How do foreign architects like moneo (who I love) design projects like the LA cathedral (which I love) in the US? I have no problem with this, just wondering how they get around the license requirements to do work in the US or other countries. Is it just their fame that puts them above the law? Do they hire an architect of record? Is plan stamping acceptable if you are that ill.
Moneo and other foreign architects would have to partner up with a local architect of record who stamps the drawings. Usually the foreign architect will take the project to DD and hand it off to the architect of record, who handles CD and CA. Oftentimes, the foreign firm will send a couple of representatives to help coordinate with the local architect during the CD and CA phases.
For example, Norman Foster designed the Winspear opera house in Dallas, but all CD drawings were drawn and stamped by Kendall-Heaton from Houston and Good Fulton Farell in Dallas. Piano's Nasher Scupture Center was documented by the Beck Group in Dallas.
Likewise American firms doing work abroad do the same--take it to DD and hand it off to the local architect in that country. The degree of collaboration between the design architect and executive architect after DD is more clearly stipulated in the proposal/contract.
how does this differ from plan stamping? I get that the AR is doing the CD's , but from what I understand, the design itself needs to be done under the AR. Does the AR typically get involved at the early schematic stages or is it really handed off once the DD is done? Can anyone do this or is this practice restricted to those that hold a license in their home country? Also, as they design a US project for a US client, aren't they acting as an architect for that client (at least during the phases leading up to DD)? If so, they are practicing architecture without a license. The client hires them as the architect.
Also, contracts with foreigners are often not enforcible. So during the design phase, who carries liability? if the design architect splits, then the client will have little legal recourse....I'm sure this is not a concern with a guy like moneo.....But hypothetically, how can a city enter a contract with a foreigner if that contract is not enforcible.
The contract is with the Architect of Record. The design architect might be considered the architectural consultant or something. Usually it's just worked out based on individual state req'ts.
And, yes, the AOR is usually involved at the front end, so their 'oversight' isn't an issue.
Not the states, but I used to do a lot of work in the middle east (based in Australia) and its basically as Steven has indicated. Generally the contract will state the level of involvement at each stage, i.e. at sketch phase the billing would be 95% design architect 5% AOR, DD phase would be 25% and 75% and CD 5% and 95% AOR.
some really bad ones I’ve seen are 95,5,0 for the design architect. those are the ones where you take the fee and never put any photos on your website because the CDs invariably go pear-shaped.
the AOR is generally on board from the beginning and will mostly be responsible for planning, local regs, consultant co-ordination etc. This is when a good AOR is really important as mistakes through lack of local knowledge can really snowball down through the phases. They definitely shouldn’t be seen as just plan stampers if you want a good outcome.
The other option is for the design firm to establish their own office in the country, hiring a locally registered architect to head it up or buying out a local firm that they can work with and staffing with a mix of local and imported architects. This is the expensive option and generally only used if the firm is using a large project to try and establish themselves in a city anyway.
should also mention that the second option is used to limit liability to the local office of the firm, which will usually be set up as an independant company. If things go bad you can cut off th limb and save the body....
its pretty common in some countries (with very close dveloper/government/rulling party relationships) to be held responsible for CD problems even when your contract is only for SD and a little DD. Contracts don't matter much when you know which way a judge would go...
So does that mean foreign architects can set up shop in the U.S. and design schematics all they want as long as they are partnered with a local architect?
Jul 14, 13 3:20 pm ·
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how do foreign architects design projects in the states?
How do foreign architects like moneo (who I love) design projects like the LA cathedral (which I love) in the US? I have no problem with this, just wondering how they get around the license requirements to do work in the US or other countries. Is it just their fame that puts them above the law? Do they hire an architect of record? Is plan stamping acceptable if you are that ill.
They hire a local architect of record to execute the project.
Moneo and other foreign architects would have to partner up with a local architect of record who stamps the drawings. Usually the foreign architect will take the project to DD and hand it off to the architect of record, who handles CD and CA. Oftentimes, the foreign firm will send a couple of representatives to help coordinate with the local architect during the CD and CA phases.
For example, Norman Foster designed the Winspear opera house in Dallas, but all CD drawings were drawn and stamped by Kendall-Heaton from Houston and Good Fulton Farell in Dallas. Piano's Nasher Scupture Center was documented by the Beck Group in Dallas.
Likewise American firms doing work abroad do the same--take it to DD and hand it off to the local architect in that country. The degree of collaboration between the design architect and executive architect after DD is more clearly stipulated in the proposal/contract.
how does this differ from plan stamping? I get that the AR is doing the CD's , but from what I understand, the design itself needs to be done under the AR. Does the AR typically get involved at the early schematic stages or is it really handed off once the DD is done? Can anyone do this or is this practice restricted to those that hold a license in their home country? Also, as they design a US project for a US client, aren't they acting as an architect for that client (at least during the phases leading up to DD)? If so, they are practicing architecture without a license. The client hires them as the architect.
Also, contracts with foreigners are often not enforcible. So during the design phase, who carries liability? if the design architect splits, then the client will have little legal recourse....I'm sure this is not a concern with a guy like moneo.....But hypothetically, how can a city enter a contract with a foreigner if that contract is not enforcible.
And, yes, the AOR is usually involved at the front end, so their 'oversight' isn't an issue.
Makes sense. does anything stop a non-registered designer from doing the same at home or abroad as long as you refrain from using protected titles?
And I would guess that this applies to artists doing large scale public art / land art...like James Turell?
Not the states, but I used to do a lot of work in the middle east (based in Australia) and its basically as Steven has indicated. Generally the contract will state the level of involvement at each stage, i.e. at sketch phase the billing would be 95% design architect 5% AOR, DD phase would be 25% and 75% and CD 5% and 95% AOR.
some really bad ones I’ve seen are 95,5,0 for the design architect. those are the ones where you take the fee and never put any photos on your website because the CDs invariably go pear-shaped.
the AOR is generally on board from the beginning and will mostly be responsible for planning, local regs, consultant co-ordination etc. This is when a good AOR is really important as mistakes through lack of local knowledge can really snowball down through the phases. They definitely shouldn’t be seen as just plan stampers if you want a good outcome.
The other option is for the design firm to establish their own office in the country, hiring a locally registered architect to head it up or buying out a local firm that they can work with and staffing with a mix of local and imported architects. This is the expensive option and generally only used if the firm is using a large project to try and establish themselves in a city anyway.
should also mention that the second option is used to limit liability to the local office of the firm, which will usually be set up as an independant company. If things go bad you can cut off th limb and save the body....
its pretty common in some countries (with very close dveloper/government/rulling party relationships) to be held responsible for CD problems even when your contract is only for SD and a little DD. Contracts don't matter much when you know which way a judge would go...
So does that mean foreign architects can set up shop in the U.S. and design schematics all they want as long as they are partnered with a local architect?
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