ARCHITECTURE - REFLECTIONS

Since I joined the architectural profession over three decades ago, the profession has changed profoundly. Up until the late 90's I was mainly drawing by hand, and I generally covered all stages of work from design, tendering, to site management and elimination of defects.

Since I spent a large part of my practical professional career in Germany, I also recognised national differences. In Germany I had the traditional comprehensive role in most of the projects.

In the UK working for a larger company, my main role was design architect and as consulting architect, with no direct responsibility for site management and construction being. Site managment was the contractors resposibility.

Experimental architecture with exposed concrete 

THE IMPERATIVE OF NETWORKING

A problem highlighted in recent studies, but nothing new - is the appreciation of the role and competence of the architect.

While most architects love their profession, many experience the same struggle for the viability of the profession. Especially smaller offices. Surviving as an independent individual architect is a rather risky endeavour.

This raises the question whether the architect’s profession in the classical role as central generalist has a future. With the intense experience of more than a decade as free-lance architect I gained two central insights: that this central role still exists but only within a team, and that the quality of communication and collaboration with users and clients is as crucial as the design itself.

First public commissionm 1993,

a music pavillion in SPA parks, "architecture gives wings"

in collaboration with G.Reiniger  

Site managment on most of my own  projectys projects 

SOLID CONSTRUCTION VS STEEL FRAME 

In Germany I used mainly solid and concrete construction, in UK for larger buildings almost exclusively steel construction. A key insight I gained is, that architecture is well communicated and well understood, independent of national differences. And that engagement and empowerment should dominate and not elitist exclusivity.

THE ARCHITECT AS FACILITATOR

Users and clients are active parties. The architect's role is to explore, design, facilitate and enable the possibilities of an architectural solution. But also to enable and empower the customer or users to participate and make informed decisions. It is a reciprocal collaborative process, a social process. The architect's ability to facilitate communication and make it effective is more important than ever.

There is a fascination about plans and technical drawings 

Therefore, professional networking and training of communication should be part of the architect’s education, as principles in management.  

Challenges are automation and mechanisation of design and construction processes. The latter compelled me to abandon my career as an independent architect and to join successful larger companies who are more embedded in these processes.  

As most of my fellow professionals, I love and enjoy my profession, whether as practicing architect or as a pedagogue in architecture.