Re: ARCHITECTURE & FEES

nic musolino wrote:
>
> before we reopen the old complaint that architects are not paid enough,
> maybe we should establish some notion of what an architect actually does
> (i.e., what are the delimits of the basis for compenstation?).

I think _we know_ more or less. The problem is the perception among those
 outside
the profession.

> The problem is, the botique firms and academic chokehold (notice the
> overlap between the puveryors, RAMS @ Columbia, MG @ Princeton, etc.) over
> what is good or proper architecture effective denies other firms the
> opportunity to claim some cultural value for their work.

Exactly. These people have fostered and nurtured the public perception of
architects as fine artists with the very intention of insulating themselves from
real accountability, as well as machinating to get the big ego-stroke. Ruined it
for the rest of us, they did.

> so how about then; what is it we do?

A look at the medical practice may be a way to start rebuilding this perception.
Anyone who's over 25 or so can probably recall knowing when medical doctors wore
their egos quite proudly---you were to never question a doctor's wisdom or
decisions, and they felt free to order you to make lifestyle changes, etc. You
were made to feel inferior by the medical institution (anyone remember what
hospitals used to be like?). We bought in because it just didn't pay to piss off
the man (gender specificity intentional) who could heal you. This attitude still
exists among some MDs, but to a much lesser degree than at one time. The medicos
are learning that "patients," now refered to as clients, have become
 sophisticated
and knowledgable. They are learning that it doesn't pay to piss off the one
 people
who pay your bills.

The Bob Sterns and ilk of the world---and yes, that includes dear ol'dead
Frank---published their articles in Life or Colliers or Ladies Home Journal, and
they said,"This is the home I think you should be living in," as the purty
 'chromes
and watercolors sweep across the spread. Nevermind that it cost four times as
 much
as you can ever expect to afford, or that it's designed for a site that exists
 in
maybe 2 places on the planet, or its space is allocated for some statistical
 family
that is just nuthin' like yours...

The medical profession's mission is to improve quality of life with
highly specialized knowledge. Isn't that what architects do that seperates them
from, say, contractors? Contractors make buildings, but they don't know about
 the
psychological effects of colors and room dimensions---nor do they want to,
 'cause
that won't help them make a building. Now, I'm not saying every architect knows
about those things either, but they are probably the only people who can find
 out,
while tying together all those other bits that go into making buildings
 satisfying
places to use.

Mark