Moving Practice Beyond Analog

The practice of architecture is stuck in a rut, running in circles similar to the hands of an analog clock. Some would argue that this reoccurrence is not our fault. Rather, it is the result of the economy in which we participate and the nature of the construction industry. 

The chief economist of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Kermit Baker, may agree. In The Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice, 15th Edition, authored by the AIA, Baker begins a chapter on financial management by stating, “Architects serve an extremely cyclical sector of our economy. To thrive, therefore, they need to be able to adjust to the regular ups and downs of the construction industry.”

Alternatively, I believe that while an architect or designer’s final deliverable is often something that is constructed, the services we provide ultimately create innovative solutions to some of our clients’ more complex organizational problems. If this is truly the case, why does architecture and interior design practice have to be so reliant on the ups and downs of the construction industry?

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