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ARCHITECTURE
New Tools of the Trade
Technology, economics and communications are changing the face
of architecture in Connecticut and beyond
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Business New Haven
5/3/1999
By: Abigail White
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They say that the more things change, the more they stay the same. In the case of architecture, though, you can throw that ancient axiom out the window.
New awareness about public issues ranging from environmental impacts to energy efficiency, along with advancements in technology have and will continue to have their influences upon the renaissance art of architecture.
The world has seen more changes in the architectural profession over the past ten to 15 years than in any previous period in the history of the profession. Shifts in the economy, technology and the law have functioned as the three major drivers behind the transformation seen in today's architectural practices.
Trends and developments, both within and without the profession, spurred on by the impacts from these three areas, are certain to shape and define the industry as it evolves into the next century.
With respect to the economy, the architectural industry quickly plunged from the biggest commercial building boom in the mid-1980s to a widespread downsizing among firms in the late '80s and early '90s. While not all architectural firms were directly affected by the recession, the profession as a whole adapted to the downturn with a conservative approach in order to lend a measure of stability to the industry and help enable it to face any future shifts that may occur.
Today Connecticut is seeing a wealth of building and construction activity across the state, encompassing both new building and renovation.
Kagan Architects & Planners of New Haven is providing the architectural and construction administration services for New Haven's new Betsy Ross Middle Magnet School. Building for this citywide arts magnet school is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2001.
A sampling other projects includes: a library addition for Quinnipiac College, to be executed by Centerbrook Architects from Centerbrook; an addition and renovation project at the Derby Neck Library, being done by Buchanan Associates of New Haven; and an addition project for New Haven Community Correctional Center by Herbert S. Newman & Partners of New Haven.
Undeniably, over the past decade, the computer has had a tremendous impact on architectural design practice, education and research. CAD (computer-aided design) software, desktop publishing, and electronic data storing and sharing methods have become support tools that are enhancing both the communications and productivity efforts of professional architects.
Beyond that, changes in legislation in the form of building requirements, taxes and liability laws have affected architectural practices at the municipal, state and national levels. Architects and their trade organization, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), support a host of legislative issues for 1999.
Some examples include: 1) to clarify requirements of the regulations for Americans with Disabilities Act; 2) liability reform to curb excess litigation; and 3) tax reforms (health insurance premium deductions for small businesses and the self-employed).
Today, many in the architectural profession are enjoying a gamut of opportunities to provide design services in a steady and strong economy found here in the state. One of the benefits coming from these opportunities, combined with an overall strong construction activity, is that there are ample employment opportunities for college graduates, according to Jack Franzen, principal architect of J.P Franzen Associates of Southport.
“It's really interesting to see what's happening,” Franzen says. “A lot of offices are looking for people with computer skills, because over the last ten years architectural firms have shifted over to doing drawings on computers. Right now there's a real demand for these young graduates.
Explains Franzen: “The architects figure they can train them to do the other skills and how they like the jobs to be done in their office. So this gives graduates a competitive edge they never had before.
“Add to that the economy is good and there's a lot of demand for architectural services - it's a really good time for young people,” Franzen concludes.
He adds that although many graduates have found jobs and are actively working in architectural firms, he has found from information out of the National Counsel Architectural Registration Board (NCARB), many of these working graduates are postponing taking their licensing exams. Over the past few years, NCARB (the industry's governing body that manages the exams) has increased the number of times per year that the exams are held.
“Ultimately, you need more licensed architects - not just people with architectural experience,” Franzen says. “Add to that when you get out of architectural school there are other careers you can have with the skills you acquired: interior design, contractor, a chief of operations for a corporation - even animation companies can use CAD-skilled people.
“What the profession has to do,” says Franzen, “is encourage the choice to be architecture.”
There are quite a number of firms in the state adding members to their staffs, and with the last recession still in current memory, the approach to growth in these firms has been conservative and deliberate.
More time is spent than in years past in interviewing and evaluating candidates to make sure they choose the right person for their firm.
“Companies big and small need to be flexible,” Franzen explains. “You can't forget that things may not always be this way. You have to be prepared. You have to have a plan. When you see things changing, you have to be able to execute that plan.”
For now, the economy and the demand for design work are stable. Franzen says he sees a burgeoning demand in residential work and small institutions.
“A lot of the architectural projects done in Fairfield County are driven by the stock market; when times are good people allocate money to do a kitchen or a renovation. Churches, synagogues, museums, and libraries also get better fundraising results, and are then able to do different projects.”
The way many of these new building projects are being done are integrated in design software and new project-management software. Architects are able to increase their productivity by taking advantage of what the computer can offer in terms of aid in design and communications.
“Virtually every straight line that's drawn is drawn on a computer,” says William Grover, partner at Centerbrook Architects. “We started using computers in 1980 - early in the computer revolution of architects. We still do some sketches and watercolor illustrations by hand.”
Grover explains that Centerbrook Architects invests between $150,000 and $200,000 in computer software and hardware for its 70-employee firm each year. The firm has also expanded using computer technology beyond CAD to a Web-based project program.
“I think the future of architecture will certainly be in the area of using Web sites for coordination of all the consultants, the contractor and the owner,” Grover says. “All communications to all parties goes through this Web site, and all the records and drawings are kept on the server.
“It's all much better-archived than it used to be,” he adds.
For now, the number of vendors able to supply these kinds of Web-based services remains small.
One such Connecticut vendor is John Noble of Project Management Online in Southbury. Noble says that this kind of electronic application is still considered new to the industry. Less than one percent of projects nationwide are using systems such as this, he says.
“Currently just about everything that surrounds a project is created with some kind of digital application,” explains Noble. “Our system allows those things to be exchanged and distributed among the project principals privately and securely.
“The principals of a project can use this Web site as an initial operating plan room,” Noble adds. “So when the project's ready for bidding, the subcontractors can come in and access the drawings and bid documents. When the construction phase gets underway, budgets, schedules, change orders are exchanged in the progress of the project.
Technology has reshaped the industry not only in the form of computer-aided design and project management, but also in the form of advanced building materials.
Innovations and advances in everything from newer versions of concrete and plastics to a variety of recycled materials are giving architects more options to work with when they undertake a project.
“What you can do with concrete that you couldn't do before,” says Steve Miller of Kagan Architects & Planners, “is completely different from 100 years ago. With the older buildings you had walls that were a foot thick; today you can have walls that are four inches thick [with equivalent strength].”
“The technology wasn't there 100 ago - which now offers all kinds of opportunities for designing,” Miller adds. “A concrete panel can be curved. You could score it. You can manipulate and mold it any way you want.
“And the use of petroleum-based plastics - there are plastic buildings being created,” Miller says. “Instead of using a steel I-beam, you can use a plastic one. It's cheaper. You can re-use it, and it has a better tensile strength than steel does.”
Better materials make for better and more durable buildings. “Architects care about the long-term maintenance of the buildings,” Miller says. “Basic building codes are becoming more concerned with building efficiencies, and they're requiring more energy-conscious design.
“If someone is going to own a building for a long time, they want to keep their life-cycle costs down. They'll put extra money in building materials. They'll use a design that has better structural setups, and better heating and cooling efficiency. Down the line,” Miller concludes, “you're not paying as much for repairs, or for heating and cooling for the building.”
Of course, superior architecture isn't concerned with function alone. “A good architect will strive to design buildings that have an artistic flair to them - beyond just meeting the codes and requirements,” Miller says. “Any good architect that designs well will use a variety of materials to enhance the design. You may want to use brick inside the building to create a little more effect. It depends on what you want to create.”
The technology, economics and communications of today particularly enhance architects' ability to address design and construction situations which have concerned society and the industry for decades.
Computers, fax machines and the Internet are enabling architects to coordinate diverse components of complex projects to successful construction.
The architecture of today is personal and accessible, and architects are taking advantage of society's offerings to meet the needs of the individuals of that society.
As the world grows smaller and moves ever-faster, architects have found more resources and increased productivity to accommodate it.
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