Every industry has their fair share of inefficiencies that can stifle production. But once in a while, a leader comes along who can not only identify the problems, but also offer solutions. These thought leaders have the ability to revolutionize an industry. The world of architecture and design is not immune to inefficiencies, but one industry leader can fix the broken system.
You never bathe in the same river twice, because things change, which keeps everything fresh and interesting. The same goes for the architecture and design field, where for far too long the river was standing idle, becoming stagnant. Our business model and proposed solutions are helping to get it flowing once again.
As a forward thinker in the field, I have identified eight major inefficiencies in the architecture and design industry, as well as a solution for each of them. They include:
1. Brokers, paying a middleman to find projects takes away revenue for the architect.
The Solution: Cut out the broker by forming relationships directly with developers and clients.
2. Underpaid, overworked designers and architects. The architecture industry is notorious for low wages, heavy workload, and stressful deadlines until you “make it” to the top.
The Solution: Allow the designers and architects to take equity in their projects.
3. Designing independently from actual community needs. When architecture firms design a building for a client without considering the needs and wants of the surrounding area, the project may not benefit the community or the client.
The Solution: Use a positioning tactic to understand what the community is lacking and incorporate these ideas into the project.
4. The industry is heavily reliant on unpredictable markets. With the real estate market and cost of living in constant flux, it’s difficult to predict the stability of the industry, which is reliant on the financial status of the client.
The Solution: Consistency, strategic business moves, and keeping an eye on markets allows architecture and design firms to be proactive and shift their practice to better suit the economy.
5. City planning process and restrictions. Sometimes designing or building structures takes many years, as they are stuck in the city planning process. One minor mistake can set a project back months, even years.
The Solution: It can be difficult to get around or speed up the city planning process, but being involved in the community, town hall meetings, and voting on city measures can help improve the process.
6. Politics within the industry. Politics occur in every industry, but when millions of dollars are exchanged, expectations are high, and egos can get in the way of business. The political elements in architecture can get sticky.
The Solution: Stay professional and only partner with people who have positive reputations.
7. The scope of the architect is becoming smaller. Technology advancements cause more complex buildings, which causes increase in liability and legal aggression, which prompts architects to hand off elements of the design process to “experts in their field,” ultimately chipping away the responsibility and profits of the architect.
The Solution: Increase the scope of the architect.
8. Stealing intellectual property. It’s hard to determine when a design is stolen or original.
The Solution: No real solution. You can try to prevent your design being stolen by trademarking, keeping records, photographing the design progress, certifying the design, and by being careful of releasing designs to public view.
At our firm, we have gone to great lengths to determine effective solutions to the inefficiencies within the architecture and design field. By making these changes, we are benefiting those who work in the field, as well as those we build the projects for. It’s a win-win for everyone to create the most efficient field that we can.
M-Rad is on a mission to create better communities, neighborhoods, and cities. Its system includes a multi-faceted approach that starts with pre-architecture, maintains during the architecture phase, and continues during post-architecture.
Born and raised in Saskatoon, Canada, Rosenberg spent nine years studying architecture and environmental design. Rosenberg has earned bachelor degrees in fine arts and environmental design in architecture, as well as a master degree in architecture. When he was ready to bring his architectural influence back to the West, he headed to Los Angeles to launch M-Rad and start making a difference.
Matthew Rosenberg
Founder, M-Rad Architecture
6086 Comey Ave
Los Angeles, CA
Contact@m-rad.com
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