Less than a fifth know architects prepare construction drawings, and only nine per cent understand that they control site budgets; 15 per cent don’t even know that architects design buildings.
— architectsjournal.co.uk
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79% don't know architects ensure construction sites comply with health and safety legislation.
I may need to review my contract administration docs, but I am fairly certain that is not remotely something a US architect wants to get involved in. Legally it is the licensed contractor's responsibility to comply with health and safety code on the job site, no?
85-90% of all the houses built in America are not designed by architects. This is another statistic parallel to the other ones.
A lot of people who want to build homes or remodel one go to contractors who take care of the whole thing for them. It is the contractor they talk the quality and the value. It is the contractor who spends their money and it is the contractor who they feel is the person handles everything. Architect (licensed or not) to most of those people, is someone contractor says who will draw the plans he needs for the permit. And, in a way, a subcontractor of drawings and documents.
In most cases by the time the project arrives to architect's table, its most important outlines are already figured out. Seemingly constitutional right that people can design and build their one or two story homes without the stamp of an architect, is a commonly used option and with which people gauge the architects' value. If they can save few dollars by not using the architect's design services, which there are folk tales about its enormous cost as a luxury item, they will bypass the architect designed "plans." There is such a huge market out there that could change the profession and the built environment had the architects allowed in by legislated requirements.
But that is a very very tough and uphill battle against the banks, construction materials retailers and manufacturers, contractors and homeowners. If architects can show people they are good for the common people and provide them with better building, value and do it cost effectively, people might start to change some of the common habits.
However, if you look at the media presenting architects with the talent behind the rich peoples' billion dollar fantasy homes over and over, it will be hard to change the common mindset. On the other hand, if architecture marketed as an everyday necessity that common people could have as well, maybe we as architects have a future. Otherwise, people think we are limited to serve the privileged, and, in fact we are bunch of privileged people ourselves, out of touch with the 85%.
All this is a matter of culture we need to instigate and adopt.
Well I think people realize we design buildings, but just have no idea what it takes to actually build one. Let alone the time it takes and the responsibility involved.
Its a cultural issue. The disposable, immediate gratification, and information now culture that we are in has a tough time wrapping their head around what we do.
the whole article in the link was really fascinating.
Jul 20, 12 9:10 am ·
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"Less than a fifth know architects prepare construction drawings"
I'd be surprised if a fifth of people even knew what "construction drawings" are. Now if the had said blueprints, the number might rise. But either way, who cares what the hoi polloi thinks anyhow?
Well as per my view we should thankful to architectures for number of innovations and constructions all over the world.They play important role in our life by creating homes, office towers, schools and churches.
9 Comments
whose down to do something about this? seriously this is embarrassing.
This must be a difference between US & UK:
79% don't know architects ensure construction sites comply with health and safety legislation.
I may need to review my contract administration docs, but I am fairly certain that is not remotely something a US architect wants to get involved in. Legally it is the licensed contractor's responsibility to comply with health and safety code on the job site, no?
To be fair, 98% of architecture students and 95% of their professors have no idea what architects actually do.
F*ing Howard Roark. Again.
but only in the usa rusty. we're all licensed architects here.
i would bet the numbers are even lower here. our clients don't know what we do either i suspect. sure seems like it sometimes anyway...
85-90% of all the houses built in America are not designed by architects. This is another statistic parallel to the other ones.
A lot of people who want to build homes or remodel one go to contractors who take care of the whole thing for them. It is the contractor they talk the quality and the value. It is the contractor who spends their money and it is the contractor who they feel is the person handles everything. Architect (licensed or not) to most of those people, is someone contractor says who will draw the plans he needs for the permit. And, in a way, a subcontractor of drawings and documents.
In most cases by the time the project arrives to architect's table, its most important outlines are already figured out. Seemingly constitutional right that people can design and build their one or two story homes without the stamp of an architect, is a commonly used option and with which people gauge the architects' value. If they can save few dollars by not using the architect's design services, which there are folk tales about its enormous cost as a luxury item, they will bypass the architect designed "plans." There is such a huge market out there that could change the profession and the built environment had the architects allowed in by legislated requirements.
But that is a very very tough and uphill battle against the banks, construction materials retailers and manufacturers, contractors and homeowners. If architects can show people they are good for the common people and provide them with better building, value and do it cost effectively, people might start to change some of the common habits.
However, if you look at the media presenting architects with the talent behind the rich peoples' billion dollar fantasy homes over and over, it will be hard to change the common mindset. On the other hand, if architecture marketed as an everyday necessity that common people could have as well, maybe we as architects have a future. Otherwise, people think we are limited to serve the privileged, and, in fact we are bunch of privileged people ourselves, out of touch with the 85%.
All this is a matter of culture we need to instigate and adopt.
Well I think people realize we design buildings, but just have no idea what it takes to actually build one. Let alone the time it takes and the responsibility involved.
Its a cultural issue. The disposable, immediate gratification, and information now culture that we are in has a tough time wrapping their head around what we do.
the whole article in the link was really fascinating.
"Less than a fifth know architects prepare construction drawings"
I'd be surprised if a fifth of people even knew what "construction drawings" are. Now if the had said blueprints, the number might rise. But either way, who cares what the hoi polloi thinks anyhow?
Yo!
Well as per my view we should thankful to architectures for number of innovations and constructions all over the world.They play important role in our life by creating homes, office towers, schools and churches.
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