TEAMING UP WITH THE ARCHITECTS…
By Ar. Rashmi Phulkar
Phulkar & Phulkar Architects
(Practicing Architect, Vile Parle East)
Role of an Architect invariably stretches beyond the designing tables. From bringing about the designs, getting approvals, building a creation, making on-site decisions, supervising it and being thoroughly accountable for its existence is an assiduous task in itself. In addition to this is a more daunting task of collaborating with numerous people across diverse professional sectors.
Every manifold project opens up a set of new individuals responsible for that particular project. The team is hardly the same. As projects vary, so do the groups of persons and so does the architect’s adaptability to human psychology.
Depending on the project’s versatility—be it an educational institute, a medical center, redevelopment project, sports complex, or any other development—a lot of nuances are necessary in bringing a design to a buildable stage. Plenty of interactions are required with people associated with similar genres so that the structure that is visualized is fully available in form and function while keeping future development and progress in mind.
So, apart from keeping up with presentations, an architect has to develop an understanding of the category of people he is about to convene with. Some may be sticklers for time, some for capital, some may be juggling multiple workplaces, while others may require minute interactions. A day in an architect’s life can range anywhere between a peaceful designing session and scrambling through back-to-back presentations.
The chief person an architect has to orient himself with—the one financing his creation—is, of course, the client. As an architect, it is crucial to align with a client who believes in his innovation and is willing to fund the vision that brings the concept to life.
After conceptualizing the blueprint with the design team, the architect must further coordinate with a team of professionals, including structural engineers, mechanical engineers, environmental engineers, quality check managers, and many others. All of them play a vital role in accomplishing the scheme.
With so many experts collaborating together and so much technical expertise involved, the most sacrosanct condition for carrying forward the plans is to work towards a single aim, a single purpose, and with uniform steadfastness.
The Importance of Teamwork
An architect is never alone. A well-founded administration, a dependable front office squad, and a dedicated team of members are essential to support the architect throughout the process and help deliver the vision that both the architect and the client have envisaged.
An architect’s work ultimately creates an identity for its users and often becomes a landmark for the locality for years to come.
Thus, an architect’s horizon of ideas is limitless. The spectrum of professionals with whom they must align, the need to understand the psychology of users in both thought and action, and then transform those insights onto paper makes the profession truly unmatched.
Nevertheless, what remains constant is the architect’s perseverance to fulfill the demands of professionals and clients alike, find practical solutions, and implement them to make every plan buildable.
A Thought to Remember
The next time you find an architect delaying any aspect of work, remember that they may be simultaneously coordinating with countless individuals, balancing multiple responsibilities, and adapting to varied psychologies and expectations—all while ensuring that every project reaches its best possible outcome.
