“To provide meaningful architecture is not to parody history but to articulate it.”  – Daniel Libeskind

This quote has a multi-faceted meaning to it, it’s not only about the articulation in terms of architectural design but also about the need for articulation in professional practices with the changing times.

Change Is The New Constant!

There has been a shift in the way we perceive our end products in architecture, be it a single building to an entire township, innovation has found a new angle to it. Moreover, with the advent of a technological age, the AEC Industry is seeing a steep upward graph.

Although a part of the industry from a design perspective is seeing this growth, the dynamics of the core working of it is still left unnoticed. As technology is helping designers to make informed decisions about their designs, there is a need to make the same as an industry as well.

Post - Pandemic we all noticed a sudden shift of the ‘new normal’ where online and digital became the two core terminologies.

Through this pandemic, a sudden shock of situations mandated us to shift to a new modus operandi, but have our entire businesses shifted online? Is the architectural industry in their working force adapting all these changes actively or are we lacking? As a technology-based industry are we adapting it to make our professional practices more viable?

Although a global pandemic forced us to temporarily shift our way to a digital medium, the AEC industry still lacks in connecting various industry contributors with each other - namely the Architects, Educators and Organizations. It lacks in creating a common ground for these three core entities to thrive. There is a need to provide a one-stop location that helps in connecting these three entities with each other seamlessly.

Let’s look at how these three entities are interlinked with each other.

• Relationship A - Architect & Educator

Being an architectural student and a practitioner are two entirely different phenomena. Be it in the perspective of a design product or handling real-time projects, there is a wide difference between being in an architecture school and working in the industry. It is necessary to have ample insight into the professional world as a budding architect to ensure that the transition from architecture school to the business world is easier than our anticipation.

That’s where this connection between an architect and an educator comes into the picture. An educator when connected with an architect can provide him/her valuable insights into the AEC Industry. This can save the young architects from many industry loopholes while guiding them to make informed decisions based on an experienced individual’s advice. This connection with the educators can help the architects to upgrade their knowledge by choosing the right path for their careers. It can also help them in making the right call for their post-graduation studies.

An educator can help the young architect in realising their strengths, weaknesses as well as abilities to understand their niche within the AEC domain. All this while the Educator gets benefitted by improving their own reputation and adding new avenues to their professional growth.  This way both of the entities are getting resourceful gains from each other. Institutes and universities can conduct a seamless transfer of their knowledge to the young architects through various courses, programs, seminars, etc that further creates a dual directional benefit for both individuals.

• Relationship B - Architect & Organizations

An architect’s first step towards the professional world is by affiliating themselves with an architectural organization, be it a firm, company or studio. By this relationship of an architect with the organizations, both of these individuals can thrive by helping each other out. The architect provides their services to an organization which helps them in building their portfolio. Whereas the organizations help the architect in providing the industry insights while simultaneously building their own reputation, revenue and brand worth with the architect’s help.

An architect's contributions also help them in growing their business connections by generating leads and delivering as per the clientele needs. Architects bring in intriguing perspectives that are new and fresh to help the organizations run in parallel with the industry standards, creating a win-win situation. Vendors, service providers as well as stakeholders, can directly link with the architects to find viable leads and employers for their businesses, creating a bi-directional connection.

• Relationship C - Educator & Organizations

Educators are the direct connection between the architects and the organizations. They are the pedestal through which successful organizations and thriving industry leaders are born. An Educator and Organization can even connect on the ground of cross-promotion and revenue generation. Here the Educator can actively collaborate with organizations to help the employees by educating them with newer industry standards. The organizations can even connect on the grounds of research work with the educators and students to develop holistic solutions. They can even provide infrastructure support for the same which helps the students in gaining industry insights.  Educators can share industry knowledge for research, recruitment and diverse cross-industry connections with the organizations for the upliftment of both these parties.

AEC Industry To Client

This connection between architects, educators and organizations can further strengthen the ties outside the AEC circle, that is the individual clients, public and private organizations, builders, developers, government agencies, etc who require the services from all or any three of these entities. A connection between the architect, educator and organizations then ends up benefiting all, as the availability of such a platform also gets the service receivers on board. It creates a single platform for these entities to network, connect and collaborate.

Why Educators, Architects & Organizations Should Collaborate?

These three relationships are a vital foundation to build a thriving AEC Industry module. The three cross-connections can help the entire construction industry to grow holistically. Therefore, there is a need to have a common platform where all the three entities can ensure their self-growth while uplifting each other.

Although, in recent times, the industry has grown in innovation but is lacking growth in connecting these core domains with each other. This, in turn, creates a need for common grounds that cater to the construction industry as a niche. Let’s look at some of the reasons why educators, architects & organizations should co-exist.

1. Better Workflow

A well-connected AEC industry also ensures a better workflow where every step seems a continual transition. A platform where all the stakeholders and industry participants can actively collaborate will help to create a better workflow.

2. Avoiding Delays

When an organization hires individuals through a trusted channel through a relationship with the architect the design decision and quality both improve. This in turn leads to lesser delays due to the seamless connection formed through a verified channel. You can find the correct team, specialists, vendors, materials as well as funding by linking these three industry individuals.

3. Upliftment Of The Industry

Bringing the industry together can open further opportunities to voice opinions and bring about change. People can build connections and work together for a cause that benefits the AEC industry and society as a whole.

4. Providing Global Opportunities

An active connection between educators, architects and business leaders can provide global outreach and opportunities for new ideas. It can help the architects reach out to a global audience to showcase their expertise by focusing on their niche. Organizations can get access towards a global eye to find relevant resources. Educators can get an opportunity of spreading knowledge and reaching out to students beyond geographical boundaries.

5. Valuable Insights

Co-existence within the industry can help the three domains to gain valuable insights from each other. This helps in growing the industry standards by a larger margin where newer ideas are welcomed.

6. A Space To Upskill

Co-existing can provide a connection where each individual or organization can have space to constantly upskill and upgrade their design know-how. This can help them reach out to global brands through relevant connections.

7. Self-branding And Growth

Architects, Educators and Organizations can actively create a self-brand for themselves through a seamless connection. For example, if an organization plans to host an educational course for budding architects, a connection between both can help them in finding their target audience.

8. Cross-Industry Connects

Since the AEC Industry is based on these three domains as a core, they can all get together at one place and foster new connections through networking to create more opportunities and possibilities for jobs, education, marketing, employment, resources and much more. This cross-connection can help each individual to promote their services, brand, product, etc.

9. Finding Relevant Resources

An organization can find relevant resources in the form of architects through co-existence. By having access to a wider choice of architects with varying expertise and experiences, they can find relevant recruits that are in sync with the company standards. Having a common ground can thus help every spectrum of the industry, be it finding jobs, products or services, finding the right candidates or the recruits.

Why Do We Need One-Stop Locations That Can Connect Architects, Educators, & Organizations?

The AEC industry has been a slow-paced module for a while, this has led to many valuable architectural workforces deviating from the industry. This pool of talent is unaware of the global opportunities that lie within the industry due to lack of exposure or lack of upskilling from their end. Young architects are losing opportunities due to a lack of connection between the organizations. Many of the industry leaders and business heads are struggling to find ample workforce, resources and growth opportunities. Educators are losing on several avenues to grow their self-brand while creating a viable revenue.

This urgency has led to the question - How can we connect the AEC Industry on a single platform?

This question has indeed been the conviction behind WOARCHITECT, formerly known as ‘Architects Of World (AOW)’ which is an exclusive portal for ARCHITECTS to find verified jobs, business leads & industry resources, for EDUCATORS to find industry connections & ORGANIZATIONS to find business leads, resources & employees. The platform is focused on providing a solution to connect the AEC Industry with each other to help them thrive by helping each other.

To know more, visit: www.woarchitect.com

Author Profile

Saili Sawantt

An architect by profession, Writing is what she treats as her passion. She has worked as a Design Writer, Editor, and Journalist for various print as well as digital publications. She has been a contributor in - FOAID (Festival of Architecture & Interior Design), ParametricArchitecture (Turkey), Metro Rail News, Rethinking the Future (RTF), Amplus Solar, La Polo International, Wedding Asia, ArchitectureIdeas, Architecturestyles, HomeDesignNow and many more…..

Currently, she is a Freelance Contributing Writer & Social Media Manager for print publications and digital media with expertise in the AEC Industry.

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