Sustainability Struggles: What Challenges Do Architects Face & How Tackle It?

Technical advancements are happening at a rapid pace, therefore architectural businesses need to stay abreast of these developments to avoid losing their market share. However, before new hardware and design tools can be utilized efficiently in the office and on building sites, they need to undergo a lot of training as well as transitional and adjustment phases. 

Similarly, as mobile devices have become more common, there has been an explosion of applications for designing, project managing, and drawing in architecture. In order for businesses to survive the competition, especially the older ones, they will need to address these.

In order to preserve the caliber of expertise at their businesses, mid-level architects must fight on two fronts. Senior architects with a great deal of experience are losing their tribal knowledge, while entry-level architects are becoming more and more ignorant about how the architecture industry operates. Mid-level architects are responsible for overseeing and training the new architects while also trying to acquire as much knowledge and insight as possible from the retiring architects. 

Architects have to organize product information in their own methods because most manufacturers don't have it well-organized or consistently organized. lowering the quantity of errors made by novice architects and cutting down on the time needed to become competent. 

Architects frequently struggle to explain concepts to their clients. Language barriers may be the cause of this, as well as the client's inability to articulate their needs clearly and their uncertainty about the desired outcome. 

Together with the customer, the architect must take nebulous words, phrases, and concepts and turn them into a visual representation of the project. Although using 3D rendering software to see ideas in three dimensions might be helpful, communication between the architect and customer can still be somewhat involved. Good communication will be necessary at every stage of the visualization process.

Obtaining employment and a steady salary soon after graduating is the hardest part of being an architect. Though many architectural firms receive a large volume of resumes and portfolios from graduates and other individuals, the most important factor in landing a job is experience. 

Experienced applicants are always sought after by architectural firms and design offices, regardless of their size or nature. It should be noted that many job search platforms and websites refer to the experience category, which lists experiences 1 through 5, when seeking for employment prospects. 

How long should it therefore take a graduate in this situation to get employment following graduation? There's no safe space for an architect to go down and get back up. An applicant with a master's degree is ineligible for any post without experience.

A growing number of institutions are gravitating towards project delivery typologies that prioritize building above design thinking. to reduce risk and the desire to hire a designer. It's a step that the contractor is taking to reduce their risks and combine their communication duties. Positive results can be achieved with the correct contractor and customer. However, a decline in the appreciation of the benefits of design could instill concern about one's financial means. 

The ideas in the media about extravagant architecture are copied by contractors and builders, who get unduly influenced by it. The notion that everything must be in a specific manner is less about imitation and more about influence.

Working in teams is crucial for architects to succeed on their projects. Collaborative work promotes effortless work, enabling participants to offer diverse abilities and proficiencies that augment the final product. A balanced representation of genders and experiences is crucial when assembling a team for an architecture project. 

Each participant should be given specified tasks to complete while also being given some latitude to work autonomously and under time limitations in order to maximize production. Maintaining open lines of communication among team members can guarantee the project's success. Colleagues will feel more confident in their ability to do their jobs effectively if they are aware of their roles.

An architect needs to be able to present his work to clients while maintaining a record of it. Designers and architects want assistance in compiling a comprehensive list of their completed projects. The ability of architects to write and communicate professionally has greatly improved in recent years. 

It is necessary for architects to document their work in order to give programmatic analysis. An architect can effectively convey his thoughts while doing this and can also use writing to express them.

Releasing oneself from a project is one of the hardest things architects have to deal with. It can be very challenging to come up with a wonderful design because of all the deadlines, financial restrictions, communication problems, and other factors. As a result, it's frequently important to pull back from it all. 

You need time to rest if you want to create amazing buildings and have an abundance of creative, original ideas. Taking a break from a project can frequently provide fresh insight and boost an architect's output and efficiency.

An architect is often hired, the client requests an eye-catching design, and the project is never completed. It can be difficult for architects to see their creations come to life for a variety of reasons. Make sure the design is jaw-dropping good, because that's the only way to combat this issue. Using intricate floor plans and 2D sketches, architects are unable to do this. The only method to captivate viewers is through 3D visualization. 

One of the most important things you can do as an architect to market yourself is to put some time and effort into making a 3D model of your design. It will demonstrate your abilities and enable the clients see what the finished product will look like. 

The problems plaguing the architectural community are not insurmountable. In addition to ensuring that architects have the authority to market and grow their own services, solutions and procedures must be put in place to guarantee the seamless transfer from the old to the new without upsetting any parties. Risky procurement procedures need to be changed for the benefit of architects, clients, and contractors alike.

For more such insights and tips about the architectural world, subscribe to Volume Zero newsletter and get the latest articles delivered to your inbox.

Text provided by Kimaya Tendulkar-

Kimaya Tendulkar is an architect who graduated from the L.S. Raheja School of Architecture in Mumbai and is interested in working as a researcher in the subject of urban development and planning. Her interests lie in contributing to social justice and making cities more habitable. Her research interests include public and urban policy, urban inequities, and mobility. She believes that tackling a problem from an empathetic lens will lead to an authentic solution. She enjoys observing and writing about cities and their complexities. Her graphic and visual interests, which include illustrating and photography, assist her in better articulating her observations.