and 'architect' interchangeably.