Integrating Building Practices for the New Breed of Building Professional

My proposition for a new breed of architectural practice begins with the integration of practices in education. Graduates of America’s architectural degree programs are not being exposed to real-world practice, and as a result are cast into a league of ‘CAD monkeys’ because the only skill set they possess applicable to practice is their CAD and 3D software experience. Architectural education must incorporate the elements of contracting, construction, and real estate. I find in many publications and forums, architects gripe about aesthetically displeasing or unfitting buildings being built by developers. Why not integrate development into architecture? By instilling a financial business sense early in the career of young architects, they will naturally find a balance between community-enriching design and successful business operation. While schools intently focus on design, materials, and process, students are missing out on the big picture; the politics of the building industry and what is required to actually see a project through completion. As these ‘hybrid’ graduates filter into existing practices, architectural firms will find themselves with a broader knowledge base of the building industry as a whole, and the confidence to take on projects beyond their usual scope of strictly design work. This not only stimulates a movement towards design/build practice, but the opportunity for a more profitable business operation. In my experience working for design only firms, I find the architects and their employees unable to effectively communicate with the contractors and developers. A language barrier if you will, that if removed would enable more efficient operation and less costly overhead for all practices involved. I believe the role of architect, contractor, developer, and real estate agent should merge. With the entire spectrum of building industry professionals under one roof, projects will be completed much faster, at or under budget, and without the headache of having several different firms cooperating to complete a single job. The new architectural practice of the 21st century won’t be called an ‘architectural practice’. New degree programs for ‘Building Professionals’ should emerge, preparing the youth of the industry to accommodate and eventually practice all facets that are a part of building.