Small Project Design

This message has been cross posted to the following Discussion Forums: Small Firm Round Table and Small Project Practitioners .
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Has anyone worked with another architecture firm to share workloads and staff to accommodate both firms' fluctuating workloads?  Or, had other informal or formal alliances with other firms? What were your experiences, lessons learned, agreements used, etc.?

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Linda Reeder AIA, LEED AP
Principal
Linda Reeder Architecture, LLC
New Haven CT
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Rand --

I was not following what may have specifically precipitated this epiphany about this foundational question for you. 

However, I would say unequivocally that we are convinced that we do indeed add value to all our clients' projects, and especially to those residential projects among them.  If we did not believe that we could add value, we would not get involved.  I can't imagine that others would get involved in any client's project without the same conviction.

There are some instances where prospective clients ask us to stay away from giving them new ideas or designing something they have not yet considered as a solution, and  this is one big tip-off that we're not going to be able to add that value for a client who takes a position like that.

In fact, for more than 20 years we have used the phrase: "We Add Value" at the conclusion of our printed marketing materials.

A challenge in this, is that many prospective clients may not be particularly clear about the ways in which an architect DOES/CAN add value.  I blame this on the profession and the media not articulating simply what we do, and on ourselves individually for not being direct with clients about why clients need us.  It's obvious to us, but needs to be stated simply and with examples to most clients -- especially those who have not used architects before, which is most, in my experience.  

Also, in my experience, local municipalities and even larger levels of government almost always avoid stating clearly that "a licensed architect is required for proper and legal execution of a project."  There always seems to be these escape clauses in directions to citizens and applicants for municipal approvals, using language like:  "design professionals" or "architect/engineer" or "if design services are provided to the owner free of charge" or "designer/builder" or other such ways in which the consumer can submit a project without an actual architect's involvement.  I'd like to see these wobbly tendencies about licensing/professional requirements purged from all such govt'l procedures.   Are architects too weak to tackle this issue ? 

I've even had the experience with  a local code official telling me as an architect one thing about a code requirement, and then telling an inquiring carpenter another, about the same alteration issue in the  same project.  There is some sort of assumption in the code official's mind that if a carpenter is asking it's just a little doorway renovation on which the owner is trying not to spend a lot of money, but if an architect inquires, it indicates a lot of other work will be done, and therefore the owner is probably spending a lot more money and doing a thorough-going project so that making the doorway comply shoudl be expected and paid for.  This is slightly off your point, I suppose, but thought I'd mention.  In this case the owner got the message that if the carpenter did the work (a whole house renovation) she'd get more co-operation fomr th ecode official than if she went through an architect.

Thanks for your efforts at clarifying what we're all trying to do with our skills and training. 



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Eugene Aleci AIA
Architect / President
Community Heritage Partners
Lancaster PA
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-24-2012 11:04
From: Linda Reeder
Subject: Small firm alliances

This message has been cross posted to the following Discussion Forums: Small Firm Round Table and Small Project Practitioners .
-------------------------------------------
Has anyone worked with another architecture firm to share workloads and staff to accommodate both firms' fluctuating workloads?  Or, had other informal or formal alliances with other firms? What were your experiences, lessons learned, agreements used, etc.?

-------------------------------------------
Linda Reeder AIA, LEED AP
Principal
Linda Reeder Architecture, LLC
New Haven CT
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