What does an architect actually do? That seems like a simple question, right? Teachers teach, managers manage, and architects…? It’s not so simple to fill in that blank because architects do so many different things. In a small firm, an architect would be involved in many different aspects of the job, while in a large firm the work is more specialized and an architect would be working in only one area. Let’s take a look at the four main aspects of architectural work. The first thing that comes to mind about architects is that they design buildings. This is the artistic side of the profession. An architect creates a drawing that shows the ‘vision’ for the new building, whether it’s commercial or residential.
This rendering needs to meet the needs of the client as well as be aesthetically pleasing; it’s definitely ‘form plus function’. Architects also become involved in major renovation work as well as historic preservation, which would be ‘specialities’ within the design umbrella. The latest speciality in architectural design is ‘sustainable design’.
In a large firm, the rendering would be created by a team of architectural artists who focus on design only. Although this aspect of the field is often what we envision when we picture an architect at work, it’s really only a small part of the job. The rest involves actually translating that idea into reality. The production aspect of an architect’s work requires transferring that rendering into a ‘blueprint’ plan. Once the measurements, maths, physics, and material selection are done, it’s all fed into computer programs which eventually create that schematic we call a blueprint. This will then be tweaked, cross-checked with building codes and zoning restrictions, and usually re-worked many times before a final plan is ready for construction or implementation. Also part of this pre-construction phase is the writing of the specifications.
The sped report details very exactly the materials to be used in the project and involves a lot of research, particularly if the design is innovative. The spec writer needs to find the best materials for each part of the job and write a detailed description of them. Any speciality items need to be located and their cost determined. Cost and availability may result in yet another re-working of the blueprint. These two aspects of an architect’s job are technical, detail-oriented, and usually desk-bound.
Once a final blueprint has been created, the contract administration side of the business comes into play. This is our other vision of an architect---the man in the hard hat studying a blueprint. Contract administration involves everything from getting permits to monitoring expenditures to coordinating the work of the various construction crews. Ensuring that everything is being done according to the blueprint and that all specs and codes are being met are the objectives.
Dealing with the client is also often part of overseeing the contract. Communication and organization are key skills in this aspect of architecture. On large commercial projects, a special construction manager is usually hired to take care of the contract administration. Apart from the four aspects of an architect’s job detailed above, an architect needs to be a salesperson. Just as in any other business, clients don’t miraculously appear because you want them to. Marketing is also an integral part of the business. So, what does an architect do? An architect actually does a little bit of everything, it seems!
This rendering needs to meet the needs of the client as well as be aesthetically pleasing; it’s definitely ‘form plus function’. Architects also become involved in major renovation work as well as historic preservation, which would be ‘specialities’ within the design umbrella. The latest speciality in architectural design is ‘sustainable design’.
In a large firm, the rendering would be created by a team of architectural artists who focus on design only. Although this aspect of the field is often what we envision when we picture an architect at work, it’s really only a small part of the job. The rest involves actually translating that idea into reality. The production aspect of an architect’s work requires transferring that rendering into a ‘blueprint’ plan. Once the measurements, maths, physics, and material selection are done, it’s all fed into computer programs which eventually create that schematic we call a blueprint. This will then be tweaked, cross-checked with building codes and zoning restrictions, and usually re-worked many times before a final plan is ready for construction or implementation. Also part of this pre-construction phase is the writing of the specifications.
The sped report details very exactly the materials to be used in the project and involves a lot of research, particularly if the design is innovative. The spec writer needs to find the best materials for each part of the job and write a detailed description of them. Any speciality items need to be located and their cost determined. Cost and availability may result in yet another re-working of the blueprint. These two aspects of an architect’s job are technical, detail-oriented, and usually desk-bound.
Once a final blueprint has been created, the contract administration side of the business comes into play. This is our other vision of an architect---the man in the hard hat studying a blueprint. Contract administration involves everything from getting permits to monitoring expenditures to coordinating the work of the various construction crews. Ensuring that everything is being done according to the blueprint and that all specs and codes are being met are the objectives.
Dealing with the client is also often part of overseeing the contract. Communication and organization are key skills in this aspect of architecture. On large commercial projects, a special construction manager is usually hired to take care of the contract administration. Apart from the four aspects of an architect’s job detailed above, an architect needs to be a salesperson. Just as in any other business, clients don’t miraculously appear because you want them to. Marketing is also an integral part of the business. So, what does an architect do? An architect actually does a little bit of everything, it seems!