The Who, What, Why and How of Participation.
Any project that comes to us as architects, we are expected to perform flawlessly and design an iconic yet functional piece of architecture. This might not seem like an unreasonable expectation from the viewpoint of the client but from the other side, it not just an easy design process, its also managing a lot of different aspects; one of which is the client, the architect, and the user relationship.
So as professionals, we try and juggle with the understandings of the who, what, why and how of participation. Most of the times the answers are not direct and is, in fact, conflicting, so here is how I am attempting to comprehend it.
The Who: Understanding within the design process, who the participant is/ are is a key. It could be the city, the client, the user, the public, the preservation/ management groups, the stakeholders or more. Managing the power struggle between them can many times overtake the project.
The What and Why: All participants have different understanding and expectations from the architect/ firm and hence they all need different pieces of information, that helps them understand the project. Knowing what information needs to go where and why it needs to inform the client is an important decision.
The How: The process of handling varying needs of the participants at different stages is another management skill. It's the responsibility of architects too, to decide methods and ways of conveying information.
And, alongside with the responsibility of being a team leader, we also need to be a manager, a diplomat, a businessman, an excellent orator and more!
So as professionals, we try and juggle with the understandings of the who, what, why and how of participation. Most of the times the answers are not direct and is, in fact, conflicting, so here is how I am attempting to comprehend it.
The Who: Understanding within the design process, who the participant is/ are is a key. It could be the city, the client, the user, the public, the preservation/ management groups, the stakeholders or more. Managing the power struggle between them can many times overtake the project.
The What and Why: All participants have different understanding and expectations from the architect/ firm and hence they all need different pieces of information, that helps them understand the project. Knowing what information needs to go where and why it needs to inform the client is an important decision.
The How: The process of handling varying needs of the participants at different stages is another management skill. It's the responsibility of architects too, to decide methods and ways of conveying information.
And, alongside with the responsibility of being a team leader, we also need to be a manager, a diplomat, a businessman, an excellent orator and more!
Our Dreams!
I agree. I feel like, as architects, we have to take on an ever-increasing number of roles in the construction process, almost fill in all the gaps that come up along the way. We are the "glue guy" of construction, becoming, as you mentioned, "a manager, a diplomat, a businessman, an excellent orator, and more!"
ReplyDeleteBeing an architect requires the most diverse skillset of any profession I can think of! It's a bit overwhelming to realize that you have to contend with so many personalities (including your own) as well as design a good building. I think effectively managing people, including a design team, is a skill architects must learn to be successful.
ReplyDeleteI agree with that a good architect has to know a lot about everything. Because in my opinion, architecture is a major that deals with everything, such as people relationship, the sense of community, history, politics, and also be affected by money, client's perception, technology, etc.
ReplyDelete