The Congress of Residential Architecture

… I am being interviewed this evening by The Konstructr Network http://go.konstructr.com/ on the role of the residential architect in today’s society. The interview will be recorded and available through a download on what they call KCast. My juices are flowing, I am foaming at the mouth, like Secretariat at the starting gate…

wow...that was mentally exhausting.

fun, really fun, but whoa...

Great work David! And the podcast is already up.

So, I was just interviewed on architecture and wine...

http://kcast.konstructr.com/2009/02/epi ... ture-vino/

I stumbled a but, but hopefully explained the importance of hiring an architect... in between sips of my 2006 Kendall Jackson "Grand Reserve" Chardonnay. The interviewer, (very nice,) was a younger newbie that knew very little about wine. He asked me to choose a $15 white he could pick up immediately at liquor store so we could enjoy it together during the interview.

My voice sounds a bit weird to me and my wife... but hopefully I made an argument for investing in an architect and joining us here.

Peace

Vik really came at me, questioning what we really do. So much so I was caught off guard, and couldn't have planned it better in that respect.

I don't think there is anything wrong with your voice, (it just always feels weird to hear yourself until you get used to it)

Actually you sound more personable than you usually come across in writing.

It was a good interview and you made your points pretty well.

Thank you Chris...

...put a glass of wine in front of me and I am a pussycat!

Dave

The question about having a student do the design, and an architect stamp it was just truly frightening. Not only because in most cases it would be illegal, and he seemed to have no sense of that, but also because it was just an indicator of how little value is placed on the architects role.

The whole notion that a student who is likely not versed in any of the realities and limitations of building that is dictated by code, technology, and even just the cost of things, but who may be very facile at creating images, could simply be substituted for an experienced practitioner. Thats just mind boggling. Using David's example would you let a pre-med student do your heart surgery - better yet a medical illustrator..?

Hopefully this was a loaded question by Vic, an aid for you to make your point, and not a delusion that he truly possesses.

I spoke to Vik for a while off line. Vik is the perfect example of what is wrong, (meaning no disrespect to him,) and what we are fighting to correct.

He is involved with some sort of av/electrical consulting and is constantly dealing with plans that his clients hand him from clueless architects or draftspeople. He has became so tired of this ineptitude that he began to take the burden of the liability on himself. He really didn't understand what the role of an architect was, other that to show up from their ivory towers and get the girl. I simply cant blame him for this... I blame our own field, and the AIA for dropping the ball many decades ago.

I was caught off guard by the way he came at me to defend my relevance, but I think he was equally surprised that the essence of our role, (when properly preformed,) is essential to the legal aspects of the project...especially if the a lawsuit were to occur.

Vik needs to meet a good architect that specializing in what he is doing.

It was a nice experience.

Dave

I'm not sure I totally understood where Vic was coming from. I thought at one point he was thinking that his discipline should be the interface between the client and the resulting building with him hiring the architects-decorators-et al in order that he could control the outcome . I got the impression that he viewed the architect as the drawing mechanic who had to follow the whims of the client because building disciplines had all become so complicated. That's why all his architect friends were frustrated- because they always had to "settle" and just do what they were told.

I thought David made the point quite well about the years of AIA contract documentation and process, but I'm not sure that Vic really picked up on it.

Anyway, nice work David. I thought you did a great job integrating the wine discussion with architecture. I'll buy a bottle of the Kendall Jackson for my wife (gives me heartburn) You made a lot of good points, and maybe swayed some of the Konstructor audience towards investing in good design.

Well that is the reality of the current situation. As a matter of fact in most places you don't even need to be a student. No one ever died from improperly proportioned transoms so I think there is a bit of a difference there.

If the current setup actually resulted in 'lawsuit city' than something would most likely be done about it.

Also in practical terms architects stamp other peoples work all the time (employees) I would think the key is are they verifying the work and assuming responsibility?

While I agree that it would be fun to have the kind of control over a job that David enjoys it certainly does not seem to be the norm and I absolutely do not believe that it ever was. That has always represented the very high end and it seems somewhat unrealistic to believe that the average house would ever be built that way within our lifetimes.

no... but an improperly proportioned transom once broke my heart.

Vik is in the house... welcome to CORA!

Chris, one of the examples that Vic mentioned was a restaurant project, which as a commercial project would always fall under the purview of an architect. In that case it would not be by the letter of the law to simple seal the documents prepared by another individual, whether that person was a student or another fully licensed architect. Most state architect laws stipulate that the documents must be prepared under the supervision of the architect of record, meaning day to day supervision of the work involved. That is the difference between documents prepared by employees as you mention.

Now most of that goes out the window with houses as we know because almost every state allows single family residences without the stamp of an architect. However that changes nothing regarding the law with how an architects stamp is used. An architect is still bound by the licensing law even if it is simply a house, they can not stamp somebody else's drawings.

This is all just administration - the big issue is that the market for full services as David describes (and as he lives) is very limited. Yet the market for less closely held design and less closely supervised work is quite vast. Our problem as architects and designers is:

What is the best way to improve the quality of DESIGN in that greater marketplace given the fact that it will never be willing to pay for the level of service that David advocates.

So far the marketplace has solved the expense question by almost exclusively using cheap and lousy design - hence our built environment. Our challenge, as I've said many times before, is to devise a business model that allows us to direct good design into this channel.

Wow! What a great conversation! This is more fun that the KCast - and that was fun!

David was a great guest on the show! I think it really shed some light on the historic importance of the architect.

I tried to ask questions that were not only of interest to me, but that our listeners who may know nothing about architects would be intrigued to hear answers to.

@Chris Stewart - I also don't think there was anything wrong with his voice.

@David Andreozzi - It was a good wine. I think I may have to too much

@Greg La Vardera - As the world continues to change I think we will see some spectacular work come from places we least expect it to! While wine does tend to taste better with age, every now and again you find one that hasn't aged that is amazing. In the same respect there are amazing pieces of work that come from left field. We are in a new world where we all have to re-educuate why we are relevant and the architect is no exception. I think David helped us get to that point.

ALL - I think this community is amazing. That you would have so much passion to discuss among yourself (and I am truly honored that David too the time to chat with me) is mind blowing. I know now where I would start if I needed a residential architect and where I would send anyone who was looking for one - CORA.

@Thomas Potts - Yes, that is exactly where I was coming from. If the architect is unable to look at the project holistically with regards to the most critical pieces of a complex building (mind you I'm in the commercial world), I will tell them to take a back seat. I witnessed a project in my group a few years back where we actually had a big part to play in letting the architect go and picking up one that was willing to be part of a TEAM. I also think that the topic of the architect is loaded and one that could definitely be broken down into other shows where we examine various aspects of that particular role.

ALL - One thing this conversation has shown me is that education needs to be placed in other areas of the design and construction chain. Over the course of the next month I would like to examine other trades and roles (designers, contractors, product manufacturers). If any of you would like to talk about ANYTHING...CORA members are always welcome on the show. If you don't like wine we can sip soda, I'm a big Root Beer fan!!

Ping me anytime. I will watch for some great conversations and join in when I feel I can add value.

I love passionate people and I see it in this group. I hope you are all able to go out and help us SEE the world of architecture for what it truly is and not what the mainstream media wants us to see.

Drop me a note. I'm always up for a good conversation OR debate.