THINK ABOUT IT: THE ARCHITECT’S VOICE
Specialization and the Future of Architecture Practice

by John Miologos, AIA
Vice President of Architecture, WD Partners

Summary: When I made the decision to “jump the tracks” on the time-honored traditional architecture career path, most of my architect friends predicted the end of my career. After 30 years of designing and managing highly specialized architecture, I still encounter the myopic prejudice that this kind of architecture is less challenging and less worthy of respect than the architecture being applied at general practice firms.

I am compelled to give my colleagues a collective shake and encourage them to look around. Our profession must let go of the romanticized ideal of the general practice architect. It’s time for architects to integrate and accept their role within a collaborative web of professionals whose job is to help our clients succeed. We need to mirror what is going on in our clients’ businesses, reflecting the complexity of organizations, project economics, and technologies. We too need to develop innovations in product and work processes. Providing solutions (vs. singular services) and, yes, specialization.

Our profession must let go of the romanticized ideal of the general practice architect.

Because I am actively involved in recruiting mid- to senior-level architects, I have the opportunity to talk with architects about their professional goals. They openly express concerns about “limiting” their professionalism in a specialized firm. Do cardiac surgeons feel like they are not learning anything after the 50th bypass? Absolutely not! In fact, with each surgery they increase their professional value. Why not the same for architects?

A recent AIA e-mail asked if the recipient had experienced the “shrinkage of architecture,” such as “engineers, construction managers, and contractors creeping into your work,” or the “diminishing value of your services.” So, at the same time that I continue to encounter hesitation about specialization from architects, I perceive the marketplace itself is questioning our value. Is this because we haven’t accepted our place as a collaborative team member—instead of labeling ourselves the “visionary”?

Mirroring the changing business environment
Since the industrial revolution, specialization has provided more competitive products and services in an increasingly complex market. You don’t go to a general practice doctor for brain surgery, and you wouldn’t dream of asking a real estate attorney to help you figure out a thorny tax issue. When you’ve got real complexity and you really want the job done well, quickly and efficiently, you go to a specialist. (And, by the way, you pay a premium.)

You don’t go to a general practice doctor for brain surgery, and you wouldn’t dream of asking a real estate attorney to help you figure out a thorny tax issue.

The needs of the customer shapes the solution, right? If you look at the benefits of architectural specialization for our customers, I think the future of the profession becomes clearer. Benefits include:

• Efficiency. No miscommunication and delay during handoffs, with increased accountability. In addition, working in interdisciplinary teams allows you to spot potential issues earlier (which again reduces costs and delays).
• Innovation. Other fields are leveraging cross-disciplinary teams to develop new processes, products, and solutions. Why haven’t we come up with ways to systematize electrical systems into buildings as is done in automobiles?
• Best practices. Specialists understand the clients’ competitors, benchmarking, and state-of-the-art technology, which enables innovation, greater accuracy, and higher quality. Why should the client pay a generalist to “go to school” on their specialized needs? In a focused firm, costs as well as investments in technology can be leveraged across the entire client base.

New infrastructure, skills, and disciplines
A new kind of working structure and set of competencies is required to support “matrixed” client organizations. Specialized firms will need to reflect back the client’s structure, offering collegial environments where many different kinds of professionals—brand and marketing specialists, interior designers, architects, MEP engineers, structural engineers, and estimators—work together to achieve program objectives. This kind of cross-disciplinary collaboration offers an invigorating learning environment and a broad understanding of all aspects of projects. Most important—it shows how “bricks and mortar” fits into the client’s business strategy.

Cross-disciplinary collaboration offers an invigorating learning environment and a broad understanding of all aspects of projects

As architects, we need to value the work that we do, but also acknowledge that the “art” of design can’t be all-encompassing. And technical excellence is no longer a competitive advantage. Specialized firms are looking for professionals (not just architects) with particular skill sets, including quality control, and project and client management. I am looking for those able to innovate, learn, and adapt to diverse circumstances and knowledge sets.

Finally, the innovations—both in work processes and work products—that will come from moving in this direction is critical to the viability of our profession. Better meeting the needs of our clients will be the way to stave off the diminishing relevance of our profession and the loss of control to contractors and engineering firms that have hired a couple of architects.

This is important because you have the opportunity to create more value for your firm. Embrace specialization like the cardiac residents looking for the next opportunity to practice their bypass skills!