22 Jan 210122 – What does an architect do?

As architects we have a minimum of seven years university backed training to above master degree level also passing three professional exams to demonstrate competence through experience. We also have to undergo a minimum of Continued Professional Development every year until we retire. “drawing pretty pictures” or “draw up plans” is the very least of what we do. In the C21 we use computer tools like Vectorworks BIM to design buildings, alterations to buildings and whole urban designs from business case and rough sketches right the way through to completion and Post Occupancy Evaluation to give feedback into further projects. The design process requires us to investigate behind what you say or write (from your perception of the problem to be solved) to deduce the best solution to your needs given the additional constraints of time and money. It can be by asking simple questions such as ‘why do you want a toilet in the bathroom?’ to ‘how can I make my factory larger on this small site and use less energy at the same time?’ or much more involved ones. We then use our training and experience to design (and design manage the other building chartered building design professionals in a design team, on larger projects) that solution and guide it through planning, building regulations, production drawing and tender stage as well as certify progress, payment and completion. I could go on 🙂

We use Vectorworks as it is software designed by architects for architects, contains all the ‘modules’ I need as an architect and does away with the need for technicians and technologists allowing me to be the architectural team of one on quite large projects. We can produce 3D models you can explore using Acrobat Reader, we can energy model the building to BREEAM or PassivHaus standards and we can even provide you the client with a VR experience of the intended building. All within one piece of cost effective software. The images below show how: