Architecture firms

If an architecture firm is anything like an engineering firm (which I suspect it might be), then for a firm this size, you'd probably have a couple of secretaries, at least two actual architects (one of which would be the "big kahuna"), and maybe two more who aren't "certified" (I'm not sure exactly what the process is for architects...). You'll also have at least one technologist who draws plans and things.

Hopefully this made sense, I'm in a bit of a hurry.

Thanks so much! That is helpful...

Do you know, would an architect actually have someone different who would do the drafting?

In a firm of that size, probably. I can double-check with some friends on this, but 6-10 people total would probably mean one receptionist, 2-4 licensed architects, a couple CAD draftspeople (CAD stands for...computer aided drawing? I think...), maybe a project manager, and maybe even some college kid as an intern. They could, depending on where they're located, even have a sort of in-house interior designer who works with the architects.

I can get you a ton of information about architecture and being an architect, my dad started his own firm about 12-13 years ago (it's just him, though, and a part-time secretary) and I'm friends with a lot of ARCH majors at school. Let me know if you have any specific questions.

You would also have people who are in that inbetween stage, they've graduated from college but still need to train towards their actual certification... so they'd be quite capable just not fully certified yet, so you might have two head architects who have the experience whilst the other two architects would be practising towards that final accreditation

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- words dancing in the wind, scattered into sentences, blown into my mind -

Out of all of the architectural firms that I've worked at, only one of them was over 15 people, total. There's never been a full-time receptionist, and only one person acts as an "office manager" - doing a lot of the business management (more than a secretary, though the duties usually overlap), accounting, etc. The only time I've ever worked at an office with a receptionist was at a slightly larger, more corporate firm (around 35 people).

There's usually 1-2 principals who are licensed, and the rest are usually either on their way to getting licensed (interns, several years out of an M.Arch program), or in school and there as summer interns. If the firm is building a lot and is more mid-sized, there will be licensed architects who aren't partners, but associates (they'll be the ones heading up projects closely, while the partners oversee all the projects and spend a little time with each). Also, any architecture firm that is serious about design will do its own drawings.

This is coming from the academic track, though - and it depends a lot on what kind of firm it is. If you're interested in writing about a firm that does historical renovations, for example, it would have a pretty different make-up (the firms that I've worked for attract a younger crowd, generally - many go on after spending time at these firms to open their own firms).

This is probably more than you needed to know, but feel free to ask any other questions you might have! keep in mind that small architecture firms rarely build a lot... a lot of houses, maybe some commercial interiors, competitions. once they start building at a larger scale (multiple family housing, libraries, schools, etc), they have to hire more people. takes a lot of work to put together a building!

I worked in an architecture firm very briefly (just long enough to set up their website). There was a boss and 4 employees, so it was a little bit smaller than what you have in mind. They were all architects, no secretaries and there was no reception. As you can in the door, there was a small entry hall with the boss's door on the left side and, if you continued down the hall (it wasn't a long hall, mind you), it just opened up onto the design floor. At the very back of the design room were two doors - one led into a little kitchen and the other had a bathroom.

There was a big printer against one of the walls, but that was only used for preliminaries. For final products, they used a local UPS Store that had invested in a big professional printer.

What I saw of day-to-day life was limited, obviously, since I was only there for a short period. But we all came in at 9am. The design floor had rows of desks, alternating between computers and drafting boards. Computers were used for most of the design work (black screens with the lines being drawn mostly in yellow and red, I guess for increased visibility and differentiation). The boss was just in his office, I have no idea what he did in there. The rest of us had our desks (I took a desk belonging to an employ who was off on vacation). Everyone just worked on their part of whatever project. We played music and there was some chatter, but mostly people worked quietly. At around 1pm, one of the employees went out for sandwiches. We all told him what we wanted and he went. It was a different person each day. He came back and we ate at a table that was set apart from the desks (other side of the room). That's also where meetings were held, apparently. After lunch, we went back to work and most of us went home at around 6pm. From what I understood, employees could leave whenever they finished their day's work, whether it be mid-afternoon or deep into the night.

The boss was really eccentric. He stayed in his office the whole time. We answered the phones, so that's not what he did. When I went to talk to him about the website I was doing, he was just kinda... crazy. A lot of his demands were wacky and he just didn't seem to understand that there were only certain things I could do and that some of them I couldn't. He also refused to tell me what he wanted, telling me instead to go design something and, when I did, vetoing everything and telling me to start over.

Sorry if this isn't what you wanted. It's a much smaller office than perhaps what you are after. But I hope this at least can help. Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.

"I am just winking happy thoughts into a little tiddle cup."

Thanks so much, everybody!

Hi. I'm considering making my MC an architect. I vaguely remember that in the UK it takes 7 years to qualify as an architect. My MC is 28, and I want him to be brilliant at his job but also have a life outside it. So: what's the furthest he could have got in his career in that time? Would it be even concievable that he might be asked to set up a satellite office for his firm and given a position where he basically has artistic control over everything that comes out of that office? If he were a real star in the making, could he be made a partner that young? Or is that completely and utterly unrealistic as I fear?

Tom

I think therefore I am pretentious.

(bump)

Now that the hullaballo of November has died down ... anyone out there know any architects?

Tom

I think therefore I am pretentious.

Yes. To my regret.

And the "big printer" is more properly called a plotter. The size question is right on, wolfhead. I've not seen a secretary unless they answer phones, and do accounting, and are married to the boss/owner until they get about 20 people...

Normally in small firms, there is one licensed architect and they sign everything, and the juniors do all their own drafting and usually they're slow as hell (there are usually no drafters specifically doing drafting in an architectural office because that's what the interns and junior architects do), and they draw it wrong, and you have to call them and get them to fix it, or they want you to draw it first, etc. etc. etc. I'm a sub-consultant of theirs and I'm not a happy man when I have to work with architects who keep me from doing my job by being unable to sketch something quick, or at least make a decision.

Now, I function as the architect. No headaches. But I have to draft the plans, come up with an estimate and make the specifications. Now I get to worry about if a 3/4" supply can accomodate an automatic toilet flusher or if I need a tank toilet.

Private message if you want more information.

Tom, I wouldn't find a architect that young in charge of an office believable, but I'm in the industry. If you want plausibility, have him set up on his own and work on teeny tiny unimportant bathroom remodels for upscale homes, granually building to designing (gasp) a whole house, and upward from there.

The general public, when asked to name architects, usually comes up with Frank Lloyd Wright, if they like crosswords, they get Eero Saarinen, and if they watch tv, they name "Greg Brady's dad" from the Brady bunch. Steve McQueen's Bullit has a scene in an actual architect's office (the love interest is an architectural assistant - a job that pretty much is extinct now).

If you're looking to localize, take a look at the Architect help wanteds on whatever passes for Monster in UK. I supposed it's chartered architect over there, licensed architect here, and as a side note, very few architects are registered/licensed in the US because the licensing process is a) not that beneficial to their careers and b) a really long series of exams called the AREA exams (Architect of Record E something A something) and they're apparently hard or you have to fill in the bubbles correctly, or have x years of experience, ... I have no idea, I don't play in that fishbowl.

Anyway, Monster will give you an idea of what skill range / position range is appropriate for a character that is virtually straight out of school - if he starts Uni at 18 + 7 = 25, he's got 3 years experience, if he hasn't changed jobs or been sacked/laid off, not convincing to me that he's brilliant (because I've not met a brilliant architect, for one), and it's pretty young for being in charge, but it could always be a plot reason for that (extreme nepotism, blackmail, he's working for the architectural equivalent of 'The Firm').

JanNoWriMo07 - Still Waters Run Deep - >70,000 won (didn't know there was a group!)
AugNoWriMo07 - The Wreck of the Day ->50,000 won (over on Proboards)
NaNoWriMo08 - Fever.

I spent much of last year as an administrator in a medium sized UK practice (20 or so people). I'm hoping to start another similar position soon, for my sins. We had two directors, six or so associates, who were experienced architects and another six or so assistants, some of whom were fully qualified, some were still training. We had a CAD technician who did the computer stuff too. On the admin side, the director had a part time PA, the Company Secretary did a lot of the marketing and accounts. I answered the phone, ran the diary, typed invoices, ordered the stationery, bought the coffee, wrote presentations, typed letters, ran events and made sure my bosses were in the right place at the right time with the right equipment.

How is it different from an ordinary office? Mad deadlines that the architects make it difficult for the rest of us to meet. Architects are disorganised. Sad but true. Organising architects is like herding cats. The concepts of filing , planning and time management are a bit alien to many of them. It is often a seriouslyy high pressured place. Everyone needs something done yesterday.

When I went to an interview last week someone said to me, 'You've worked in architecture and you're not running away screaming yet..' Today I was told that experienced PAs had gone into a big practice and been so overwhelmed by the chaos they left!

On the upside, architecture practices are fun paces, with interesting places, doing worthwhile things. They are usually very social. Lots of workplace drinks and parties and strong team relationships. I was very friendly with my colleagues. We went out every week together. Some of us considered getting flats together. A feud between colleaugues has caused havoc in the practice.

In short: Intense, deadlines, coffee, long hours, need cake by Friday.

I'm bumping this in hopes that someone has info on women in this field, as well as education and/or getting started, from the college student grunt-work to internships to entry-level jobs. (My MC will probably have something to do with remodels/preservation; she's interested in historical aspects.)

*fingers crossed*