Tag: business | ArchDaily

Architecture as a Product: What Makes a Building Worth Repeating?

Ankitha Gattupalli — Mon, 06 May 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Architecture praxis has traditionally focused on customized, project-based services – a well-established model continually favored by industry professionals. While this approach yields remarkable built environments, it struggles to achieve scalability and longevity. The architectural industry has shown little interest in exploring alternative practices, processes and business models, considering that the traditional mode is equally vulnerable to market cycles as other industries are. Bespoke design solutions, the cornerstone of conventional practice, make standardizing processes and scaling services challenging. This focus also leads to fragmented workflows among firms and stakeholders. The stability and establishment of traditional practices can breed a risk-averse culture, hampering disruptive innovations within the industry.

How to Measure Performance for Architecture and Design Firms?

Maria-Cristina Florian — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 07:30:00 +0000

The field of architecture and design is a dynamic one, often managing large-scale investments and involving a wide array of professionals. It stands to reason that, in this type of environment, success is not simply defined by just the quality of the completed structures, but also by the internal ability of architecture firms to effectively manage their business operations. For architects and designers, measuring performance goes beyond financial metrics; it encompasses a diverse range of factors that reflect the firm's efficiency, creativity, and impact within the industry.

Democratizing Architecture Practices: Restructuring Firms

Carla Bonilla Huaroc — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Discontent among employees in architecture firms is at an all-time high, demonstrated in the push for architectural unionization in the US in response to the lack of overall well-being in the profession. This discontent can be largely attributed to the inherently exploitative nature of the regular top-down architectural firm structures, fostering a disconnect between the direction firms take and the people working to make it possible. In these, leadership often takes on projects beyond the firm's financial capacity, with the expectation of underpaid staff taking on the brunt of the work through unpaid overtime. In these structures, employees are not to be a voice guiding the firm but to be profited off of. So, what are ways to address this disconnect? Is it time to restructure firms to give architects more agency? What are ways to create non-hierarchical firm structures?

The Potential of Architects in Entrepreneurship

Matthew Maganga — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 07:30:00 +0000

In today’s globalised, ever-evolving world, the architectural field continues to re-invent itself. Innovation has seen the emergence of new building technologies and new methods of communicating with clients, however, in some ways, a large majority of the architecture industry is still outdated – architects relying on client fees received from projects to run their architecture firms. Perhaps as a consequence of the emergence of start-ups in the technology sector, and the increased competitiveness of the global economy, architects have more recently chosen not to confine themselves to within the world of architecture and use their unique skill-sets and abilities in entrepreneurial ways.

Mobility, Managerial Competencies and the Future of Architectural Practice in The 2020's

Paula Cano — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 05:00:00 +0000

As the world slowly adjusts to the "new normal," so too does the architecture industry. Data related to market size and workloads shows that the profession continued to grow even after the pandemic struck. Other statistics show how architects are starting to be hit by the present crisis – such as the fall in full-time work and rising unemployment. While these statistics could take one down a road of despair (or enthusiasm), there is more to the numbers: Mobility, digital and managerial competencies are framing the profession in the 2020's. Not only as data for the sector to approach the market and retain talent but also as strategies in the face of crises and technologies to come.

The Dedalo Minosse Award Recognizes Projects, Architects, and Clients

Paula Cano — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 05:30:00 +0000

The International Award for the Commission of Architecture “Dedalo Minosse” promoted the Italian association for professional Architects returns after three years on hold, to tribute worldwide architects. Firms like ODDO architects, Ryuichi Ashizawa, and The Kresge Foundation - Detroit are some of the winners for their promotion and contribution to the discipline. The Anniversary is also de 12th edition of the Dedalo Prize, which will be held From September 16 to October 2, 2022, in Vicenza, Italy. The event will host forums and workshops about and around the city, opening with the spectacular award ceremony at the iconic Teatro Olimpico, and continuing with a Multimedia exhibition at the Basilica Palladiana.

21 Rules for a Successful Life in Architecture

Kevin J Singh — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 04:00:00 +0000

Originally published by Entrepreneur Architect, Associate Professor at Louisiana Tech Kevin J Singh gives his 21-point rundown of how to have a successful and happy life as an architect. The list gives some pointers that will certainly help young students and graduates, but may well be useful to some of the not-so-young practitioners who need to refocus on what's important.

São Paulo Design Weekend 2018

Rene Submissions — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 15:47:00 +0000

Between August 29 and September 2, the city of São Paulo will be the scene of São Paulo Design Week, the largest urban design festival in Latin America. The event is in its 7th edition and has more than 300 events spread across 130 different venues to promote design culture and its connections with architecture, art, decoration, urbanism, social inclusion, business and technological innovation.

Populous Creates Design-Build Group to Deliver Sports Venue Upgrades (Without Upsetting Fans)

Jack McManus — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 09:30:00 +0000

As an industry populated by creators, the business of design is continually reconsidered and reshaped by processes of reinvention and experimentation. Rarely content with yesterday’s innovations in anything from modeling software to building materials, architects naturally look for strategic ways to gain maximum advantage in both building and business. Taking just such a creative approach to the challenge of improving athletic venues within the stringent time frame of a team’s offseason, the dominant Kansas City-based sports architecture firm Populous recently launched a standalone service that employs the efficiency advantages of a design-build firm to simplify and expand the process of implementing stadium upgrades without any disruption to the fan experience.

How to Use Downloadable Plan Sets to Attract New Clients (Without the "Cookie Cutter" Stigma)

Collin Abdallah — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 08:00:00 +0000

There has been a recent trend to monetize design businesses online. Outside the world of architecture, digital marketing is growing exponentially, and every day more and more companies are taking advantage of the benefits that come from curating an online presence.

The iPad App That Can Make Your Client Meetings Fast, Efficient and Productive

Sponsored Post — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 04:30:00 +0000

Sketching is the best way to work through design problems. Since no designer is an island, sometimes sketching collaboratively is the best way of working through design problems together. Other times, you sketch a bit, create a proper drawing, and then present to colleagues, clients or stakeholders.

Monetizing Your Architecture Practice Online: 4 Ways to Generate New Revenue Streams

Collin Abdallah — Mon, 21 May 2018 09:30:00 +0000

Architecture's reliance on digital tools is rapidly advancing. Building Information Modeling (BIM) and augmented and virtual reality are quickly becoming the industry standard, along with more and more design businesses putting more effort and money into creating a stronger online presence. Because of this recent shift in focus, many firms have also begun experimenting with digital marketing strategies.

Listen and Learn: 6 Entrepreneurial Audiobooks to Help You Plan Your Future While You Work

Collin Abdallah — Fri, 18 May 2018 09:30:00 +0000

The way we consume long-form content has transformed drastically in recent years. More and more parts of our everyday lives are now transitioning to new digital mediums to save us time.

How To Invest in Your Online Presence to Help Grow Your Design Business

Collin Abdallah — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 09:30:00 +0000

We live in a world that spends more time online than outside. And as architects and designers, we invest in creating a more engaging world by means of enhancing life through our buildings. However, through a perhaps unique form of tunnel vision, we are missing an incredible opportunity to leverage alternative mediums to impact more people through our design businesses.

How Boomers and Millennials Can Work Together (And Love It)

Peter Howe — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 09:30:00 +0000

When you’re talking about a total of 151 million Americans, it’s tricky to make sweeping but accurate generalizations. And yet, that’s how many Americans fit into just two widely-recognized demographic groups: Baby Boomers, the 75 million people born between 1946 and 1964 and Millennials, the 76 million who came along between 1981 and 1997. Just as we can tell an LP record from an iPod, we’ve likely recognized common differences between Boomers and Millennials: How they typically work, communicate, balance job tasks and personal life, and what they expect for mentoring and promotions.

5 Innovative Business Models for Young Architectural Practices

Evelyn Lee — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 09:30:00 +0000

The architecture profession is in a perpetual debate concerning the myriad issues that impact how we practice and how that work can and should impact the world around us. As the chair of the AIA’s Young Architects Forum, I am keenly aware of the problems facing the next generation of practice leaders: inefficient practice models that lead to overworked, underpaid, and highly unsatisfied staff. We hear repeatedly that a seismic shift in the way firms operate is necessary to successfully move the profession forward and retain talent.

5 Emerging Careers in Architecture Technology to Look Out for in 2018 and Beyond

Hilda Espinal — Thu, 04 Jan 2018 09:30:00 +0000

Even with tech like virtual reality, augmented reality, 3D printing, computational design and robotics already reshaping architecture practice, the design community is just scratching the surface of the potential of new technologies. Designers who recognize this and invest in building skills and expertise to maximize the use of these tools in the future will inherently become better architects, and position themselves for entirely new career paths as our profession evolves. It is a uniquely exciting moment for architecture to advance through innovative use of technology. Even just a decade ago, designers with interests in both architecture and technology were essentially required to pursue one or the other. Now, with architecture beginning to harness the power of cutting-edge technologies, these fields are no longer mutually exclusive. Rather than choose a preferred path, today’s architects are encouraged to embrace technology to become sought-out talent.

How To Tell if You've Earned a Raise

Lindsey Leardi — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 09:30:00 +0000

One of the rising conversations in the architecture world in recent years has been the issue of architects' salaries. But how much are you worth? When is it time to ask for that much-needed raise? Two key elements to successful salary negotiation are timing and asking for the right reasons.