Discovering the New World: The Architect Explorer

As our global community becomes more intimate, the architectural opportunities become more infinite. It has been made abundantly clear of late, through books, newspapers, and simple observation, that our world is experiencing yet another shift in scale and accessibility. After encountering the New World, it took another century before settlement began to occur on a broad scale, and yet, discoveries are continuing at an exponential rate. Our present global condition of international communication and interaction is so quick and efficient that distance, time, and culture are nearly irrelevant as obstacles to further ambition. At the threshold of every major era, is an unmet demand for new approaches to development and original ideas for implementing it; therefore, architects and designers will play an essential role and must be at the cutting edge of the this vast and heated exploration.

In order to understand the ramifications of this impending challenge, it is important to recognize the telling signs that indicate such changes are imminent. Look no further than architectural practice itself: China is importing American design for its towers, while the United States is importing Chinese stone for its construction. Does this interchange lead to an overall good result for architects and designers? Perhaps yes, perhaps not, but what is more important is that it is occurring, and on a large scale and rapid pace. Those who stand idly by may find themselves at the mercy of those who immediately sought to transform themselves to meet the demands of this new, New World.

Every level of architecture, from large firms to individual practitioners, will approach this New World in a manner appropriate for its size, focus, and specialization, seeking the particular niche or system in which they can remain competitive. It is balancing available resources with the integration of fresh concepts that will lead to the greatest efficiency and success. Taking advantage of existing talent among employees could serve as a catalyst for ideas or a new direction. Underutilized abilities that may serve of use could include fluency in a second language, familiarity with projects that may be scarce in the U.S. but widely available elsewhere, or a degree in marketing. Some of the original instigators of globalization offer proven value in furthering an international agenda: digital communication, rapid and inexpensive travel, and increased political and cultural cooperation among nations. Lastly, international collaboration may transform and stimulate the field like no other single influence. Firms may seek partners on location, additional consultants could add knowledge and value to a project, and individual tasks may be completed more effectively or affordably by outside assistance.

Architecture has always been a field of design innovation, innovation through not only material and technique, but also of service and approach. So while our services are expanding, so too are our horizons. Those horizons have much in store, but it is the discoveries just beyond the horizons that cannot be anticipated and will certainly be new and astounding.