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 World Congress Center in Atlanta.
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90% of buildings weren't designed by architects. Therefore, 90% of buildings probably have major flaws in the design that compromise the health, safety, and welfare of the users! Please, be careful out there while we sort all this title/entitlement stuff out.
Think the biggest failing of architectural schools is not opening the exit door wide enough for students to see the myriad of career opportunities beyond licensure.
Well said!
i don't understand why you want to be called something you aren't. it's been clearly established and codified in the ordinance of every state i know of that there is a process to obtain a license to practice architecture, and that you have to complete that process in order to use the title "architect," because using the title "architect' without going through the clearly defined process of getting a license to practice architecture is misleading.
Curt, I guess that depends on how you define "architecture." I'm not ok with the narrow definition that the state uses. By their metric, the Trevi fountain by Michealangelo is not architecture...Well what is it then? One could argue that it is sculpture, landscape, public art, etc...but I personally don't feel that these categories are that black and white, and I'm sure most architecture historians wouldn't either. There is much overlap in reality. I see the title "architect" describing a general field of practice and knowledge. Even licensed architects fall into specialty areas and typically do not engage in the full spectrum of practice. The title RA differentiates them enough. The current attitude is an all or nothing one...That just does not reflect the reality and complexity of this field.
Restricting the use of a title in no way restricts one's liberties...?
"We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare,..."
It is in those 2 items (in the first paragraph) that we find the constitutional right to protect and ensure the safety of the people that live in the US through the use of licensure and title acts...even if it is protection from other citizens. We may not be employed by the government, but we serve a similar purpose as police...in that we protect the health, safety, and welfare of the people through proper design and construction. I can't walk around arresting people claiming I'm a cop. I'm not even legally allowed to have red and blue lights on my car. Does that restrict my liberty?
Also, the states have every right to make laws that are more restrictive than federal laws, and so do local municipalities...as long as they don't try to override the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Hence, the reason we have to look for state specific laws and local amendments before proceeding with design of a regulated building type. .
Umm...maybe I was lied to in architectural history class, but Michelangelo didn't work on the Trevi...I think he would have been about 200...
Besides art and architecture have evolved/diverged since the Roman eras.
No, you are right...michealangelo did not design trevi...
^Woo, that's a relief, I’m sure it was a licensed guy.
I'm not ok with the narrow definition that the state uses.
i'm not ok with your definition. i guess that puts us at an impasse, doesn't it?
so what do we do? cry until we get what we want? accept the commonly accepted version codified by society at large? confusing conundrum.
they said ncarb will say something about intern architects in atlanta right? maybe they will tell us 'architect' is changing to anything that 'feels' good.
you should be proud of who you are and what you do, regardless of the title and regardless of what some dead guy did eons ago.
you want a license, here have mine.....
next time someone tries to mug me, i'll gladly hand over all my credit card debt, school loans, back taxes - and my fuckin' license!!!
have at it. you'll be a friggin' millionaire and practicing architect in no Time....
funny side note - in Germany - you graduate Diplom. Ing. as an architect, other words - Diploma in Engineering?!?!
and you can practice right away!
ok done ranting for now, back to under paid, over liable, over worked Architecture - YAY!
you guys go back to your bullshit debates on titles, licenses in the interweb....
Germany must be very dangerous
If I wanted the license I would get it...This debate is not about personal complaints...its about the original post regarding the effort to loosen title restrictions. Apparantly others agree that it would be a good thing..even licensed AIA members...
it is absolutely assinine to not allow someone practicing architecture at any capacity to call themselves an architect, and you sure as hell should leave the word "intern" out of all of it....am i saying you can file jobs, advise on life safety issues, take liability on for heavy decision making? No. that would be what a licensed architect would do....we can't expect the US to do the quality of construction that Germany does ever. we can't expect the same level of education nor worker unions ensuring quality tradesmen, so we rely on licensed professionals to verify the work,etc.... makes the insurance companies and lawyers happy - sue that guy, he stamped it....
^ good points
Don't want to be a part of the fight, just don't get what titles have to do with licensure... hell, I put "Emperor" on my business card and I never beheaded anybody...I was licensed for 40 years, and believe me, nobody cared what I called myself, clients hire firms not people. The chance of an unlicensed guy doing licensed work is zero in this country...believe this too, there are plenty of licensed guys who are dangerous....the single word "architect" is clarifying to an introduction, and there are 100 miles separating an introduction from a building permit.
http://www.ncarb.org/News-and-Events/News/2015/May-InternTitle.aspx
the single word "architect" is clarifying to an introduction, and there are 100 miles separating an introduction from a building permit
But you can't even get an introduction without a license.. that's the whole point... why would we allow people giving clients the wrong impression by NOT clarifying what they are... (or are not)?
Read the article…..”so then, we are agreed. The traffic in drugs will be permitted, but controlled -- and Don Corleone will give up protection in the East -- and there will be the peace”.
Leave the guns here. Take the cannoli.
"you cant get an introduction..."
bulgar, that makes no sense.
i an trying to imagine bulgar and jla-x at a party trying to get an introduction...........bulgar goes up to potential client "hi? i am bulgar i am an architect,i mean intern architect, well i went to school and working on my exams, not licensed, but i can design stufff and detail buildings, my boss, well i moonlight, either way i can get the stamp.........."...............potential client seems baffled, downs there glass of wine and heads back to the bar.......................jla-x goes up to a potential client "hi! i design buildings."........potential client " really,what kinds? got a cousin needs a home addition.".........jla-x "yeah sure, where at?".........potential client "in pain my ass building dept town? can you deal with the city, think you need a stamp or something."..........jla-x "dont worry we can take care of it, dealt with pain my ass building dept. many times, one of my staff architects can go down there."......potential client and jla-x share a few more drinks.....
How about this? I propose that in trade for loosening of title laws, all buildings and renovations regardless of type and scale would require the signature and seal of an Architect. You need to build a shed...call an Architect, re-shingle your roof...don't call the contractor directly...call an Architect, but make sure they are licensed. We would act as agents to the owners ensuring that everything copacetic with the contractor. Then you could design and call yourself an Architect as long as you don't deal directly in the construction of buildings. Sound fair?
nicholas there are not enough architects to manage that work and we charge too much for services offered upfront free as it is part of the commodity being sold - new roof, shed, etc....
I know that...building and construction would screech to a halt while the schools and licensing boards worked overtime to crank more licensees out. Also, the Architect/MD analogy would be more realistic in that our point of service would be much more brief...property insurance would also skyrocket to cover the expense of us and what would be a much more complex system to ensure HSW.
Others want more Architects in the world this would be a sure fire way to ensure that happened.
we need architecture services to be covered by insurance. if people weren't actually paying the bills, it would be easier to charge them.
maybe subsidized financing for architectural services the way student loans work would help.
if i go to architecture school and graduate, and then work in set lighting for movies, should i still call myself an architect? what if i'm not any good at it? i think jla has said that taco bell isn't architecture (along with most stuff real architects work on), so surely the real-life architects should stop calling themselves 'architect' once people like jla are allowed to call themselves 'architect?'
Did you guys see this news piece? You can stop fighting now. NCARB announced yesterday that they are getting rid of the title intern. http://archinect.com/news/article/127308891/ncarb-will-phase-out-the-intern-title My condolences if this makes you upset. :)
tintt, a link to the ncarb announcement was posted last night, and our skin in the game is not the use of 'intern'...it's in the use of 'Architect'. I'm doubting this will have much effect on state policy, as 'intern' is not a regulated term.
...really makes me wonder what IDP is going to be called now...
nicholass, I am making a leap here, but I see it that eliminating the word intern means graduates with an accredited degree will be allowed to use the word architect while licensed architects will be encouraged to differentiate themselves by saying Licensed or Registered Architect and will maintain the task of stamping drawing sets same as before. Excited to see what they come up with. This can be a win-win. Good for all around.
http://www.ncarb.org/en/News-and-Events/News/2015/May-InternTitle.aspx
“Architects are those who have met all the requirements to become licensed in states and jurisdictions throughout the United States,” said NCARB President Dale McKinney, FAIA, NCARB. “Everyone else is not an architect. But their status also doesn’t need a regulatory title such as ‘intern’ or any similar reference. This has become a term that has been perceived as negative by many in the architecture community and a term that really does not fully value the work that aspiring architects bring to the profession.” - See more at: http://www.ncarb.org/en/News-and-Events/News/2015/May-InternTitle.aspx#sthash.jaf0Ts9n.dpuf
that's interesting. i linked the source first, then copied the text. the second link was added just by the copy/paste. this internet thing is getting pretty clever.
curt, that means I'm probably not right. Still excited to see what they come up with. Maybe I should write a letter to this committee... maybe we all should.
It’s over (in essence), there is now only one protected word, “architect” and you need to be licensed to “use” it, and they don’t care about the use of any other words, by anybody….so in a way it does bring clarity….so don’t “use” the word “architect” if you’re not licensed, but if someone walks up to you and asks you what you do, for God sake just “say” “architect”.
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