Why the value of architect is decreasing in today’s lifestyle
Yes; Maybe…
With the population in our country, the demand for our profession is also increasing. New architecture colleges are being built and every year thousands of new graduates, postgraduate and doctoral architects are entering into the market to pursue their professional practice. Due to this the competition among professionals is also increasing continuously.
Because of which the standard of architects is also falling somewhere. Today architects are forced to forget all their standards to take the project, due to which the quality of the designs and drawings are not up to the standards. Where in the 90s the Patron (Client) followed the architect, today the architects follow the Patron (Client).
Even in the earlier 90s, builders were the Patrons (Clients) of architects but they followed the architects and the buildings built by them still stand proudly. Now the same builders have been established as real estate industry and along with them builders and dealers have also established their participation in the market today. Builders of the 90s were actually civil engineers-contractors. So, his coordination with the architects was perfect. He also kept in mind the sentiments of the architects, engineer-contractors and used to execute all the standards in the construction of the building.
Today “real estate industry, builders and dealers” are all architects’ Patrons (Clients) but today architects follow their Patrons (Clients). If architects don’t do this, competition in the profession makes Patron (Client) to connect with another architect. Due to which the designs and drawings do not live up to their standards and most of the “real estate industry, builders and dealers” are not even professional civil engineers, due to which their coordination with architects is also not good. In such buildings architects are unable to apply the standards to the building even if they want.
The general public should benefit from competition, but in our profession, this advantage goes to the real estate. Whose responsible architects are themselves; they present themselves in such a way that anyone can take advantage of them. Due to the insecurity of not getting the project in the profession, the architect chooses his last option to get the project at any cost.
There is no organization in the architect profession where architects work on fixed service and fees without making their service and fees a part of the competition. To be honest, this can never happen, because all architects have their own point of view. If all architects can manage the fixed service and fee, no architect would have to give up their standards for work and architects would not be forced to adhere to their Patron (Client).
If the architect does the design himself, then all the standards will be followed in the building. Competition should be for good design that benefits all Patron (Client) and building on the best design, no matter whoever is the Patron (Client) .
Because our profession is an unorganized profession where there is a council but to save our own position, for our own profit and loss or for the paperwork… does the council know how many new graduates, post graduates and doctoral architects every year pass out? and how many undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral architects are pursuing their practice or working or unemployed or have left the profession?
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When the attitude of the council is like this, then any architect will be forced to follow anyone for his practice, that is why everyone works for themselves and not for the profession. Architects can live a life of appearances but cannot be organized. Which everyone should take advantage of, and it is also right.
Some time ago I talked to my knowledgeable architect professor who is a professor in a reputed architecture college, he said that every year 35 to 40 students pass out, most of whom are selected for jobs by some companies while in college but not all. We don’t know whether other students get jobs or not, because we get connected with the upcoming batch of students. He said that once the students pass from here and leave, then we do not have any contact with them. Sometimes children come for help when they are not getting jobs but often, we are unable to help them.
When these types of fresher architect’s struggle in search of work due to lack of jobs, some real estate industry, builders and dealers make them their victims and these fresher architects start working without worrying about their values and standards. Sometimes even experienced architects are forced to work without worrying about the values and standards when they do not get work.
It is true that there is less work in the market and after covid-19, the situation is even worse. But it can be discussed by getting organized, maybe this initiative can do something good for the profession. The market may have started working… but is it enough for the whole industry or profession? Have all architects started getting enough work? Will all architects now be able to operate independently of their values or standards?