A recent opinion piece in Wall Street Journal describes a drop of enrollment in architectural schools and predict dire consequences for the construction industry. A drop in enrollment certainly concerns the essay's author, an academic. Even if the decline in enrollments leads to a decline in registered architects, however, I doubt there will be much impact on the construction industry.
Here is why:
1. It is a global market. Plenty of architectural talent around world able to do the drawing and "desk" work without meeting client or seeing site.
2. Perhaps the much touted productivity gains of CAD have become a reality.
3. Much of the work of architecture does not require a registered architect. The person I know that is most efficient at producing a set of construction drawings has a community college degree. The best spec writer I know has an English lit degree.
4. Constructors, developers, engineers, construction managers, and other professionals are taking on "architectural" roles.
5. Manufacturers and contractors are increasingly taking on delegated design and design build responsibility.
6. Many architectural firms have principals that are not architects. Given the complexity of contemporary practice, the management suite can be shared with lawyers, accountants, engineers, interior designer, and individuals that came up through the trades.
7. For most of career, it was widely assumed that the schools of architecture were producing more graduates than required by the profession. A short term correction will not pose a problem.
Still, the trend illustrates a new reality of building product marketing - the market is increasingly complex. Product decision makers do not all have AIA or RA after their names.
From Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture |
1. It is a global market. Plenty of architectural talent around world able to do the drawing and "desk" work without meeting client or seeing site.
2. Perhaps the much touted productivity gains of CAD have become a reality.
3. Much of the work of architecture does not require a registered architect. The person I know that is most efficient at producing a set of construction drawings has a community college degree. The best spec writer I know has an English lit degree.
4. Constructors, developers, engineers, construction managers, and other professionals are taking on "architectural" roles.
5. Manufacturers and contractors are increasingly taking on delegated design and design build responsibility.
6. Many architectural firms have principals that are not architects. Given the complexity of contemporary practice, the management suite can be shared with lawyers, accountants, engineers, interior designer, and individuals that came up through the trades.
7. For most of career, it was widely assumed that the schools of architecture were producing more graduates than required by the profession. A short term correction will not pose a problem.
Still, the trend illustrates a new reality of building product marketing - the market is increasingly complex. Product decision makers do not all have AIA or RA after their names.