FIVE LITTLE THINGS THAT NO ONE TOLD ME WHEN I WAS A DESIGN STUDENT – #4

ARCHITECTS CANNOT WORK ALONE – RESPECT AND TEAMWORK IS ESSENTIAL

The role of the architect in earlier times was socially comprehensive, craft-intensive, and yet, technically rudimentary in comparison to the role of an architect today. As much as we call ourselves ‘Master Builders’, architects need a team today to accomplish anything significant.

Buildings are getting technologically complicated; a specialist can be required for practically everything. Architect of Record, Land Surveyor, Geotechnical Consultant, Hydrology Consultant, EIA, Facility Planner, Urban Designer, Landscape Architect, Structural Designer, Mechanical Consultant, Electrical Consultant, Plumbing Consultant, Kitchen Designer, Laundry Consultant, Fountain Designer, Acoustic Specialist, Lighting Consultant, Facade and Interiors Specialist, HVAC Consultant – are only the most common consultants and designers that architects coordinate with on a day-to-day basis on each project.

Any industry, to achieve success, demands measures that control its quality. To take those measures into account and integrate them with practice, there are individuals who undertake the research and application of those particular elements of design. Hence, consultants are the most important people who are involved in delivering quality spaces.

Typically, within an architectural practice, depending on skills, there can be Concept Designers, Production Architects, Design Managers, Construction Architects, BIM Managers etc. It takes enormous coordinated effort, wide knowledge, and teamwork today, to bring a large project together. The Architect is definitely the conductor, but it needs all the musicians to be on top of their game too. Mutual respect and recognition is essential.Thus, what is demanded of an architect today, is the capacity to listen and understand.

It is virtually impossible to master all elements of design given the individual and collective needs, and complications. Therefore, an architect must possess the capacity to look at each project from a multidisciplinary aspect and resolve all possible arguments on table.

This delineates an approach that an architect must possess in order to produce effective design delivery mechanisms and create a successful practice. It is a matter of regret that our Council still does not allow multi-disciplinary organizations to operate as Architects in India, but a lot of practitioners are hopeful that change will happen soon.