Who is the Architect?
The role of an Architect can be an enigma to many people who are
not a part of the profession. To some, we are people who are really good at
math; to others, we are the crucial piece that stands between them and the okay
from the city council. In reality, we are designers that look at a project in all
of its scales, from the small wall section details to the overall coordination
of design from all the disciplines.
When an Architect receives a project, a part of their role is educating
their client about each team member’s role. This includes the role of the
client because as the “Owner”, they become a part of the design team. Sometimes
designers get caught up in trying to please their clients and ultimately let
them lead the design when it’s really up to the Architect to orchestrate it all
together.
John Deforest, AIA, from DeForest Architects in Seattle says “Design
is a verb, the value of what we do is more than just the nice photos at the
end. It is also the experience we provide and the depth of meaning it adds to
the final product.”
There is value in each role in a design team. The user is a vital piece, but it should never overpower that of the Architect.
Designing a building can be extremely challenging which requires a good design team. I remember siting in on client meetings and usually the developers will try and influence the architect to design what they want to build cheaply and fast, which could case issue for the community and the user. Having a good design team is important and the architect should do research on the client before approving a project.
ReplyDeleteYarely, I agree with your statement that the user is a vital piece but should never overpower the architect. While the input from a user is definitely important and can definitely improve the project, a user doesn't always know what is the best option for themselves. They may think they need/ don't need something and that might stem from ignorance. The same is true for architects. They don't always know the answer to everything. As you mentioned, I think everyone has their own specific role to play in their capacity and that is essential for a good project.
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