SUNDAY, MAY 30, 2010 AT 10 P.M.
Architects may be the forgotten casualties of the recession.
Thousands of construction workers,
real estate agents and loan officers lost their jobs as real estate tanked. But the designers of the built environment suffered, too, their creative, environmentally sustainable visions of the 21st century put on hold until construction picks up again.
San Diego County has two architects who know this on a national scale. Solana Beach architect John Maple is president of the Society of American Registered Architects, and Manuel Oncina, whose office is two blocks west of Balboa Park, is president of the society’s California Council. The organization, while much smaller and less well-known than the
American Institute of Architects, operates as a go-to source for its 380 to 420 members to get help from each other for projects they’re tackling.
Maple’s firm is responsible for the Pacific Station mixed-use project in Encinitas, while Oncina is designing county libraries in Fallbrook and Ramona.
They set aside their digital drafting tools recently to discuss the state of architecture and predict where it’s headed.
QUESTION: Where does the business of architecture stand in 2010?
MAPLE : I get to travel around, and we were, for instance, in
Minneapolis last October and the firms, which are quite diverse, are not affected. Some of them are busier than they had been, whereas some of my friends and SARA members in New York have seen a slowdown, and in the South, they’ve seen a considerable slowdown, similar to what we have in the far West.
ONCINA: From my point of view, it depends on the type of work you’re doing. If you’re doing health work, I don’t think the pace has slowed down at all.
QUESTION: What areas are particularly slow?
MAPLE: Some of our specialties such as multifamily housing in the tax arena have come to a stop. Last year, California didn’t have any funds for tax-credit housing (for low- and moderate-income renters).
ONCINA: I sit on the board of the Centre City Development Corp., and we have seen a number of projects that are on hiatus now. Developers are asking for a respite in their schedule so they can gather up their loans and money.
MAPLE: Retail has been quite fluid. To have a retail project built, I think, is a great success.
ONCINA: There’s a lot of work for municipalities and local government, but it’s not all rosy there, either. You might think of it as stable, but yet, stability is sometimes inactive and therefore nothing’s happening. Of course, in business, you can’t do that. You can’t just wait, because everything costs.
QUESTION: When there is a design commission available, what’s the competition like?
ONCINA : Instead of seeing the usual coterie of architects going after these things, the field gets opened up quite a bit. You end up with 20 to 25 firms going after a project. At the last one I went after, it was an interior-design project in the
Palm Springs library, and there must have been 50 people there — for a $200,000 job.
QUESTION: Are there more opportunities available?
MAPLE: In planning, there are lot of infill projects in the county. A case in point is a project (at Del Mar Heights Road and El Camino Real) that is three or four years away from (completion). But the fact that somebody is in there, spending money with the city (to gain approval), with architects — they’re out-of-towners, unfortunately — there is movement, positive movement.
ONCINA: The city (of San Diego) is moving to fix a lot of things. It doesn’t amount to a lot of glamorous projects for architects, but it’s work, and we have to take what’s there.
QUESTION: What do you tell students just graduating from architecture school and looking for jobs?
MAPLE: If they’re in an apprenticeship program, they might be able to work that. Students are very positive, but as to how they get absorbed into the market is a big question.
ONCINA: It’s really tough. I get calls and a lot of e-mail from people — at least one a week or every other week. I tell them, “I’m not looking for anyone, but why not send me your résumé and I’ll look.”
MAPLE: One thing about an architectural education is that it really is well-rounded. You can really do anything. You can go out there and trash around in the industry and even do labor on a construction site, or you can get into product sales.
QUESTION: Architects as salesmen sounds a bit unusual.
MAPLE: Some of the best sales reps have an education in architecture, because they know what we do, they understand the intricacies of how construction gets done and how the products they’re representing will benefit your project in making you a better designer.
QUESTION: Aside from business trends, what style is popular with architects these days?
ONCINA: I hate the word “style.” That’s mostly about fashion rather than architecture. We are going back to more modern thinking.
QUESTION: “Modern” is a hard word to use — anything new is modern.
MAPLE : There’s a relationship to the original “modern” of the 1950s, post-
World War II. I like to use the (term) “environmental thinking.” Some of us were educated and exposed to it or took classes to understand the environment a little better.
ONCINA: There seems to be less movement toward decoration, for example. Building materials speak for themselves. The forms are usually a product of some kind of environmental constraint — the roof’s peaking one way or another to shield you from the sun or catch the wind in some form. The architecture is being freed up by actually looking at the constraints.
MAPLE: You’re going to get more creative architectural solutions and hopefully get better contextually.
QUESTION: Neighbors typically are very concerned about the context a new building will sit in.
MAPLE: The smarter buildings in the future are going to have, maybe, different materials, and they may look a little different because of the way they live and breathe.
ONCINA: Most everybody wants something that will fit into their neighborhood and to their scale. Scale is probably the biggest problem with everything. As soon as you make something out of scale, these contextual remarks come out and they start to badger.
QUESTION: So how do you cope with neighbors and planning groups that don’t like your design?
MAPLE: We spend a good percentage of our time convincing people that we are doing the right thing for their community. I’ve learned over the years the more effort we take to communicate well to a community planning group or even other architects or professionals who may sit on planning groups or planning commissions, the better off we will be. I think many architects who use the pompous approach, communities don’t understand that.
QUESTION: How has technology helped communicate your designs to decision-makers?
MAPLE: It’s a great tool to help convince or help share with whomever you’re trying to explain it to in how it works. You can build models in pretty colors, elevate them and (using digital animation) even go inside and fly through the building, and it does help. In some cases, it’s not cheap.
ONCINA: Some of them I’ve seen cost tens of thousands of dollars.
MAPLE: One of the things students coming out of college can do is that (digital presentations). So, I’ve told them if they’re doing imaging and any sketch-up process and do it well, they need to sell that factor, because every firm wants one of these types in their office.
The housing market runs in cycles, and yes its bad now in a lot of places, but it will go back up, just like it always does. The older folks would be better suited for this question than I would but it seems like, with the rapid pace our world is developing at, architects will become even more sought after in the future - especially in the international community.
I know an architect who owns some real estate on the side but lets management companies take care of it when the economy is good. If stuff starts to slow down and he doesn't get as much work as an architect, he turns to his real estate so things never get too out of hand. I thought it was a pretty smart move, and investing in something else thats almost a constant (like renting apartments if they are in good condition) seems to be almost necessary for a field like architecture which is so dependent on economic circumstances.
I think you have to look at it from both a micro and macro cycle. From a micro-cycle (the next year or two), things are definitely tightening up in the market right now. It started with housing, but it is starting to hit the commercial side. Projects are having a hard time getting funded and are being put on hold. For graduates starting in the summer of 2008 things are not going to be the same as they were for the graduates of 2007. Whether that means you will only have two job offers instead of five remains to be seen.
From a macro point of view (the next 10 or 20 years), things look much better. There are not going to be enough new graduates coming out of school to take the place of all the retiring baby boomers. It is definitely going to be a sellers market. When we have large firm round-table discussions a major topic of conversation is where are we going to get all the new architecture graduates we will need. So I think the long term outlook for new architecture graduates is very strong, and I think that salaries are going to go up with the demand.
Umm... correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought architects are a dying breed nowadays. True more and more people are applying for the major in college but more than half of them flunked knowing (in the end) that they simply dont have the talent... |
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This is my first time seeing this area on majors on CC. I have been reading the architecture major forum with much interest and nostalgia.
I studied architecture over 20 years ago and my embryonic career came to an end with the last recession of the early 90s. I remember a bunch of us back then who had recently graduated (the highest paid amongst us making a measley 21K/year!) discussing the ends of our careers.
Sadly, that came to pass for many of us.
Of those few who managed to stay in the industry, very few practiced architecture....most are in construction management, facility management and development. At the time, we thought it was the end of the architect -especially the way it was taught in colleges back then. What unis did not tell us was that when you got out, architecture was essentially a commercial venture and that you should only get into it if you have an entrepeneural spirit. So forget the high falluting design ideals!
I spent too much money and too much time to obtain my education and there was very little pay off. If I had known then what I know now I would have studied civil engineering with a masters in construction management or real estate development.
Personally I thought the architect was obsolete 25 years ago....I am surprised that students are prepared to invest so much in this career. The BArch is such a hard program and consumes all your time (I dont ever remember attending one campus party in all my years as an architectural student!). One of the hardest thing was seeing people who did only 4 years versus our 5 years, come out of uni was substantially more income than us. And their careers rose exponetially to ours.
someone talked about an architect making 100K at 40, really that's not much. Some majors can get you close to that within 5 years on graduation. You really have to have a plan B if you are to major in architecture.
Joix had it exactly right. If you want to be an architect, you must have a Plan B. Most people will leave the profession in the first five years realizing 1) they are not terrific designers 2) even if you are a terrific designer, it is till very difficult to prove yourself depending upopn what kind of firm you end up in 3) you still won't make much money. Most people end up as project managers which does not always require you to be a Frank LLoyd Wright.
My advice is that during those first five years, be on the constant lookout for what the ohter options are for using your architectural skills. Suggetions are law (leases), banking (construction lending), business MBA, real estate development, construction management, facilities management, government, etc. If you are not familiar with these areas then I suggest that you do so in order to understand what options you may have as part of a Plan B.
My view is study what you are interested in. Most studies indicate 50% of people are not working in the field they majored in. My son is a junior in high school and wants to be an architect. I would never discourage him because of pay, job prospects, etc. I have an undergrad in electrical engineering, an MBA in Marketing, and a teaching certificate 6-12 (6 credits short of a Masters in Teaching. I spent 5 years as a software engineer and 20 years in high tech marketing. Even in engineering and marketing, layoffs were a constant. I also found out I enjoyed studying engineering more than I liked practicing it. I loved all my jobs but the endless layoffs were a pain in the neck. After 25 years in the business world, I went back to school to get a teaching certificate for 6-12 math. Best career decision I ever made. Love teaching.
Also, do take some electives that help you when you get out of college--business courses, etc. You never know, whatever your major is, where life and the job market will take you. Being able to think and solve problems gets you everywhere today.
Joix, I am sorry that it did not work out for you 15 years ago, but the profession has changed. Starting salaries have more than doubled, and even with the downturn we are in, hiring will continue to be strong for good graduates. We went to recruit at Iowa State this spring, and there were 72 firms there trying to recruit 35 students. This demographic trend is going to continue, especially as the baby boomers retire.
Yes, college is going to be a lot of hard work, but I managed to letter in two varsity sports and always maintained a dating relationship during college despite the hours. Those years in studio were some of the best I have ever had.
The partners in the significant architecture firms in my town are making more money than the partners in the structural and MEP engineering firms. Frankly I would never trade places with an engineer, even if I made less money. Construction management graduates will make more coming out of school, but it evens out pretty quickly.
My only advice is to work hard in school, put together a good portfolio, and if you don't love what you are doing, find another major. Look for good places to work, they are out there, and don't give up on your dreams.
True, msheft. While I gotta agree with ken that money isnt everything, it does matter a lot. Well I dont know yet if I have that much love for architecture. I love designs though. As for money... well I dont expect million dollar hit, but perhaps 6 figures within 5-8 years of work, 10 max.
I'm thinking of combining Architecture with another major, as I'm definitely going all the way to masters. Is it possible to go with a different major, while taking architecture as electives, then take Arch masters?
I also wonder if my target, 8 years to reach 6 figures come as reasonable or too high.....
That is a pretty tall expectation. We have had a few who have achieved that, but you would definitely be in the top 2% or 3%. The ones who have accomplished it have been outstanding with clients, and are the kind of folks that we could build a studio around. I still think you will be disappointed with architectural compensation and should go pursue some kind of business degree. You seem to feel like you have some talent, but you need talent and passion to do well, and I am not sensing a lot of passion.
rick
Sounds logical, thats good...
Btw I received this reply from a senior architect, I'm posting this under his behalf as he wish to remain anonymous. What do you guys think about it???
"Architects within the next decade will be highly in demand, as many of us (myself included) will be on our way to retirements. However as salary goes, I see a rise but not much. This due to the fact that no matter how much architects are needed they're still bound to design about 5-10% of buildings worldwide. Too many developers are focusing on the practicality, including keeping costs down. In this case architects are too often viewed as needless addition to their budget. I personally predict that architects salary will start to rise significantly about 20 years from now, when government standards for building are raised significantly and more traditional buildings are grazed to make room for the future green buildings, something that can't be done by just building alone. That's when architects will rise. Until that day comes though, my predictions for advancement are very modest"
Do you agree with him, or oppose??
ikf; architects are seen as a luxury in the single family residential market, in commercial and multi-family housing they are required by law. Look at the regulatory hurdles that it takes to build an apartment building; Fair housing Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, the local building code, local zoning ordinances, and all the new sustainability regulations which mandate everything from energy usage to needed LEED points, not to mention negotiating with community groups. You are not building one of these buildings without an architect, even if you could care less about design.
A lot of these regulations seem crazy to me, but they are defimitely good for business. Sustainability has only really hit the mainstream in the design field in the last couple of years, but I know at least 10 architects who are making a good living as sustainability consultants in my area. The need for architects is not going away.
rick
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