Architects and Development?
My work in project development, coming into it with an Architecture background, has been like getting a 2nd education in business and real estate.
When I got into development, I had already received a hyper-academic graduate education and worked professionally for a number of years, but the role that an Architect can play in development was barely discussed in my circle. I had even sought out faculty that offered courses in professional practice, such as Paul Nakazawa, who helped shape my understanding of what it means to work as an Architect. So few of these classes were required, let alone anything relating development and finance, to the Architecture we were learning about.
I eventually developed and taught professional practice courses at Northeastern University, which was a great way to research and interview leading professionals involved in Boston-area project development. From HUGE developers changing the shape of the city, to smaller groups, I think the consensus was that Architects weren't always on the same page as developers, because their focus can be quite different.
As in every aspect of life, there are outliers, but to make generalizations; this generally results in Architects being given a fairly defined brief (building program) that spells out what needs to be done, how big it needs to be, etc. I think that’s a BIG missed opportunity.
When I first started working in development, we began making an annual trip to the ICSC conference in Las Vegas, meeting developers of all sizes, and learning about their various goals. Some groups are much more traditional (in pretty much every sense), and others are more willing to imagine what could be done, where various trends are headed, and what has longevity compared to a fleeting moment.
It was immediately clear that the early stages of projects are where you can have the most impact to help shape the DNA of a project. To be able to balance the needs of a developer and businesses, with meaningful Architecture and buildings that have a genuinely positive impact on the people using them and the community they are in (without blowing the budget).
Balanced development requires balancing the needs, goals, finances, budget, and aspirations of a business with the Architectural ambition. A business won’t fully reach its potential without all these parts working together, so why wouldn’t they be considered simultaneously, from the start?
There are many clichés that Architects carry, but my experience is that the relevance and impact that Architecture can have, early in a development process, can be transformative.
Testing and analyzing a business model with spatial data and visualization.
Using this information to support financing, fundraising, and promotion.
Looking for opportunities that are less feasible to implement down the road.
Looking for major issues early, that could lead to major cost and time issues.
Pushing a project’s ambition beyond what's imagined from the onset.
This isn’t necessarily “traditional” Architecture practice (which may be a good thing), but this is a way of working that helps projects develop into successful businesses and meaningful contributions to their communities.
Let's use Architecture to help people and solve problems,
-Chris
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P.S. I offer a Project: Launch program to help get things going quickly, if you’re ready to go! If you’re interested in this process, please reach out to talk. I’m always looking to meet good people and learn about interesting businesses.
