What Do Architects Do All Day

What Do Architects Do All Day?



Because people need places to live and work, worship and govern, shop and eat, there are architects to design the buildings. These buildings may be for public or private use and may have indoor or outdoor qualities. Architects design, not only buildings, but also communities suburbs, and cities. Architects are people who are trained in the science and art of building design. They are licensed professionals who transform the wants and needs or their clients into the reality of images and plans that are constructed by others.



While architects design the overall look of a building, the design of a building is far more complex that just the way it looks. A building must also be functional, economical, and safe, and must meet the needs of the client who commissioned it. Architects can be involved in all phases of development and construction of a building. They can start with simple meeting with the client to determine exactly what that client wants or needs. The architect is there to guide the client through the entire process. The architect has many duties including designing, managing, engineering, and supervising.



After the architect and client discuss the objectives of the project and agree on the proposal, the architect will draft final construction plans that show details of each system within the building. Each structural system is covered: air-conditioning and heating, electrical, ventilation, plumbing, communications, and in some cases, landscape. The final plans also will specify what kind and how much materials are needed for the project. Sometimes details such as furnishings are often discussed and decided upon at this stage.



All throughout the design and building process, the architect has to keep in mind various zoning laws, building codes, fire regulations and other ordinances that can vary greatly from place to place. Throughout the planning stage, the architect will continually fine tune and make changes in the final plan with the aid of CAD or computer aided drafting and design. Things such as budget restraints and material availability factor into any decisions made by the architect.



The next step in the construction process finds the architect helping the client accept construction bids from general contractors. The architect can be only marginally involved in this process or can help the client in selecting a contractor and negotiating the contract with the contractor. Either way, as the construction begins on the building, the architect will make numerous visits to the construction site to check that the workmen are following the building plan and that everything is on schedule, even if it means that he or she must stay at the construction site day and night. The job of the architect is not finished until the last nail is driven, everything passes inspection, and all construction costs are paid. Sometimes the architects job will even extend beyond into post construction, where they may advise the client on a variety of subjects, such as energy conservation and redesigning and improving the building as the needs and wants of the client change over the years.