Although money is often seen as a taboo topic in art schools, a group of Yale alumni is urging professional architects to place more value on the relationship between money and architecture.
The Yale Architectural Journal’s latest edition, titled “Money,” discusses the controversial role of money in the field of architecture. [...] ranging from Frank Gehry to Yale School of Architecture Professor Keller Easterling, the issue urges architects to reconsider the financial side of their work.
— yaledailynews.com
More about Perspecta 47: Money here.
11 Comments
Does that not pre-suppose its existence in architecture?
can't we pre-suppose the existence of money in architecture?
if you want to ask brick what brick wants to be, first you have to get a brick. those cost money.
I had a class mate in studio who was a little bit, different... He did an art piece made entirely of found items, feces, and urine, it cost him nothing and got a lot of people talking. Now he's working on the worlds largest collection of Speed (the movie) VHS tapes.
This Guy Is Trying to Collect Every Single Copy of the Movie 'Speed' on VHS
He did end up quitting architecture school due to philosophical reasons, but he understood that architecture was clearly less of an art and more of a craft, which explicitly requires patrons, money, and expertise, whereas art is completely subjective, and in its purest forms detests money...
Ask money what it wants to be.
I think it is like a theoretical particle in physics. It is believed to exist, but has not been proven.
I can't help but feel that architects have been entirely neutered in regards to money based solely on the anti-trust lawsuits brought against the AIA in 1972 and 1990. What I still don't understand is how realtors can across-the-board charge a 7% commission and that's not considered price fixing.
Just about all of the real estate companies here are owned by a single mammoth corporation. The appearance of competition is an illusion. And the rates are negotiable.
I only read that article because Keller Easterling was mentioned,damn click bait...........this reminded of the time Yale noticed that perhaps hand drafting wasn't as useful as CAD or BIM -about 5-10 years after the profession had noted this. Is this Yale's style, to confirm what every practicing architect has been saying for years? It's like they are behind the 8-ball up there.....I think that issue may end up somewhere where I will read it....the link sure didn't say much.
I wish to God that my architecture program (M.Arch at GSAPP) had found a way to educate me about running a business, and how money flows in the profession. I think professional practice classes should run simulations/scenarios, so students can understand how hours are spent, where money is lost and made, etc. It's important to know how and when to unleash the creative process, and when to hold it in check. I felt at the time (2005) that the Pro practice class at Columbia was actually pretty good, but in retrospect a) I just wasn't ready or able to learn this stuff without more work experience, and b) they did not focus enough on money and business.
Did not read the article, sorry.
Wow, Donna thanks for that link! I was aware of the antitrust cases (and have always wondered why the OAA in Ontario still gets away with issuing recommended fee structures), but the quotes in the article from architects who are too special, dignified, or delusional to compete on price are surprising and bracing. What a luxury.
The way this profession is set up, this is what happens:
- The "good" work tends to take up much more time and resources than allocated, hence leaving no money left.
- The "bad" work also tends to take more time and resources (to make it truly bad), but tend to have a bit more money. So, the bit more is whats left.
The balance is when there are smaller teams working on larger projects, but that dont come by easily.
So there you go.
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