What Does an Architect Do

The term ‘Architect’ derives from the Greek ‘Arki-tekton’, for chief builder.

Architects by definition are qualified and duly licensed to design buildings for the public. Their job is to protect the welfare and safety of the public at large while designing functional facilities that add to the surrounding environment.

Architecture may involve designing for sense of place, evoking a feeling, conveying richness or providing required functionality, knowing how people use facilities, imagining useful services and providing dependability, conservation and value.

Architects define new ways of living and working, create new methods of inhabiting towns and cities and identify new ways of using old buildings as well as building new ones. Architects can be extremely influential in shaping our society as well as gaining national recognition for their imagination and skill.

From a more pragmatic standpoint, the architect represents the client’s interests while maintaining ethical standards that impart fairness to all involved in the planning and building process. Typical core services include programming, schematic design, design development, construction documents and construction administration. Other services may include master planning, site selection, feasibility studies, building surveys, post occupancy evaluations and building code compliance investigations. Architects can also provide expert testimony and peer review.

In order to deliver a full array of services, the architect will typically retain specialty consultants according to the needs of a project. Consultants can include civil, structural, mechanical, plumbing and electrical engineers; acoustical, audiovisual, lighting, hardware, signage, kitchen and life safety specialists among others.

Most importantly, the architect does not do anything without a client and a builder; the client as a visionary, able to balance economic interests with cultural values as patron of the building arts; the builder as an integral partner, able to skillfully realize the vision.