05/08/2015 17:12 developing the the the developing developing relationship essential relationship essential Client &Architect 01_RIBAClients_Cover_wSpine.indd 1 Client & Architect developing the essential relationship ‘The RIBA for Clients ‘Great value buildings ‘What makes a career in initiative is important. for people, communities, construction so special, be It promotes exactly the investors and owners it in design or delivery, is kind of open, collaborative alike are only possible the legacy it leaves. This spirit that’s needed to with architects who work document will help point meet the challenges for well with their clients. us in the right direction’

the construction industry We applaud the RIBA’s Chris Blythe, chief executive, CIOB today’ initiative to explore that

critical relationship’ Lyndsay Smith, director of education and national frameworks, Morgan Sindall David Partridge, managing partner, Argent

Special thanks to Morgan Sindall, Argent and Chartered Institute of Building for their support in co-funding this report.

02_IFC_RIBAClients_Supporters.indd 2 10/09/2015 14:30 Contents 03 Client & Architect: Developing The Essential Relationship

Context Findings Voices

Foreword Opportunities Championing Delivering technical On vision On learning 04 10 the vision talent 12 30 Seize this chance Unlocking the huge 14 26 Stephen Hodder Some hard-hitting to demonstrate potential for growth Architects are seen Clients want discusses the value points from Stuart architects’ worth, as the spiritual concept and of vision Lipton urges Stephen Validation leaders of the project technical skills in Hodder 42 one package On listening On international Views from Listening and 16 markets Introduction industry leaders understanding Learning and Nigel Ostime sets 36 07 18 improving out the client- With the RIBA Adapt to prosper: Acknowledgements Clients ask 32 architect dialogue brand, the world is the clear message to 43 architects to Why it’s imperative your oyster, says the profession from Thank you everyone really listen to seek and listen to On collaboration Peter Oborn two years of client feedback 20 research Engaging with Paul Morrell traces On marketing people the blurring of old 39 22 boundaries It’s your best friend, Start buffing up insists Amanda those soft skills On technical talent Reekie 24 We must show End piece we’re more than 41 competent contract Frank Duffy rolls administrators, back the years argues Dale Sinclair ‘We congratulate the RIBA for taking this initiative. Great design is part of the reason we get out of bed in the morning’ Supporters Tom Bloxham, Urban Splash CIOB why he looks for 06 vision and tenacity We’re with you all the way, says Chris Leesman Contributors Blythe 34 Chris Blythe, CEO, Chartered Institute of Building; Professor John Brooks, ex-vice- Chris Moriarty chancellor, Manchester Metropolitan University; RIBA past-president Frank Duffy CBE; Morgan Sindall puts the case for RIBA President Stephen Hodder; Sir Stuart Lipton, partner, Lipton Rogers Developments; Richard Meier, partner, Argent; Chris Moriarty, development director, Leesman; Paul 08 post-occupancy Morrell OBE; Peter Oborn, client adviser, VP International, RIBA; Nigel Ostime, project Lyndsay Smith on evaluations delivery director, Hawkins\Brown; Amanda Reekie, director, Stratton & Reekie; Dale why cooperation Sinclair, director of technical practice, architecture, Aecom. means more for less Client of the Year 40 Project and publication team Linda Stevens; Bobbie Williams; Brian Green, editor; Matt Thompson, advisor and Argent Manchester rapporteur; Eleanor Young, in-house editor; Design by S-T, design; Gail Novelle, subeditor. 28 Metropolitan Cover illustration La Tigre. Published by the RIBA Journal on behalf of the RIBA. Richard Meier on University

Client & Architect

03_RIBAClients_Contents.indd 3 05/08/2015 17:11 04 Foreword RIBA President

Here’s our chance to show our worth To grasp the huge opportunities of today and tomorrow, architects need to find the keys to the hearts and minds of clients, says Stephen Hodder

Significant opportunities await us as archi- manufacturing and about a half in services. play our worth than for a generation or more. tects. That may seem an outlandish statement Today services accounts for 80%, manufactur- Shifting social and economic pressures to those who believe our role has been emas- ing just 10%. By 2000, commercial work rep- will bring subtle transformation. It will not culated, and to those who feel that the value resented about a quarter of all construction, just be about large projects in major cities, but our profession offers is poorly appreciated. five times more than industrial. a whole range of work taking place on the high Massive forces are fundamentally alter- With hindsight that huge transformation street, in commercial centres, in cities, towns ing our society and the buildings we need. seems obvious and straightforward in terms and villages, much of it organically. People – Huge distribution sheds servicing on-line of technical challenges and business models. citizen architects – will reshape buildings to shoppers are displacing consumer palaces. Knocking down factories and replacing them meet their needs. Employees increasingly hot desk or work with shops, offices and homes is not simple, We will succeed by using our talents to in- from home. Coffee shops pop up, patronised but the intellectual, financial and technical terpret these complex changes and what they by professionals tapping laptops. apparatus was pretty much in place. say about what people really want and need. Fears over the environment are prompt- What buildings and structures we will We can envisage new and reconfigured build- ing governments to regulate how resources need in future is far less obvious. How to fund ings that work best for the users and make a are consumed, changing what and how we the transformation is, perhaps, even less cer- sufficient return for the developer to prompt build and how we use buildings. Iconic build- tain. How will investors and government them to invest. We can show our clients how ings reshaping skylines in major global cities most effectively inject their capital to create to unlock value. From there, entrepreneurial stand testament to the flow of global money, value, capture it and make the best return? clients can create business models that best feeding the desire among huge international Architects create more worth than can capture the value generated to finance and corporations for worldwide prestige. be expressed through the capital value of construct a built environment for the future. These are early signs; the full force of buildings. Without even debating the scale or The potential opportunities in the UK change lies ahead. The process of interpreting where this extra value lies we can see that it may seem huge, but are dwarfed by the global this change and realising the future is where exists in the nation’s balance sheet. The asset market. Here RIBA members benefit. The na- the skills, imagination, vision and craft of the value is far greater than the build cost. tion’s regulatory history, stability and rigour, architect come to the fore. Some of the value a building creates spills makes the UK and its professional practices One statistic hints at the scale of the chal- over, as externalities, to benefit neighbours. highly attractive to international clients. lenge and the size of the prize. The UK built This means there will be value generated by So why should we be anxious about op- environment in 2013 was officially valued at the architect that is hard for the developer to portunities? They appear there for the taking. £6.4 trillion. Almost half was the value of the capture. Bad buildings can destroy value in There is one significant proviso. We need land on which the buildings stand. That’s im- the location where they are built. These re- to find the keys to the hearts and minds of portant to note. alities test us as architects. For all this, the clients. This may seem daunting to architects Nobody can predict the exact shape of challenges offer a better opportunity to dis- who feel their value is unappreciated. It need things to come, but we know that how we not be. We found clients eager for the skills, use the built environment is in rapid flux and insight, creativity and leadership that we can transforming today’s built environment to bring to the design and construction process. meet tomorrow’s needs is an immense task. We need to grasp the opportunities to bol- History shows us how powerfully radical We found clients eager ster the perception of our worth. This report, shifts in the economy and society can impact for the skills, insight, and the ongoing work, aims to help architects on what we build. The late 1970s saw the UK find the keys to unlocking opportunities and shift from an industrial to a post-industrial creativity and leadership develop the essential relationship between

economy. Then, a third of employment was in we can offer client and architect. • PHOTOGRAPH WILDE FRY

Client & Architect

04-05_RIBAClients_Foreword.indd 4 05/08/2015 10:27 Foreword 05 RIBA President

LEFT: The roundtables are part of ongoing work to help architects unlock opportunities and enhance the essential relationship with clients. PHOTOGRAPH WILDE FRY

Client & Architect

04-05_RIBAClients_Foreword.indd 5 05/08/2015 10:27 06 Supporter’s view Chartered Institute of Building WE’RE WITH YOU ALL THE WAY CIOB chief executive Chris Blythe o‹ers the RIBA president his wholehearted support

Dear Stephen, all those who work on a project to a common goal, site op- erative or nancier, architect or construction manager. On behalf of the 42,000 CIOB members across the What makes a career in construction so special, be it globe, I am personally delighted to support the RIBA’s in design or delivery, is the nal product. We know that initiative to enhance the relationship between architects what motivates so many people who choose the built en- and clients. vironment as a career is the legacy it leaves – to be able There are many reasons why and two in particular. to say with pride to family, friends and acquaintances: Firstly, relationships within construction are critical ‘I built that’. to an industry so easily riven by conˆicts. Secondly, our That is what should guide all professionals, trades, and members, as construction managers working for contrac- others working in the built environment. This document tors, increasingly nd themselves cast as clients for ar- will, I am sure, help point us in the right direction and chitects. Strong relationships are key. They separate good serve as an excellent starting point. We look forward to teams from poor and, so often, the best projects from the developing greater collaboration across industry. also-rans. These relationships build over time through experience, trust, understanding, empathy and respect. Yours sincerely, As fellow professionals, CIOB members recognise and respect the value architects bring. They recognise too that in the uncertain, complex, often fraught environment of a building project conˆicts arise and compromises are nec- essary. Tribal and narrow commercial interests can easily Chris Blythe, chief executive, CIOB trump good judgement and problem solving. All profes- sionals must guard against this. Compromise, not conˆict, should be a baseline. Better still, the creative, practical The Chartered Institute of Building is at the heart and commercial tensions that emerge should be grasped of a management career in construction. It is the as opportunities, to display talent and solve problems that world’s largest and most inuential professional improve on a shared vision. body for construction management and leadership. Naturally, everyone should do their best to ensure It has a Royal Charter to promote the science the project they work on both meets the client’s needs and practice of building and construction for and stacks up commercially. And, as more construction the benet of society, and has been doing that managers take the mantle of client, every step that im- since 1834. Its members work worldwide in the proves the relationship between architects and clients is development, conservation and improvement of the welcome. So I see great value in the focus you place on im- built environment. The CIOB accredits university proving the client-architect relationship. degrees, educational courses and training. Its As professionals we have a public duty to look to the professional and vocational qualications are a wider world and future generations, to ensure as far as we mark of the highest levels of competence and can that the buildings and structures function well and professionalism, providing assurance to clients are adaptable throughout their often very long life. That and other professionals procuring built assets. is a huge responsibility. It is, ultimately, what should bind

Client & Architect

06_RIBAClients_ADV_CIOB.indd 6 10/09/2015 09:58 Introduction 07 Strategic factors

It’s an ongoing conversation The profession must adapt to prosper, according to the first findings of the ongoing RIBA Client Liaison Group dialogues

At the start of his presidency, Stephen Hodder Hopefully this report will mark the be- set up an RIBA for Clients programme aligned ginning of a much deeper engagement with ‘The work of the Client to the Institute’s five-year Leading Architec- clients. Continuous monitoring of their Liaison Group is a ture strategy. This began an ongoing dialogue needs, their objectives and how architects vital cog in the overall with clients across sectors and regions, run by can best respond must remain essential to the a permanent Client Liaison Group. work of the RIBA. Greater understanding can governance of the The group is chaired by Nigel Ostime of only mutually benefit clients, architects and profession. As I take up Hawkins\Brown and includes Paul Morrell society at large. OBE, the government’s former chief con- The evidence in this report flows from the my presidency, I look struction adviser and an honorary Fellow of many generous insights and comments made forward to developing the Institute. by contributors at roundtable meetings and a set of useful tools and Twenty years ago, the then president one-to-one interviews. As this report goes to Frank Duffy commissioned a strategic study press, the group will have held 15 roundtables initiatives which will of the profession with the aim of reinventing and disseminated findings in the RIBA Jour- benefit RIBA members. the role of the architect in modern society. nal and the RIBA for Clients pages on archi- One of the study’s tasks was ‘making sure tecture.com. Our findings will be that the RIBA accelerates the development This report teases out the things that cli- used to articulate the of architectural knowledge through finding ents look for in their ideal architect. In doing extraordinary value that the most effective ways of ensuring that ar- so, it sheds light on the generic issues critical chitects are continually communicating and to contemporary architectural practice. architects add not just learning from clients, in as systematic a way Its conclusions are both daunting and for clients, but to society as possible, about what architectural design exciting, and should interest not just archi- can do to anticipate and satisfy the emerging tects but others in the construction industry as a whole.’ needs of users, clients and society’. – including clients. It indicates that the pro- Jane Duncan Inspired by this, the Client Liaison Group fession must adapt to prosper, and this action aims to identify strategic factors that will falls into five broad categories: championing RIBA President Elect help architects to improve their business of- the vision; listening and understanding; en- fer to different kinds of clients. gaging with people; delivering technical tal- This report records the first findings of ent; and learning and improving. the group’s dialogues. It directly supports the Desirable attributes highlighted in the first priority of the RIBA’s strategy. This re- report – business savvy, process efficiency, lates to clients and is to ‘…stimulate demand leadership, and so on – reveal the particular for architecture that delivers economic, so- blends different types of clients look for. cial and environmental value’ and to ‘pro- The Client Liaison Group will continue to vide members with researched insights into expand its reach, digest findings and dissem- changing needs of major categories of clients inate conclusions, refining its approach as it so that members can shape their services to goes. Its evidence-based insights will help better support client needs’. individual RIBA members to shape their

Client & Architect

07-09_RIBAClients_Intro.indd 7 05/08/2015 10:30 08 Supporter’s view Morgan Sindall

Morgan Sindall is a UK construction, COLLABORATION WORKS infrastructure and design business. The company works for Morgan Sindall is deeply committed to the private and public sector customers cooperative approach, not least because it on projects and delivers more for less, says Lyndsay Smith frameworks from £50,000 to more than £1 billion. It operates across the commercial, Good collaboration is the only way to achieve construc- the lengthy competitive dialogue process. We were able defence, education, tion quality viably in a cost-constrained world, especially to minimise waste and ine ciency through supply chain energy, healthcare, in public projects and frameworks where value for money input, value engineering and value management, delight- industrial, leisure, is critical. ing the head client. retail, transport and For Morgan Sindall, collaboration means timely, The architects, Astudio and LCE Architects, thrived water markets. Morgan Sindall is part of Morgan transparent and eective two-way communication be- under this regime, managing the design and handling Sindall Group plc, a tween all parties – the head client, end-users, the supply many competing drivers to deliver real value. leading UK construction chain and, indeed, all stakeholders. Equally successful, our two Liverpool primary school and regeneration group It is the way we balance high aspirations for design builds – New Park and Northway – are putting collabora- with revenue of over quality against very real budgetary, programmatic and tion at the heart of their operations. Using the same supply £2 billion which operates through €ve geographical constraints. We take it seriously, having be- chain and a common design for both has achieved signi - divisions – construction come one of the rst construction companies to achieve cant economies of scale. and infrastructure, €t- the requirements of BS 11000 Collaborative Business Re- The architects, Mouchel, embraced the innovation, out, a„ordable housing, lationships accreditation. collaborating closely with all parties, not least the teach- urban regeneration However, it is not easy. It requires teamwork and co- ers and students to create a buzz of excitement. and investments. operation. For architects treading a di cult path between Paul Anderson, head teacher at Northway Primary aesthetic judgement, meeting the brief and cost control, School, says of the architects, ‘By working, communi- it takes exceptional skill and commitment. More than cating and moving forward together, we’ve ended up any thing, we look for architects who listen to our drivers with a fantastic design that will give so much more to

without compromising on design creativity. the children.’ BELOW LEFT A Our Wigan Life Centre shows what can be achieved. At Morgan Sindall, collaboration delivers more for computer-generated It sensitively addresses its historic context to combine less. Adopting it across the industry and developing best image of the innovative disparate community functions in a single new land- practice could deliver so much more for the country. school solution used at New Park and Northway mark building. schools in Liverpool. Its success is down to the design team, the head client’s Lyndsay Smith is director of education and national frame- BELOW Wigan Life team and ours working closely in partnership throughout works, Morgan Sindall plc Centre.

Client & Architect

08_RIBAClients_MorganSindall.indd 8 06/08/2015 17:05 Introduction 09 Strategic factors

Championing the vision ‘We want architects to coordinate the team because they have the overall vision.’ James Pellatt, head of projects at Great Portland Estates

Listening and understanding ‘Architects need to be business analysts – you need to understand how the client’s business works.’ Andrew Bugg, partner, head of project and building consultancy at Knight Frank

Engaging with people ‘For us it’s about developing relationships with architects, gaining a level of trust so that we can be assured of the right response.’ Nick Watson, former senior regeneration manager, Croydon Council (now with Lend Lease)

Delivering technical talent ‘If you go wrong after planning permission then you lose the bene‡t you gained at the early stages. The technical side generates huge value.’ Richard Cook, careers and practices to target work more ef- ABOVE: Listening and fectively and to improve the value they o er. learning – the core director, Lend Lease element of Stephen The ongoing work of the group must also Hodder’s RIBA for feed into the bigger debate and into real action Clients initiative is Learning and improving so that the RIBA can meet its aspiration to be- the ongoing evidence come the rst port of call for anyone thinking being gathered through ‘I don’t think an architect can work about projects in the built environment. roundtable discussions and interviews across eŠectively unless they see their work To do this, the RIBA must radiate trust, sectors and regions. knowledge, advice and understanding. There Future work will build on through to completion. Otherwise, how are multiple ways the Institute can make it- these. does one learn from the mistakes that self more welcoming and attractive to clients and others and more e ective in delivering one makes?’ Andrew Barraclough, group its messages and supporting its members. design director, Wates It is not the purpose of this report to pre- scribe exactly how this should be achieved, but it has highlighted some of the lessons in orange. Actions taken must be under pinned by knowledge captured from a continued deep dialogue with those who procure, com-

PHOTOGRAPH: WILDE FRY mission and use the built environment. •

Client & Architect

07-09_RIBAClients_Intro.indd 9 05/08/2015 10:31 10 Findings Opportunities

There is a huge opportunity for architects to boost their workloads and their fees. Clients There’s huge value what architects do. That’s clear from the many round-table sessions so far held un- der the RIBA for Clients initiative. potential out there The other message is more sobering. These opportunities rely less on finding the The future is full of opportunity for architects. right kind of work from the right client in the To unlock it the profession must adapt to clients’ right place and more on providing the right kind of service. needs and demonstrate how it adds value The view from the round tables was plain: many if not most architects will have to adapt if they want a successful future. Construction clients value architects’ vision, creativity and problem-solving abili- ties. Many are actively rooting for architects, willing them to succeed. But clients who think architects don’t add value will look elsewhere. They will pursue different ways of delivering their buildings, ways that rele- gate the importance of or obviate the need for an architect. Should they abandon those whose skills have helped them so well in the past? The answer, surely, is no. The challenge of

Architects’ workload expectations (balance of responses %) Architects’ workload expectations Source: RIBA Future Trends Survey (balance of responses %) British architects are growing in confidence. 50 The message from the RIBA Future Trends Survey is unambiguous. Since early 2013

40 ever more RIBA members have seen growth in workloads. As 2013 approached 2014, growing workload raised the expectation 30 of increasing staff numbers. Finer detail in this dataset shows that for almost two years, nearly 90% of those surveyed expected their 20 workload either to hold firm or expand. That builds confidence.

10 Construction output growth for selected sectors for 2007-14 and forecast 2014-18 The worst-hit sectors are recovering fast- 0 est. This chart gives the expert forecasters’ view of where things are heading. Using data provided by the Construction Products -10 Association, it shows simultaneously how much growth there was in various sectors from 2007 to 2014 (falls mainly) and how -20 much is expected from 2014 to 2018 (growth May May May May May May May across the board). What we see is those sectors 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 that fell most are expected to grow most now.

Workload expectation Future staffing

Client & Architect

10-11_RIBAClients_F_Opportunities.indd 10 05/08/2015 17:09 Findings 11 Opportunities

creating a better built environment is argu- the round tables. Helpfully, the assembled ably greater today than at any time since the clients provided many clues about what they post-war reconstruction. want to see more of from architects. Our analysis of the round table discus- We have sought to capture in a detailed sions revealed multiple opportunities. Some collated analysis the ingredients reportedly apply across sectors, regions, client types and missing from the profession as a whole. The project sizes, while others are very particular ndings are generalisations, but the fact that to a given circumstance. they were highlighted, particularly those Scanning the market, scouring the data, that are common across sectors, means the spotting the trends and keeping an ear to the profession should pay heed. ground will help pinpoint where opportuni- They are organised around our ve key ties lie. That process is important and one ar- themes but of course are heavily cross-cut by chitects might better hone as a skill. other recurring factors. Where there is evi- Selecting potential opportunities careful- dence of distinct di erences between sectors, ly, gauging when, how and if to diversify, and these are pointed out. pitching for work judiciously will all help a Below we highlight data that shows the practice maintain a fresh, vibrant and secure near future looks bright for architects. The What the numbers say about portfolio of work. Again, these are marketing next few years should o er an extremely be- opportunities for architects skills that architects might sharpen. nign environment within which architects Demand for services in the built The key to unlocking a successful, sus- can reshape the service they o er to clients. environment is in constant ux. In any tainable future, however, is to match the ser- There can seldom have been the coinci- given sector or sub-sector, for any given vice and the delivery of that service to the dence of such a great need and so huge an op- skill, opportunities ebb and ow as the needs of clients. It is that basic but not neces- portunity for architects to prove their worth needs that people and organisations sarily that easy. in reshaping the built environment and to have for buildings shift. This message rings loud and clear from delight their clients. • For architects, as for all construction-related businesses, it is essential to scan the market to Construction output growth for selected sectors for 2007-2014 and forecast 2014 to understand these changes. Here hard 2018. Source: Construction Products Association, ONS data help hugely. They can distil and interpret the signals we glean from 80 anecdotes, changing client preferences, technological developments or

60 observations about mutating trends in people’s behaviour. Public Housing 66.4 Data can highlight and scale where 40 there is possible opportunity and Education where there are potential pitfalls. 14.2 But, read without care, data can be 20 very misleading. Private Housing The charts presented here provide 12.9 some clues to where the better 0 opportunities might lie within the UK Entertainment market. But, as stressed elsewhere, Growth 2007-14 (%) 3.7 once found those opportunities need to -20 Private O ces -39.8 be unlocked. The key for architects is to provide and be seen to provide value.

-40 Pull all of this data together and Health we begin to see what most architects -32.5 Private Retail Industrial may well feel, relief after the recession -37.4 -60 -40.8 and excitement over the growing opportunities emerging over the next 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 few years. Encouragingly, the data Forecast growth 2014-18 (%) show a pattern of growth spread, though unevenly, both geographically Bubble size illustrates the relative size of the market and by sectors.

Client & Architect

10-11_RIBAClients_F_Opportunities.indd 11 05/08/2015 17:09 12 Voices Championing the vision

If you had to pick one word in the built envi- ronment lexicon that is associated with the We are the architect more than any other fellow profes- sional, it may well be vision. It was used time and again in the many client-architect round guardians table discussions we have so far held as part of the ongoing RIBA for Clients initiative. Protecting the project vision requires One message is clear: for so many clients it is a critical role of a good architect to champion architects to be ‘inventively exible’, the project vision from concept to completion. Stephen Hodder explains It is essential to investigate what this means for architects and how they might raise their game in the eyes of clients, win more work and produce designs of greater commercial and social worth. The following pages pull together the PHOTOGRAPH: HÉLÈNE BINET

Client & Architect

12-13_RIBAClients_V_OnVision.indd 12 05/08/2015 10:34 Voices 13 Championing the vision

LEFT: ‘We were impressed how the scheme held good ‘The vision is an from competition stage all the way through to unbreakable thread that completion. The project was guides the project from a success architecturally and also from a lettings concept to completion point of view... It shows there is a way of dealing and hopefully beyond’ with very decayed buildings that you can’t restore conventionally.’ Alastair Dick-Cleland, Landmark Trust, on Witherford Watson Mann Architects’ Astley Castle, 2013 RIBA Stirling Prize winner.

desires of clients and advice from the round support of human needs, whether functional, sures within the team. There will always be table discussions about this. But it is worth spiritual or commercial. new information to assimilate. Rejection of considering what we mean by vision and A vision is not the output of a single indi- things that are seemingly unimportant to the what championing that means for architects. vidual, but it needs someone to initiate and agreed plan is unwise. Much better to apply a Brian Green: How do you interpret the mean- then to be a focus for the ensuing conversa- process of prudent testing. The first question ing of ‘vision’? tion. In a recent discussion piece in the Archi- should be whether change can be accommo- Stephen Hodder: The word is used so fre- tects’ Journal, the structural engineer Hanif dated within the concept. The second is to see quently in association with architects and Kara said, ‘Try to write, and if he’s holding the if it can be accommodated in a way that en- architecture it is easy to lose sight of what pencil and she’s holding the pencil at the same hances the outcomes expressed in the vision. it means. time as me, we can’t write the same word. Challenges should be seen initially as op- In the RIBA Journal in 1965, Denys Las- There has to be one person holding the pencil portunities for improvements not threats. If dun wrote: ‘Our job is to give the client, on in my view; that is the architect often.’ they really can’t be delivered within the vi- time and on cost, not what he wants but what This places architects in an exceptional sion then stand firm. he never dreamed he wanted and, when position within the design team. It’s a huge BG: Why is it essential to communicate the he gets it, he recognises it as something he responsibility but, evidentially, a responsi- vision and embed it within the culture of wanted all the time.’ Apologies for the mas- bility that clients wish us to assume. the team? culine pronoun! BG: Why is it essential for architects to hold SH: Successful outcomes cannot be deliv- I’ve always considered this to be a suc- the vision? ered by an individual. Successful buildings cinct capture of the meaning. However, the SH: Finding solutions to the inevitable chal- delivered by our practice have been with the use of the words ‘our’ and ‘give’ imply a dis- lenges that emerge through the design and collaboration of many people, particularly an connect in the design process. The vision is delivery stages, technical, regulatory and engaged client. Getting everyone buying into that which encapsulates all the objectives of commercial, will put pressure to deviate from the vision brings a shared responsibility, ac- the client, meets societal needs, but it is de- the vision. Clear direction and leadership is countability and reward. All other members fined through conversation and collaboration needed to deliver the right outcomes for the of the design team will think in terms of the within a team in the broadest sense. client. The vision is the lodestar guiding our vision when they need to adapt the design. BG: What does it do? choice of direction to meet these outcomes. But implicit within your question is the SH: It provides an unbreakable thread that We stake our claim to ‘hold’ it on our need for great communication, and the neces- guides the project from concept to completion qualities of passion, sense of idea ownership, sity for direct communication between client and hopefully beyond. I say beyond because a wider responsibility to society, and our in- and architect. realised vision is one that enriches a client’s nate ability as facilitators and mediators of It’s easy to fear that with the threats of purpose, whether it be better learning out- the process. commercial and technological change the comes in schools, supporting recovery in hos- BG: Why is it essential to be inventively flex- role of the architect will be diminished. But pitals, or driving efficiency in the workplace. ible, but never lose sight of it? in any organisation in any industry, now and BG: What does it mean for architects? SH: I’ve described it as a thread. It’s not an iron in the future, project champions will be need- SH: Time and again, during the client round bar. Good architects accommodate change ed. What is clear from our research is that the tables across all sectors, we were told that the with a degree of pragmatism but never lose need for architects to champion the vision is architect is the ‘guardian’ of the vision. We sight of the vision. well recognised. More importantly it is what

PHOTOGRAPH: HÉLÈNE BINETPHOTOGRAPH: HÉLÈNE bring tangible order and form to a vision in There will always be conflicting pres- clients want. •

Client & Architect

12-13_RIBAClients_V_OnVision.indd 13 05/08/2015 10:34 14 Findings Championing the vision

All projects begin with a vision. It is the seed ‘Architects are the spiritual leaders in this of success. Yet it takes skill and leadership process. Everyone wants you to do it. Believe Keep to fertilise, germinate, and protect it through in it and reassert!’ to fruition. This view is not conned to the private Clients know this. They also know that it sector. Local authorities with a regeneration the faith is easy to lose sight of the vision in the hur- agenda recognise architects as the key profes- ly burly of day-to-day business. They recog- sionals for unlocking value. Local authorities Architects are the spiritual nise this eats away at success, especially the want designs, especially for †agship projects, leaders who must see the whole-life benets of a building. to be emblematic of their ambition and aspi- project vision is delivered They are willing to invest signicant trust rations and to add real value to communities. in people who can nurture a vision from con- ‘It’s about taking a vision forward, it’s ception to completion and deliver the greatest about working with us as a client and our value. In their minds, the person most likely communities, and it’s about shaping our city,’ to have the competence, knowledge and ex- says councillor Ruth Rosenau, cabinet mem- perience to full this role is the architect, on ber, Stoke-on-Trent City Council. projects of all sizes across most sectors. However, the perceived value of vision is As Nick Searl, partner at Argent, puts it: fragile. Take schools. From a high during the

Client & Architect

14-15_RIBAClients_F_ChampioningTheVision.indd 14 06/08/2015 09:08 Findings 15 Championing the vision

LEFT: The Love Shack, Building Schools for the Future programme, Cumbria, by Sutherland clients and other stakeholders today have a Hussey for Adam guarded opinion of architects. Austerity and Sutherland and Karen Bolster skills and techniques to Guthrie. ‘We sent the the focus on cost have diminished trust in the champion the vision from concept to architects pictures of value of architects’ work. completion. buildings we liked and Even here though, architects have This is particularly important for got a fantastic result great scope to quickly re-establish their contractors, retrot clients, commercial that we could never worth and authority, with evidence-based developers and homeowners. The have imagined,’ says Sutherland. models of design that demonstrate measura- benet clients derive here is self- ble improvements. evident: they are after continuity to at Jane Wade, operational manager, Vale least maintain and preferably add to the of Glamorgan Council, puts it this way: ‘We value won at concept and planning. need to create inspirational spaces – how After the vision has been children feel when they walk into the space created, clients want a single point of is the biggest measure.’ responsibility for ecient and eective In design-build procurement, contrac- control to keep it uppermost in the tor clients think that architects have relin- project team’s mind. quished the leadership role, forcing them, The role of maintaining the vision with some regret, to invest in specialist de- in the context of the client’s (especially sign managers instead. However, there is an contractors’) key commercial drivers open invitation to reprise the role, provided has been ceded to independent or client- viability, accuracy and buildability are given employed design managers. However, due attention. the door is wide open to architects able ‘Architects should champion design qual- to satisfy clients of their competence. ity,’ says Colin Tedder, technical director, Local authority clients are

RECOMMENDED Bouygues UK. ‘That’s their primary function accountable to the public and, in what READING and their greatest skill. It’s important that they call the ‘regeneration agenda’, Design Management they take the lead and recognise its impor- need to attract inward investment RIBA Plan of Work tance in delivering their services.’ from developers. The value-adding 2013 Guide, Dale Sinclair Housing developers too regard architects vision is vulnerable in the austerity Project Leadership as natural design-team leaders. The round squeeze, catastrophic to the value-for- RIBA Plan of Work table found there is an unparalleled opportu- money equation. Moreover, it will fail to 2013, Nick Willars nity to reinforce architects in a leadership po- attract developers. RIBA Plan of Work sition, especially those who can demonstrate 2013 Stage Guides experience and e‰ciency in using BIM. (Brie†ng, Design, Ensure communication is engaging, Construction) Communication and business savvy are authoritative, and persuasive. www.ribabookshops.com critical, and managing delays and over- This is true across the board, of spends needs to be high on the agenda. course, but particularly among housing- ‘The profession should be perceived as retrot and schools clients. What the roundtables found: leaders in the industry, and that’s right Retrot for housing clients is • Clients are prepared to invest trust in through the process, from inception, consul- generally carried out without the those who can deliver a vision. tation through to delivery, product innova- involvement of architects, missing • Clients see architects, in most cases, as the tion and construction,’ says Sean Cook, design signicant opportunities to add value professional best placed to lead the vision. director for Clivedale London. in improved spaces, layouts, and • Vision matters on projects of all scales In large-scale housing retroŒt, clients public realm. Architects need to win across most sectors. generally regard the work as a mere technical clients’ ears and persuade them of • The perception of the value of vision can Œx that does not require an architect. In doing their competence. be fragile. so, they potentially miss out on considerable Schools clients are wary of • Clients are, in most cases, keen to see ar- value-adding opportunities that arise from what value architects add. Eective chitects step forward to lead the vision. the wider design vision that architects oŽer. communication is the necessary • BIM oŽers a fresh opportunity for ar- There is much that can engage their inter- Žipside of robustly validated design chitect to re-establish their role leading est provided it is couched in terms of the value practice, and leads to better the vision. that an architect can add – validated design project management. • Architects need to be business savvy, solutions, better user focus, better project demonstrating an awareness of how to leadership and coordination, better cost-ben-

PHOTOGRAPH KAREN GUTHRIE deliver value. eŒt, better viability, and less risk. •

Client & Architect

14-15_RIBAClients_F_ChampioningTheVision.indd 15 10/09/2015 09:59 16 Voices Listening and understanding

Lend them your ears The client-architect dialogue is so important it’s worth restating how it’s done. Nigel Ostime gets to grips with communication

Clients want architects to challenge the Brieng process brief. They don’t, however, want architects The brie‰ng process is the foundation of a to ignore their business prerogatives and con- meaningful dialogue between architect and straints. That path is wasteful and costly. It client. The RIBA Plan of Work 2013 establish- disrupts team cohesion and the smooth run- es three stages: ning of projects. • Strategic brief in Stage 0 (strategic Listening. Understanding. Communi- de‰nition) cating. Delivering. That’s what clients want • Initial project brief in Stage 1 (preparation from us. It’s simple really. But why do some and brief) clients feel this isn’t happening and where • Final project brief, which is to be signed might a solution lie? o˜ by the end of Stage 2 (concept design) It may in part be a product of architec- This could be rather mechanical, but con- tural education. Design teaching in schools ducted with consideration it should develop of architecture largely follows a process from initial conversations, following the cli- of evaluating a brief given by the tutor, or ent’s enquiry, to a brief that encompasses all self-determined by the student, followed by the criteria for success and paves the way to design development. achieving the desired outcomes. There is no client-architect dialogue, as The key is to actually listen, not just make typically there’s no client. Ultimately, the assumptions or presumptions. Of course an design is critiqued by tutors and peers. Dia- architect should challenge the brief, but to logue with the tutor (who could be seen as a elicit angles that the client may not conceive surrogate client) tends to focus on theory, cre- without prompting. This is where value is ativity and problem solving. ‰rst determined and a wrong direction inev- The brief acts as a framework for explor- itably leads to value lost. ing ideas and learning the processes of crea- The best architects raise expectations and tive design. In the ‘crit’, the design has to be help clients understand what can be achieved defended against sometimes hostile criticism within the cost and programme constraints. looking to uncover weaknesses. Done well, Ultimately, though, they deliver what the this can induce open discussion and debate. client wants, not what they think the client But it can also engender a tendency to defend should want. the scheme at all costs. My practice, Hawkins\Brown, uses a Most aspiring architects don’t actually ‘mission statement’ to capture in a tweetable meet clients, certainly to interact with them phrase what the client and architect joint- as their agent, until they are in the workplace. ly aim to achieve with the building. For ex- Even then they don’t often engage with cli- ample, a facility for UCL with a three-year ents until they have been in practice long lifespan had: ‘Work quick and dirty to create enough to be trusted with such a precious a well-considered temporary facility.’ business resource. Perhaps we need to reinforce the impor- Communication tance of the client-architect dialogue at this Once the architect has interpreted the client’s formative stage. If so, what is it that needs to needs, it is essential to communicate that be taught? How might the curriculum be bol- back to the client (so they know you know) stered to accelerate ability in this key skill? and then communicate the design solution.

Client & Architect

16-17_RIBAClients_V_OnListening.indd 16 05/08/2015 10:35 Voices 17 Listening and understanding

BELOW: Here East, This process is becoming easier as the use of Queen Elizabeth sophisticated 3D visualisation spreads, oer- Olympic Park, London, ing the potential for real-time, photo-realis- Hawkins\Brown for iCITY. The architects tic virtual walk-throughs of the emerging worked side by side design. Despite technological advances, phys- with the client, openly ical models remain, in many ways, the best exchanging and way to communicate a design. Michelangelo challenging ideas, never drew perspectives, just plans and ele- building consensus in a shared spirit of open vations supplemented by beautifully crafted dialogue. hardwood models. More importantly, for meaningful dia- logue to occur there needs to be trust and re- spect between architect and client. On Here East, an Olympic legacy project, Hawkins\ Brown is working side by side with the client, stripped of badges and openly exchanging and challenging ideas, building consensus in a shared spirit of open dialogue. This recog- nition – demand even – that all those around the table can and should contribute to solving the problem has been central to the success of the project. The designer seeks inventiveness from the client as much as vice versa. This environment of mutual creativity is a model that we look to foster on all our projects.

Optioneering and progressive ­xity The design process can be wasteful unless carried out with rigour. An iterative process is essential to producing the best design, but that does not mean developing ideas in too much detail that are later to be discarded. Design options should be explored with equal weight at the start. Having explored the options, the client should then have the means to be clear about the direction of travel. This will bring con- ƒdence and reduce the likelihood of major changes. Change does happen in projects, but it is better done on the drawing board than the construction site. It should never be down simply to a change of mind. The design should be progressively ƒxed. That means a client needs all the information necessary to make considered decisions along the way, with the comfort that the project team has established the best solution. • Nigel Ostime is project delivery director at Hawkins\Brown Architects

RECOMMENDED READING On brie ng: A practical guide to RIBA Plan of Work 2013 Stages 7, 0 and 1, Paul Fletcher and Hilary Satchwell On design: A practical guide to RIBA Plan of Work 2013 Stages 2 and 3, Tim Bailey

Client & Architect

16-17_RIBAClients_V_OnListening.indd 17 05/08/2015 10:36 18 Findings Listening and understanding

Walk a mile in their shoes Clients believe that architects who listen and understand properly are rare. That must change

Clients build for specic reasons, so architects must listen carefully to what they say, ensure they fully understand the client’s needs and Invest in understanding clients’ world account for them in the designs. That’s obvi- views, speak their language, pre-empt ous. Yet, while some architects excel at lis- problems and optimise designs to tening and understanding, the evidence from meet their key drivers. the round table discussions suggests they are This is about walking a mile in the seen as exceptions. client’s shoes. The fact that it is a plea ‘Some of the skills that architects are across the board indicates how large an missing are to do with really understanding opportunity it is for architects. the value – not just energy eciency, or the It is dicult. On the one hand, building performance – but how a building architects are expected to push the translates into real returns, some of which are brief. On the other, they must not monetary, others that are less tangible to the overreach boundaries. client,’ says Sunand Prasad, founding partner For commercial developers, of Penoyre and Prasad. contractors, housing and workplace Clients are motivated to build by a blend of clients the chief benet of this approach personal and business considerations. These is that it protects viability, giving might include return on investment, stra- sound nancial risk management due tegic objectives, branding, corporate social prominence. The key qualities are responsibility, ruling philosophy, and so on. ecient, appropriate decision-making Clients are almost always constrained by the and lean management. Getting it right capital or time available and their formal or breeds trust and boosts reputations. informal assessment of the risks. For retrot clients, getting it right As Andrew Bugg, partner and head of reliably adds value in improved spaces, project and building consultancy at Knight layouts, and public realm. Frank, notes: ‘Architects need to be business Really understanding local authority analysts – you need to understand how the clients revolves around the vision, client’s business works.’ attracting inward investment, meeting The relative importance of each factor economic, social and environmental within the project is negotiable. Benets targets, and value for money. in one area can be traded for bigger benets Schools clients need reassurance elsewhere. In commercial projects, for ex- that projects will remain viable without ample, certain clients accept more capital compromising on value. expenditure if they are persuaded of opera- tional savings or increases in prot. Viability is critical and the extent of

this trading is limited to what is best for the PHOTOGRAPH PAUL RIDDLE

Client & Architect

18-19_RIBAClients_F_Listening&Understanding.indd 18 06/08/2015 09:10 Findings 19 Listening and understanding

client – a building that adds value optimally. IneŠcient, inaccurate, late, clumsy, badly the developers’ round table admitted short- Bene‰ts that the client cannot capture – ex- managed and poorly communicated process- comings, especially falling prey to loss aver- ternalities – may be an aspiration for the es can chip away at the value of a project. They sion (fearing loss much more than cherishing architect, but they are hard to justify unless fray relationships in an already stressful, equal potential gain). With gearing high and they align with the client’s drivers at no cost resource-constrained environment. incubation periods long, persuading them out or add overall value for the client. ‘Once we’re on site and chasing design of this position is an uphill battle. Balancing bene‰ts is often thought of as details to deliver the project to what is often As Nick Searl, partner at Argent, puts it: taking and re‰ning the brief. However, brief- a very tight programme and, in the current ‘The biggest problem for architects is clients; ing concentrates purely on the product of the climate, very tight cost constraints, having they might be fund managers whose blink- design, the physical building, whereas clients a design that is both late and poor or insuŠ- ered objective does not extend beyond getting are also concerned about the process. cient is a very expensive luxury that we can- in and out without scars.’ ‘There’s a perception that if an archi- not a‡ord,’ says Mark Wakeford, managing Local authority clients recognise this tect is left on his own it won’t be commercially director, Stepnell. problem too, but exhort architects to viable or he won’t maximise the opportu- Clients expect you to listen to their rea- help them. nity,’ says Gregor Mitchell, land director, sons for building, understand them, and ‘What we are in danger of losing in the be:here (Willmott Dixon’s private rental thereafter accord them due respect for the cost squeeze is the value of thinking, design housing arm). duration of the project. and the understanding of space. Architects Paul Chandler, executive vice-president need to help educate clients about the value of Skanska UK, says: ‘Understand who your they bring,’ says John Betty, interim director LEFT ‘Many buyers said it was the client is and what their key drivers are, be- of place, Stoke-on-Trent City Council. Scandinavian-style cause it will be di‡erent in di‡erent circum- Subtle changes in emphasis are required design that focused stances. Understand where he needs to be for listening to di‡erent sorts of clients. For on space and light that more eŠcient. workplace clients the overriding principle really sold the homes.’ ‘When you do that, the chances of work- is facilitating agility. For local authorities it Linden Homes, client for Alison Brooks ing successfully in a collaborative fashion in- is accountability to the taxpayer. For retro‰t Architects’ ‘Be’ crease tenfold and we all come out of it with a clients it is accommodating user behaviour. housing in Essex. much better result.’ With schools projects it is cost. For contractors Within this framework, architects it is cost-eŠcient, timely, buildable delivery. can be encouraged to challenge the brief cre- For housing developers it is minimising risks. atively and push for solutions that will ex- For commercial developers it is successful ceed expectations. community engagement and viability. • As Steve McGuckin, managing director, Turner & Townsend, notes: ‘Contractors look What the roundtables found: for creativity, problem solving and delivery • Clients think architects who listen and from architects, ultimately giving the head understand properly are rare. client something they didn’t even realise • Architects must understand better how they wanted.’ a building translates into real returns for Architects who listen and understand the client. breed trust in their clients and reduce their • Clients build for a blend of motivations, perception of risk. This greases the wheels of and these must all be appreciated. project management, increasing the chances • Knowing a client’s needs better means of success and repeat business, to say nothing architects can trade bene‰ts to optimise of its reputation-boosting e‡ects. overall value. ‘We rehire practices that are creative • Better listening and understanding within the brief, get on with the work, and greatly improves collaboration and pro- listen,’ says Richard Cook, head of residential ject outcomes. development, Lend Lease. ‘They engage with • Architects have a role in reassuring cli- the team, the place-making and the commu- ents who fear losses more than they nity. That is the real value add.’ cherish gains. Some clients recognise that they do not • Architects who listen and understand are always serve architects well. Panellists at better placed to challenge the brief. • Good communication skills breed trust, reduce perceived risk, and boost repeat

RECOMMENDED READING business. Being an Eective Construction Client • Di‡erent clients need to be listened www.ribabookshops.com to di‡erently.

Client & Architect

18-19_RIBAClients_F_Listening&Understanding.indd 19 06/08/2015 09:10 20 Voices On collaboration

The boundaries have blurred The old certainties have gone forever. Successful building projects are a shared endeavour, says Paul Morrell

When I started work, the pecking order, my Secondly, to find that shared aim, one within a budget that is not so flexible. position in it and my profession’s position in truth stands constant: for any built asset, This is not unique to offices. On almost all it were clear. There was a vestige of the idea value is created through a joint venture be- projects there are different, sometimes com- of everyone knowing their place. tween enterprise and design – on drawing peting priorities, and a tension between the Now, the boundaries between the pro- boards (or, these days, computers), and not ambitions of clients, the boundless imagina- fessions have shifted and blurred. So has the on building sites. Although there are many tion of designers and budget limitations. boundary that used to exist between the dimensions to value, all of them start when So, to the core skill of designing for pur- professions and contractors and their supply construction finishes: they reside in the life- pose, there needs to be added the skills of lis- chains. For many professionals, including ar- long use of the asset thereafter. tening and learning – working with advisers chitects, it is not always clear whether they The concept of value therefore fundamen- from beyond the traditional design team on are working on the demand or supply side. tally ‘belongs’ to clients, but it is designers the realities of the market, working on how One reaction, frequently heard from ar- who find it. Anyone who chooses (or claims) imagination and innovation might create chitects in particular, is a call to ‘win back lost to lead projects must understand that to get new realities; and above all working across territory’ or ‘reclaim the high ground’, but no between designers, their clients and end us- the full breadth of a client organisation to profession will find a lasting future in its past. ers, and to obstruct the constructive dialogue mediate competing interests to find the ideas The need is to work out how to do one’s best they should be engaged in, is almost certainly that work best for all. Leading this briefing work in a world where distributed leadership to destroy value. process is a core skill of architects, and the an- has replaced the ‘I’m in charge’ approach; and In this context, the trajectory followed in tidote to the most shocking thing I have ever in which a number of forces are going to con- commercial office development is interest- heard a (competition-winning) architect say tinue to disrupt traditional practice. These in- ing. Commercial developers live largely by – which was, in response to a suggestion for clude new forms of procurement, the growing exchange value, and there can be few simpler a way of organising the briefing process, ‘We influence of BIM, globalised practices, and a equations: if a building cannot be sold for more don’t want to do that: it might compromise shift in the balance of power and influence than it cost, the enterprise is doomed. Yet few our original design idea’. within the industry. Collectively they rep- sectors have shown more improvement in the In a world where there are so many ob- resent, depending upon your point of view, quality of their product, to the extent that the stacles to getting anything done, there may either a driver or a facilitator of change. UK now develops the best office buildings in be a call for a degree of obstinacy verging on While for some this may still be about ter- the world. bloody-mindedness. Someone has to defend ritory, for me everything points to a need for This has largely been the result of the the concept of long-term value against the collaboration. It’s an awkward word which, drive of visionary clients, working with tal- pressures of the day. Obstinacy is not, howev- for the doubtful (or cynical), perhaps retains ented designers who can anticipate and han- er, a good default mode, and the contribution associations of getting too close to the enemy, dle the flexibility required for unidentified of others needs to be respected, whether it but it also implies a degree of shared endeav- end users and show how their interests can relates to innovation from within the supply our beyond passive cooperation. The surprise be represented in the design while working chain leading to a better design proposal, or is that it is even remotely controversial, and of in effective delivery of the project to avoid course the idea of working closely together is waste or inefficiency. not new: it has, with a few hideous exceptions, This brings us back to acquiring the habit been the experience of my working life. of collaboration, to recognising its potential Effective collaboration requires the rec- Both security and to deliver better value for clients, and to break ognition of two facts of life. authority come from the forever its association of consorting with the First, that both security and authority enemy. As Charles Darwin wrote in The De- come from the skills we bring to the table skills we bring to the scent of Man: ‘Selfish and contentious people and how we speak for them, not from some table and how we speak will not cohere, and without coherence noth- imagined status. This is not a cosy process. At ing can be effected.’ • its best it is loaded with challenge – but, crit- for them, not from some Paul Morrell was formerly the government’s ically, with a shared aim. imagined status chief construction adviser

Client & Architect

20-21_RIBAClients_V_OnCollaboration.indd 20 06/08/2015 09:11 Voices 21 On collaboration

LEFT One St Pancras, King’s Cross, London, David Chippereld for Argent. The brief was a exible, sustainable, speculative oce development. The nished building, surrounded by columns of recycled textured cast iron columns, is now fully let. The high environmental performance reduces running costs for occupiers and, with an Underground entrance in the building itself, o‚ers great convenience for employees.

Client & Architect

20-21_RIBAClients_V_OnCollaboration.indd 21 06/08/2015 09:12 22 Findings Engaging with people

‘Haworth Tompkins have delivered a building that is sustainable, Brush up your technically rst rate and with unparalleled accessibility for a theatre,’ says Gemma people skills Bodinetz, artistic director of the Stirling Being good with people smooths project stresses Prize winning Liverpool and forges lasting business relationships Everyman Theatre.

Clients value the ability of architects to man- dene and tough to acquire. But they are very in identifying risks earlier so that we don’t age and successfully interpret stakeholder important in building trust and overcoming have to manage problems – which comes consultations. These require good people the stresses that inevitably arise, even in the back to collaboration.’ skills as much as any other service. It is, then, smallest of projects. ‘Trust in the relationship is very impor- ironic that clients see signicant scope for ar- For an architect, getting these soft skills tant. As you start to get into those sorts of chitects to improve the people skills they dis- right brings lasting relationships, repeat relationship there’s more scope for sharing play within the project team. business and a stronger reputation. risk and reward,’ says Richard Meier, partner ‘The team has to work together, but in my Comment after comment during round at Argent. experience working together is not a concept table discussions made this plain. ‘For us it’s about developing relationships architects enjoy, ’ Donald Farquharson, head ‘We choose our architects based on their with those ranges of architects, gaining a of capital programme delivery for Kent Coun- commitment, right t and ability to blend level of trust in both ways so that we can be ty Council, says bluntly. into the project teams,’ explains Paul Chan- assured of the right response,’ adds Nick Wat- Good people skills – teamwork, collabora- dler, executive vice-president, Skanska UK. son, former senior regeneration manager at tion, cooperation, communication, anticipa- ‘Lots of architects are great problem Croydon council, now with Lend Lease.

tion, respect, empathy and so on – are hard to solvers, but where they could do better is That is not to say that robust challenging VILE PHILIP PHOTOGRAPH

Client & Architect

22-23_RIBAClients_F_EngagingwithPeople.indd 22 06/08/2015 09:12 Findings 23 Engaging with people

of the brief or sticking to your guns is wrong. RECOMMENDED READING Far from it. However, going beyond the Being an Effective Construction Client www.ribabookshops.com Find the sweet spot between brief or stubbornly sticking to a position in authoritatively and reliably leading the absence of supporting evidence most the design vision and working definitely is. collaboratively As Lyndsay Smith, director of educa- Clients want effective collaboration tion and national frameworks at Morgan with other project team members. The Sindall puts it: ‘When the team gels, what advantages are process efficiency, less comes with that is a healthy and challenging delay, fewer overspends and better relationship.’ problem solving, cooperation and risk Richard Meier adds: ‘Everyone’s got in today’s market,’ says Mark Wakeford, MD management. slightly different priorities and if you can’t be of Stepnell. For commercial developers, pragmatic, which people sometimes struggle ‘The only way that we can ensure that housing clients and contractors, with, it just sets up a whole series of issues project success is to have a great deal of col- good collaboration facilitates design and problems and tensions which are unnec- laboration, particularly with our designers, coordination, especially in complex essary within the team.’ commitment and communication across the design-build projects using BIM. For The complexity and sophistication of team to resolve issues and manage the risks contractors there is extra value in timely contemporary construction, especially in that we’re facing.’ collaboration with their supply chain. BIM-enabled design build procurement, have In the retrofit sector and to lesser extents In retrofit and workplace projects, flattened traditional hierarchies in project in the workplace and commercial develop- good collaboration helps when environments. er sectors, the procurement process is frag- procurement routes are complex, Each professional is expected to take con- mented, highlighting the need for strong safeguarding quality. In retrofits where trol of an area of competence, but otherwise team-building and leadership skills. the risk of unforeseen problems is collaborate constructively with fellow team Nicholas Doyle, director, Adecoe, makes relatively high, good collaboration can members in pursuit of a common goal. To do what might seem an obvious point, but one avoid or mitigate common issues. so successfully requires being transparent in that is easily overlooked: ‘Successful archi- Local authority clients benefit disclosing skills and competencies, commu- tects deal with all those little things along the because it contributes to good, nicating openly and committing to a culture way and maintain their relationships so that accountable governance of public funds. of teamwork. clients don’t have to make all the decisions Careful guardianship of the design ‘Architects have been used to sitting at and do all of the work. The point of having an objectives adds value for schools clients the head, whereas in a collaborative process architect is to do that for them so that clients by preserving the link between building it’s a very flat structure. Some architects have don’t have to worry.’ and educational standards. a cultural shift to make to even the playing This is particularly the case for private field, to realise we’re all batting for the same domestic clients. As a Mr Bartlett, who used Sustain appropriate, persuasive, team,’ says Paul Chandler. an architect to renovate and extend his 1920s authoritative communication Architects who spend time engaging house in Windermere, says: ‘Doing the work Commercial developers and workplace their clients and explaining their value prop- ourselves was in theory possible but in prac- clients want architects to communicate osition for the duration of the project are more tice impossible. We needed – without being their knowledge with flair, imagination likely to attract repeat business. patronised – to have our hands held.’ • and excitement. Freehand sketching The cherry on the cake for clients is when in presentations or in discussions is you alert them to opportunities, pre-empt What the roundtables found: particularly engaging. Communication of problems, and generally keep them ahead of • Many architects lack the people skills this sort reassures and helps the whole the game. needed for collaborative working. project team to buy into the vision. ‘Something to aim for in an architect- • Good people skills boost your reputa- Workplace clients are also looking client relationship is a symbiotic under- tion, helping you to win work and repeat for the transparent disclosure of standing of the client – then the architects business. skills and competencies at the earliest know the client’s value drivers and can cre- • Some architects need a cultural shift to possible moment to safeguard quality. atively come up with alternative solutions,’ adjust to flat management structures. Contractors want open, timely, suggests Sean Cook, design director, Clive- • Good communication involves keeping accurate communication, particularly dale London. the client ahead of the game. during the delivery phase of a project. For contractors, especially those in hous- • In highly fragmented sectors even great- Private domestic clients need to ing, strong collaboration helps to preserve er attention must be paid to good people be supported and guided through the value gained at planning permission and skills. planning, design and building maze. deliver the square metre rates they need to • Good people skills and communication remain profitable. mean clients have to do less and worry ‘Collaboration is absolutely fundamental less.

Client & Architect

22-23_RIBAClients_F_EngagingwithPeople.indd 23 06/08/2015 09:12 24 Voices Delivering technical talent

Easy wins include contributing to in- itiatives that dene the information to be We need to exchanged at each stage of a project. By devel- oping sector norms that are agreed with core client groups, we can all bid on a level play- raise the bar ing eld, condent we will be delivering the right information at the right time. Architects must prove to clients From an architectural perspective it is that they can do more than important that we consider the boundaries between our profession and the specialist sub- competent contract administration contractors. At present we rely on our prac- argues Dale Sinclair tice ‘design responsibility’ matrices, which are all subtly dierent. Industry agreements would make a signicant contribution to the consistency of what we deliver. Frequently missing from the BIM agenda is the information that is not included in the

Two consistent themes are woven through in a manner that „agged design risks and al- ‘The Sainsbury the RIBA’s client sessions. Very broadly, they lowed them to be avoided or managed. Laboratory provides a fertile ground to reveal what promotes and what inhibits cli- While individual practices can do much realise our ambitious ents’ interest in appointing an architect. to improve clients’ faith in architects, there scientic vision, and The rst is that clients value good ar- is a fundamental question about how the simultaneously make chitecture and the benets that it brings to RIBA should raise the bar for the profession a spectacular public their businesses. They understand that dif- as a whole. Without a response, clients will statement about the seamless connection ferent architectural practices have dierent not hesitate to adjust their design teams to between nature, strengths. Some clients want a safe pair of ensure design risks are adequately managed art and science,’ hands whereas others are happy to gamble in some other way. says laboratory on less experienced practices in the hope of These observations come at an opportune director Ottoline an ‘edgier’ or more innovative solution. Our and exciting time. Many business-savvy Leyser of Stanton Williams’ design for portfolios provide the clues to allow them to practices are embracing and harnessing new the University of make these decisions. digital design tools (commonly referred to as Cambridge. It won the This is all good news for the architectural BIM) to profoundly change the way they work Stirling Prize in 2012. profession, suggesting our approach to design as well as delivering new services that add education is delivering the skills that help ar- value to the process, such as point cloud sur- chitects meet our clients’ expectations. veys or data for asset management purposes. On the second theme, clients consistently What can the RIBA do? Focusing the Part and repeatedly vent their frustration about 3 course on the lead designer role would be those aspects of architects’ services that wrap a good start. Being a great project architect around the design process. Concerns include should be about more than merely having variability in design information, designs the ability to administer dierent forms of that are not technically assured, lack of coor- contract (which in any case is becoming less dination in the design team, late information, relevant because of the surge in design and a failure to understand the client’s business build procurement). The RIBA’s Future Lead- drivers, and not listening properly as the de- ers initiative already responds to this notion. sign progresses, among others. Unfortunate- ly, clients cannot avoid practices with these deciencies simply by perusing portfolios. Despite this, clients still want their archi- The recession has tects to take greater holistic responsibility for resulted in a generation design. They would like us to undertake the lead designer role more diligently and con- of architects who have sistently, and emphatically lead the design limited site experience team. Contractors underlined that the design manager role would not exist if designs were and only piecemeal

delivered to higher standards of assurance or practical knowledge PHOTOGRAPH HUFTON+CROW

Client & Architect

24-25_RIBAClients_V_OnTechnical.indd 24 05/08/2015 10:39 Voices 25 Delivering technical talent

BIM model. Although we are moving towards With our lead designer hat on, we need to tal. These are exciting topics and challenges wholly digital deliverables focused on new contribute to discussions about the informa- that will help to reposition our profession as digital construction processes, in the short tion produced by the rest of the design team at lead designers ­t for the future. term bricklayers or others will still require each stage. This is crucial as it fundamentally The RIBA for Clients initiative has pro- the ‘1:5’ details that sit outside the BIM model. aects our ability to coordinate. More impor- voked valuable, thoughtful insights from Appointments will need to be ‰exible in tantly, we need to analyse the reasons for fail- clients. We must carefully absorb them. This the short term to allow a mixture of analogue ures in coordination. Should this core task be will allow the RIBA to oer guidance on how and digital deliverables. Guidance on this covered more fully in the education process? the lead designer services – so crucial for the topic is essential. Are our design team colleagues producing the success of our designs – should be delivered. The recession has resulted in a generation right information? Are contractual arrange- It must respond to new collaborative working of architects who have limited site experi- ments impeding the process? Should the lead processes and the digital landscape that will ence and only piecemeal practical knowl- designer employ the rest of the design team? aect all aspects of the built environment. • edge. At the other end of the spectrum, many How is BIM altering this crucial task? architects with signi­cant knowledge have Answering these questions, repositioning Dale Sinclair is director of technical practice for disappeared from our industry. We need to clash detection tools as clash avoidance tools AECOM’s architecture team, RIBA vice-presi- consider how to respond to this skill gap and harnessed by the lead designer, and consider- dent practice and profession and editor of RIBA potential risk to our clients. ing new collaborative ways of working is vi- Plan of Work 2013

Client & Architect

24-25_RIBAClients_V_OnTechnical.indd 25 05/08/2015 10:39 26 Findings Delivering technical talent

Good architects are good problem solvers Clients might divide practices into concept and technical architects, but they want the skills in one package

Technical skills are central to the practice of as well as being good designers and good processes ( BIM, modern methods of construc- architecture and include many competen- managers of design, are actually really good tion, one-stop-shop contractors, oˆ-shoring, cies. Indeed, the core curriculum consists of problem solvers,’ says Paul Chandler, execu- specialisation, standardisation, whole-life acquiring and maintaining them, helping to tive vice-president of Skanska UK. costing, resilience planning) are changing dene the profession. Clients recognise that the technical skill the picture, requiring architects to adapt. In the context of this report, the term of good design adds most of the value to pro- Given this welter of increasingly sophisti- ‘technical skills’ extends to the knowledge jects and that, thanks to their unique train- cated knowledge, it is impractical for one per- that can only be gained through relevant ing, architects are well placed to supply it. son or even one practice to know everything. professional experience. This is ingrained ‘Architects are very good at delivering Clients regard the profession as falling into knowledge permanently at an architect’s n- the fundamental qualities – space, light, good two broad and separate categories: the con- gertips, the kind that feeds creative instincts, aspect, storage, homes that work,’ says Jane cept architect and the technical architect. unconsciously prompting action that avoids Briginshaw, head of design and sustainability According to the round table panellists, errors and speeds good decision-making. for HCA. some clients struggle to nd practices that

‘The really good architects we work with, However, disruptive technologies and are strong in both categories and commonly PHOTOGRAPH DANIEL HOPKINSON

Client & Architect

26-29_RIBAClients_F_Delivering techincal content.indd 26 06/08/2015 09:14 Findings 27 Delivering technical talent

OPPOSITE: ‘Our great RECOMMENDED READING team of architects An Introduction to Low Carbon Domestic helped us create designs Refurbishment, CPA which work with the Residential Retrofit, Marion Baeli existing template and Whole Life Sustainability, Ian Ellingham enhance it,’ says Urban What Colour is Your Building? David Clark Splash chairman Tom BIM Management Handbook, David Shepherd Bloxham of the work BIM for Construction Clients, Richard Saxon of Hawkins\Brown and BIM in Small Practices: Illustrated Case Studies, Studio Egret West at Robert Klaschka Park Hill, Sheffield. BIM Demystified 2nd edition, Steve Race www.ribabookshops.com

feel they have to replace the concept archi- tects with a ‘safer’ pair of hands after Stage 3. Add business-savvy to the design process that they are on building users. Cheap to This is based on the perception that the This opportunity is about adopting rigorous run, easy to maintain, energy efficient, creative flair that makes a good concept archi- techniques to treat cost, time and other attractive, flexible, adaptable, well liked tect is an unacceptable risk during technical client constraints as the grit in the oyster. buildings command a premium. delivery. In other words, it is a compromise Commercial developers and Housing clients see the impact in better in the face of fear that the value gained with contractors are especially keen for yields and shorter and fewer void periods. planning permission will be lost through in- architects to make this leap. For schools clients, the advantages are efficiencies, inaccuracies and waste. Developers believe architects forget value for money and better outcomes for ‘We’d love to see the ability in architects about viability as they develop the design, educational standards. to identify costs, cost savings or cost wastage, which can be disastrous. The procurement of offices is complex and work within the team to mitigate those Contractors want architects more and fragmented, and future occupiers are risks and reduce that wastage,’ says Mark actively engaged in identifying cost savings, generally unknown. Clients need designs Wakeford, MD of Stepnell. improving the efficiency of delivery and that elegantly, efficiently and effectively ‘Architects’ mistakes can add tens of thou- improving buildability. accommodate change to attract tenants, sands of pounds onto the project and then it’s minimise voids, and attract investors. disproportionate to their fees,’ adds Stephen Maintain a holistic user focus Day, technical director, Barratt London. User satisfaction is critical for clients Keep knowledge, skills and competence Clients say they would rather engage a who retain an interest in the building after up to date; innovate single practice to champion the vision from it is built. However, those who divest on It impresses clients when architects’ concept to completion and beyond. But when completion are also increasingly concerned knowledge (of BIM, for example) this occurs, clients – especially contractor about it. This is because their buyers are exceeds normal professional standards, clients – say that architects’ interest wanes. well informed and have high expectations. especially when outside their ordinary ‘Far too often architects dismiss the im- Great user value commands a premium. It orbit of concern. Equally, where risks portance of the delivery phase and their fees also boosts clients’ reputations. are satisfactorily mitigated, innovative are set up front-ended so there’s no fee to deal For workplace clients, putting the user practice can give architects a competitive with that latter stage,’ says Colin Tedder, centre stage supports future occupiers’ advantage. technical director, Bouygues UK. recruitment strategies and has brand The schools sector and contractors Sean Cook, design director, Clivedale appeal, attracting tenants at good rents are looking to innovate to save costs. London, says: ‘We like to see architects to and minimising void periods. And of course, Competence in lean processes, BIM, and take a cradle to grave approach. At times validated success attracts long-term modern methods of construction, to say the procurement of the project might not al- investment. nothing of experimenting with procurement low that. If that’s the case, we will generally The performance gap from design to routes, is prized. Commercial developers keep the original architect on board on our reality plagues retrofit. A forensic focus on and housing clients are particularly side to monitor design and quality through how buildings are used by people will make invested in BIM, too. to completion.’ for longer rentals, shorter voids, more The public or affordable housing The mark of investible quality these days satisfied occupants, and better returns. sector is a political hot potato, artificially focuses on building users, linking sustaina- massaged in complicated ways. It is bility and wellness to operating costs, user Keep focus on whole life of the building especially important that architects satisfaction, place making or community Clients are focused on whole-life appreciate and proactively interpret them value, resilience, and long-term adaptability considerations for the same reasons for added value. or flexibility. This is true across many sectors

PHOTOGRAPH DANIEL HOPKINSON DANIEL PHOTOGRAPH but especially workplace, schools, housing,

Client & Architect

26-29_RIBAClients_F_Delivering techincal content.indd 27 06/08/2015 09:14 28 Supporter’s view Argent VISION AND TENACITY Richard Meier explains how the qualities Argent seeks in its architects can maximise value and aŒection in ‘hero’ buildings

For Argent, architects are the ‘spiritual leaders’ of the Since 1981, Argent has delivered some of the best BELOW: Stanton building process. By encompassing art, creativity and mixed use developments in the UK: major commercial, Williams’ design for Central St Martins excitement, their unique strategic visioning skills ignite residential, education, cultural and community created a highly exible the value chain, hugely beneting occupiers, owners, in- developments in the country’s largest cities. It is involved space that maximised vestors and the local community. in the full development process, from identifying and value for both the King’s The really good ones minimise risk by maintaining assembling sites, developing designs and obtaining Cross Partnership and that vision for the duration of the project without losing planning permission through to Šnancing, project the University of the Arts London. sight of viability. And since we have a long-term interest management of the construction process, letting, asset in our developments, viability is all about net operating management and (sometimes) selling. It also manages and income. Not only must the building remain optimally at- maintains buildings and estate. tractive to the market, it must be economical to run too. Argent has a team of over 130 people. In March 2015 One of the ‘hero’ buildings at King’s Cross, the land- it entered into a joint venture partnership with respected mark grade II listed Granary Complex, is a case in point. US developer Related, forming Argent Related, to pursue Comprising 32,000m2, it is the campus for Central St Mar- future opportunities for urban development, with a focus tins, which is part of the University of the Arts London. on the build to rent sector. Repurposing such a large-scale industrial building be- For more information about Argent, visit fore the site infrastructure was complete required an ana- www.argentllp.co.uk lytical design approach. Our brief needed the architect to consider the building’s future context at the heart of the King’s Cross development. This was not only a complex brief architecturally, but also involved many diŒerent stakeholders and end users, from tutors to students, to diŒerent colleges within the university, and English Heritage. Our architects, Stanton Williams, stepped up to the plate. They created a highly “exible, adaptable, raw and robust space that maximised value for both the King’s Cross Partnership and the University of the Arts. Critical- ly, it anticipates changes in how the university will use the space over time, and so is capable of accommodating evolving teaching methods and numbers of students. Stanton Williams were at the heart of the wider pro- ject team, helping to develop the brief fully and leading on extensive model-making to develop the design as the brief progressed. They skilfully managed the process of broad stakeholder consultation with planners, heritage experts and key stakeholders, successfully securing re- served matters approval. Argent looks for tenacity, sensitive design work and obvious love for the building in its architects. With the Granary Complex, we got it, helping us to a BREEAM ‘very good’ rating, an RIBA London Award, praise from Mayor Boris Johnson, and, most importantly, aŒection from its 5,000 strong student and teacher population.

Richard Meier is a partner at Argent PHOTOGRAPH DANIEL HOPKINSON

Client & Architect

26-29_RIBAClients_F_Delivering techincal content.indd 28 05/08/2015 10:40 Findings 29 Delivering technical talent

local authority and retrot markets. BELOW: Park Hill I was an architect, I would look beyond the Even where the client will sell the build- demonstrates that with concept design to what will happen once the the right partners, post- ing on completion, they must attend to these building is being operated.’ war modernism can be factors to attract buyers or investors. And successfully reinvented, Housing developers are adopting BIM, in the battle for commercial advantage, not says Tom Bloxham. and want architects to lead the integrated achieving these goals damages reputations. consultant team. ‘It’s important to keep your void rates, Useful links: Richard Meier, partner at Argent, says: BIM Task Group, www.bimtaskgroup.org management and life cycle costs down,’ says National BIM Library, www.nationalbimlibrary.com ‘How well coordinated the project is has a Gregor Mitchell, land director, be:here (Will- NBS Toolkit, NBS Create, NBS Building Contracts, huge impact on costs, delays and issues fur- mott Dixon’s private rented housing arm). ‘If www.thenbs.com ther down the line. I’m keen to see architects who understand BIM and the coordinating role it plays because it de-risks projects.’ Local authority clients need surety as well as good team coordination and creative problem solving. ‘Local authorities do not like surprises,’ says John Betty, interim director of place at Stoke-on-Trent City Council. ‘We have quite rigorous processes in the full glare of public scrutiny for how we make decisions and com- mit to buying a building. Understandably, we need reliability.’ Contractors, squeezed between contract price and project costs, need architects who respect this constraint more than ever. Schools clients are looking for innova- tive, proven ways to deliver t-for-purpose, long-lasting spaces that positively in“uence educational standards. Lean working, stand- ardisation and BIM are all part of the formula. Designs for retrot clients must not only accommodate human behaviour but actively improve people’s experience of the building. In the workplace sector, generic appeal is key: “exibility in the grid, good levels of day- light, good acoustics, an e”ective M&E strat- egy, urban design, and low running costs. •

What the roundtables found: • Disruptive technologies and processes are forcing architects to adapt. • Clients say it is hard to nd practices good at both concept and technical work. • Despite wishing otherwise, clients think it necessary to replace concept architects with a ‘safer pair of hands’ after Stage 3. • Clients want architects to maintain their interest all the way through the delivery phase and beyond. • Many clients adopting BIM want architects to lead the integrated consult- ant team. • Clients want architects to place greater emphasis on how the building operates

PHOTOGRAPH DANIEL HOPKINSON in use.

Client & Architect

26-29_RIBAClients_F_Delivering techincal content.indd 29 06/08/2015 09:14 30 Voices Learning and improving

struction, not at the trade contractor’s price, which is inevitably based on previous pro- Clients need more jects and bad experiences, but on what is a fair price for the job. A complete set of drawings remains a than they’re getting dream. Is the role to produce a full set of com- plete drawings which are signed off as coor- Sir Stuart Lipton stands high among the UK’s most dinated and fit for purpose? Or, is it a design influential clients. His respect for architects is clear, concept to be passed on to a design and build contractor? I have never seen a UK set of com- but he demands pragmatic, high performance design plete drawings, while these are the norm in America, where they are produced in great detail, in their terms to the quarter inch, bound and legally binding. From my point of view a set of drawings which is complete and coordinated is a prerequisite for success in terms of design quality, fitness for purpose, value and whole life cost. In the world of BIM, artificial Intelligence and or the still useful art of drawing? A fair contract between architect and cli- algorithms, what’s the role of the architect? Buildability and value engineering are ent is critical, but remains impossible while Ingenious design, public realm, vision, often considered dirty words by architects, the wilful blindness of the institutions allows social fit and awareness, appropriate densi- as though cost doesn’t matter and the issue clients to believe, wrongly in my opinion, that ty and context, thoughtful use of materials, means sacrificing design quality. Most of the their terms of employment protect clients as innovation, fitness for purpose, buildability, ingenuity of our great architects has been much as their members. value engineering, a 100% complete and coor- achieved on low-cost budgets. The relationship between architect and dinated set of drawings, a legal appointment Public realm and spaces between build- client still needs a better understanding, fair to client and architect, and a relationship ings appears to have been forgotten as a civic with clients putting sufficient time into -ar between architect and client born out of mu- necessity and many spaces are pale imita- chitect selection. The government needs to tual respect with the opportunity for creative tions of our traditions. be persuaded that, as the largest client, it tension, debate and decision. Can architects Fitness for purpose remains a challenge. can lead on design quality, good value and perform all these roles? Whether it’s an appropriate living space or innovation. This will impact on the qual- I am fortunate to have experienced the a new work area, we have hardly moved on ity of life for many individuals whose cir- skills of many architects, achieving these roles with use of space, yet socially life is very dif- cumstances need change. The benefits on a at 1 Finsbury Avenue, Broadgate and Stockley ferent, with home and work often merging. whole-life basis might reduce welfare costs Park with Arup Associates, at Chiswick Park Architects’ rigorous educational train- and improve health, educational and employ- with Richard Rogers, at Central St Giles with ing does not include an understanding of the ment aspirations, by being part of an uplift- Renzo Piano, and many others. practical implications of how to build. This ing built environment. It’s a time-consuming occupation where removes some of the skills required for a suc- In my lifetime as a developer much the client needs to commit huge amounts of cessful project and, increasingly, architects has improved, but much more needs to be effort, and so does the architect as design lead. and quantity surveyors look for trade con- achieved with the RIBA focusing on quality How often is that the case? Many architects tractors to supply these skills. Not only does and education. don’t lead on design personally. this add cost but it impacts design quality Finally, the siloed nature of the profes- In an era where town planning issues re- and in my view the curriculum needs to be sions remains a major frustration. If the main a constraint on supply, there are oppor- changed. The architect needs to understand RIBA and other professional bodies in the tunities to ensure that development fits its all of the skills required to implement con- built environment cannot see it is practical local context. A market town needs housing or desirable to merge, they must at least find in a modern vernacular of the original rather a way of working much more closely togeth- than a row of boxes which so incense the lo- er to focus on producing a holistic product cal community. Ingenious design should be a Architects’ rigorous – or face a gradual erosion to the design and prerequisite, but so is a balance of context and educational training build contractor. density to fit a growing nation. Architects have shown that their ex- Use of materials is a real challenge; apart does not include an traordinary design skills can make a real from the curtain wall we have hardly changed understanding of the difference to the quality of life and our health building materials for centuries. and wellbeing, but they need to demonstrate Innovation remains a difficulty. Is new practical implications that they are providing consumer needs, civic

design making full use of BIM and computers of how to build quality and spaces. • PHOTOGRAPH HUFTON & CROWE

Client & Architect

30-31_RIBAClients_V_OnImproving.indd 30 05/08/2015 10:41 Chiswick Park, London, Richard Rogers for Stanhope demonstrates a successful client- architect relationship. It regularly features in the top 50 best places to work. PHOTOGRAPH HUFTON & CROWE

30-31_RIBAClients_V_OnImproving.indd 31 05/08/2015 10:41 32 Findings Learning and improving

Seek and listen to feedback Clients want to see architects involved in post-occupancy evaluations, providing evidence of what works well and what doesn’t

Continuous improvement is central to archi- • Technical performance – will the build- tects’ professionalism. It benets the build- ing do what the client wants it to do? ings they design and in turn the economies • Process performance – will the work be and culture of the communities they serve. It carried out e ciently and eˆectively? supports and extends the body of profession- • End user satisfaction – will the occupiers al knowledge, reinforcing the status of archi- enjoy using the building? tects among their peers. It sends a message of Aesthetic appeal, which in certain cir- competence and trust to the world. cumstances is critical for clients, is harder to More compellingly for individual archi- measure. It is, however, routinely evidenced tects, perhaps, it supports personal aspira- in design awards and published reviews. tions to strive for excellence. The unmet need for evidence about build- ‘It’s really important that in 10 years’ time ings, which includes post-occupancy evalu- when you go back to your building that you’re ations (POEs) and BREEAM rating systems, still proud of it,’ says Gregor Mitchell, land is nothing new. It clearly concerns the whole director, be:here (Willmott Dixon’s private project team, not just architects. rental housing arm). ‘We need a quality loop like you have in However, disruptive technologies are the automotive industry where they pull cars threatening the bastions of professional apart to see where they went wrong,’ says knowledge. In a competitive market for ar- Geoˆ Haslam, director of Local Agenda. chitectural services, therefore, architects James Pellatt, head of projects for Great need to demonstrate how their learning ben- Portland Estates, argues: ‘Architects should ets clients. seek and listen to feedback. In that way you ‘Architects’ free thinking and problem get continuous improvement.’ solving skills are rich and powerful, but Market barriers to doing so linger, chief- packaging them into something you pay ly because architects think it is not viable. for can often be di cult,’ says Barra Mac Nonetheless, the round table panellists, es- Ruairi, strategy director for place at Bristol pecially those in the workplace, schools and RECOMMENDED READING City Council. retrot sectors, think that the benets now Retrot for Purpose, Penoyre & Prasad Retrotting Neighbourhoods, Irena Bauman Clients increasingly expect evidence of outweigh the costs. An Introduction to Low Carbon Domestic competence and the eˆectiveness of designs. Gregor Mitchell says: ‘If you can demon- Refurbishement, CPA They want reassurance that what the ar- strate that as an architect you have signi- Residential Retrot, Marion Baeli chitect does complements their reasons for cantly improved the protability by reducing Changing Hospital Architecture, Sunand Prasad building and is not wasteful. costs, increasing revenue, or squeezing more Future Schools: Innovative Design for Existing and New Buildings, Nick Mirchandani and Sharon Wright As Paul Morrell, formerly the Govern- space out of a building, you can almost dictate Buildings Bite Back, Adrian Leaman and Bill Bordass ment’s chief construction adviser, puts it: ‘We your own fee.’ (out 2016) have no idea how little we can build quality As well as better outcomes on particu- Energy-People-Buildings, Judit Kimpian, Hattie for until we get waste out of the process. We lar projects, honest performance review en- Hartman, SoŠe Pelsmakers need to learn what works and replicate it.’ genders trust, boosts reputations and can be (out 2016) www.ribabookshops.com Reassurance generally comprises four intelligently digested to improve an archi- deeply interrelated quality measures: tect’s performance on all measures. More im- • Financial performance – will the invest- portantly, it can be used to demonstrate the

ment be worth it for the client? unequivocal competence and eˆectiveness PHOTOGRAPHS ANDREW HEPTINSTALL

Client & Architect

32-35_RIBAClients_LearningandImproving.indd 32 06/08/2015 09:15 Findings 33 Learning and improving

LEFT: ‘The architects really got inside our heads,’ says Jane Loomes, head teacher of Jesmond Gardens Primary School, County Durham, by ADP for Hartlepool Borough Council. ‘The result is improved attendance, improved behaviour and we are now oversubscribed.’

Supply evidence of service quality and design e ectiveness The demand for architects to invest in continuous learning was a clarion call from all kinds of clients, whether openly expressed or implied. Doing so robustly validates architects’ service, inspires trust and boosts their reputation. Because the performance gap is well documented, retro‡t clients want reassurance that designs are likely to perform in use as predicted. Without this, they are sceptical about claims for anticipated paybacks. In their quest to achieve value for money, schools clients need evidence of what is likely to improve outcomes for pupils and teachers. Workplace clients are already committed to post- occupancy evaluations and BREEAM ratings for market appeal and competitive advantage, and they want architects to be equally committed.

of the service delivered to existing clients Alexi Marmot, director, Alexi Marmot the design dividend. This makes long-term and on oer to prospective clients. This gives Associates, bluntly reinforces that mes- involvement and continuous learning critical them a competitive advantage. sage: ‘You wouldn’t take a drug if it hadn’t for architects. Round table panellists repeatedly high- been evaluated. We need to invest in ‘Architects need to learn which bits make light their need to be educated or reminded more knowledge.’ a dierence to the educational outcomes. In- of the value of what architects do. Evidence Continuous improvement is a hot issue spiring spaces make a dierence; tiny details provides the language with which to artic- across all sectors, but four stand out in the around a door frame do not,’ says Lyndsay ulate worth. Shared between fellow archi- desire for architects to demonstrate the eec- Smith, director of education and national tects, it could clarify the value of the pro- tiveness of what they do: schools, workplace, frameworks at Morgan Sindall. fession’s unique contribution to the built retro­t and healthcare. Andrew Barraclough, group design di- environment, enhance the body of knowl- The innovative schools designs during the rector, Wates, observes: ‘I don’t think an ar- edge, and promote the standing of architects Building Schools for the Future programme chitect can work eectively unless they see and the profession. have been branded poor value for money. Lit- their work through to completion. Other- ‘The industry doesn’t know the value of its tle evidence was found of extra bene­ts to wise, how does one learn from the mistakes own products,’ says Paul Morrell. ‘We need to educational outcomes. In an age of austerity, that one makes?’

PHOTOGRAPHS ANDREW HEPTINSTALL ­x the absence of a feedback route.’ the reaction has shifted the focus to de­ning Workplace developers need to hone their

Client & Architect

32-35_RIBAClients_LearningandImproving.indd 33 06/08/2015 09:15 34 Supporter’s view Leesman THE TRUE VALUE OF POST- OCCUPANCY EVALUATION Many architects believe POEs are una ordable. They should see them as a strategic investment or CPD, argues Chris Moriarty of Leesman

Time and again the RIBA round-table discussions high- Does the design of your o ce enable LEFT: So far more than 100,000 employees lighted the need for architects either to undertake or be you to work productively? have taken part in engaged in post-occupancy evaluations (POEs), with cli- Leesman’s survey of ents seeing them as part of a properly professional service. corporate workplaces. POEs benet architects. They can help to improve Only 54% agree their how and what you design. This establishes your author- building enables them to work productively. ity, strengthens your brand, distinguishes you from your competition and, ultimately, makes it easier to sell your services. Clients are more likely to hire architects who can demonstrate their value with evidence from previ- ous POEs. Clients also have a vested interest in continuous im- provement that leads to business-critical outcomes. This is especially true of workplace clients who retain an inter- est in their buildings, prompting them to seek POEs from specialists like Leesman. The case in favour is unequivocal. However, POEs are not the norm. Why? Architects say that they are not paid 30% 16% 54% to carry out POEs and so they are una ordable. In the face disagree neutral agree of sti competition, though, not doing them might be even less a ordable. Framed as strategic investment, CPD or informing their future investment decisions. even customer service, POE begins to make more sense. At their heart, POEs are about facilitating informed In the corporate workplace sector, certainly, the num- decision-making, which is why the round table panellists bers suggest there is work to do. Of the 100,000+ people are so keen on them. They inspire trust, reduce uncertain- who have taken the Leesman survey to date, only 54% ty, and help in the quest for quality. It is time for more ar- agree the design of their workplace allows them to be pro- chitects to take note. ductive. Given that one of the primary reasons for work- places is to support the work of its users, this is a worry. Leesman has constructed a picture of what high- Founded in 2010, Leesman has fast become the world’s performing buildings look like compared with low- largest independent source of workplace eectiveness performing ones. There are trends in common but also data. It provides organisations and workplace designers subtle di erences that are crucial to improving design with a quantitative assessment of how ­t their workplace is outcomes. One size does not t all, and the more infor- for supporting work. mation that designers are armed with, the better chance there is of producing e ective workplaces. Win a free survey The clients that Leesman works with – that get the best The RIBA and Leesman are oering RIBA accredited value from the process – establish a baseline by gathering chartered practices the opportunity to have a free survey data before and after occupancy. This allows them to un- conducted on their workplace by entering a draw. The derstand what their people need to be productive, and to winner will be announced by RIBA President Stephen work with designers to ensure that what is delivered hits Hodder at an evening reception on 15th September. To the target. What’s more, these clients are able to monitor enter the draw visit http://www.architecture.com/RIBA/ how work practices evolve over time, which is critical to Competitions/Enteracompetition/LiveCompetitions.aspx

Client & Architect

34_RIBAClients_Adv.indd 34 05/08/2015 10:43 Findings 35 Learning and improving

RIGHT: ‘We wanted to do away with the traditional classrooms and corridors’ – head teacher Jane Loomes on Jesmond Gardens Primary School.

products for enduring market appeal and to ‘prove’ the eŠectiveness of their services TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES pro table lifetime yields for investors. Since through POEs and by producing solid busi- Retrot coordinators, the Centre of Refurbishment Excellence (CoRE) 10-day training programme to they rarely occupy the spaces themselves, ness cases. upskill professionals. RIBA-recognised. they are desperate for evidence of what works Sunand Prasad of Penoyre & Prasad says: www.core-skills.com from POEs and bemoan architects’ lack of ‘We are still very far short of really under- involvement beyond practical completion. standing how buildings perform. We claim Help with post-occupancy evaluations They believe architects should validate their performance credentials at quite early stag- CIC Design Quality Indicator, http://cic.org.uk/ BCO Guide to Post-Occupancy Evaluation own work as standard. es of design but, because nobody pays us, we www.bco.org.uk ‘Architects need to be learning organi- don’t stick around to see what happens when www.leesmanindex.com (see page 34 for the chance to sations,’ says Neil Usher, BskyB’s workplace people actually start to use the buildings.’ • win a free workplace POE). director. ‘There is a huge responsibility www.ribacpd.com on the part of the architects to deliver high What the roundtables found: Help with public or stakeholder consultation quality design.’ • In a competitive market architects must Consultation Matters is RIBA’s new stakeholder and ‘The analysis should be about how the demonstrate how they bene t clients. community consultation service. An experienced business is performing rather than the build- • Clients increasingly expect evidence team will work with you to plan and deliver bespoke ing,’ says Ron German, executive director of of competence and the eŠectiveness consultation programmes, either as part of your in- Stanhope. ‘You can tell the architects who of designs. house team, or directly for your client. www.architecture.com have connected back after completion. Should • The pressure for architects to provide de- POE be a service or CPD?’ monstrable evidence is mounting. Pure retro t is potentially one of today’s • Some clients believe architects should USEFUL LINKS larger market opportunities. However, cli- validate their own work as standard, www.gov.uk/organisations/homes-and-communities- ents are not tapping the value architects treating it as customer service or CPD. agency www.hbf.co.uk might add because they treat projects merely • Clients increasingly see the bene ts of www.housingforum.org.uk as technical xes. They are nervous of long post-occupancy evaluations outweighing www.building-knowledge.info payback periods, poor performance in use costs. www.bre.co.uk and, because spaces are already occupied, • To expand work in retro t, architects disruption. To allay clients’ fears and expand need persuasive evidence and a strong opportunities in this market, architects need business case.

Client & Architect

32-35_RIBAClients_LearningandImproving.indd 35 06/08/2015 09:15 36 Voices International

Te Matau a Pohe or Working overseas may seem daunting to Lower Hatea River many architects but for others, particularly Crossing, New those in large multinational practices, it will A world of Zealand, designed by Buckinghamshire- seem more natural. based Knight Architects It is becoming more regular fare for RIBA opportunity for Whangarei members, especially those used to operating District Council. The in more mature markets. The latest RIBA curved ‘J’ shape is an Look abroad, where the RIBA brand Business Benchmarking survey shows 16% interpretation of the can prove rewarding in more ways †shhook motif widely of income to UK o ces comes from interna- than one, urges Peter Oborn used in Maori culture. tional projects and there are few signs that this ow will dry up. This suggests practices need to look harder at the international scene. The potential prize is immense. Global Construction Perspectives and Oxford Eco- nomics predict that worldwide construction activity will grow about 70%, to $15 trillion, in the period between 2012 and 2025. This growth will not be evenly spread. The centre of gravity of global architectural

work is shifting to the emerging economies. REYNOLDS PATRICK PHOTOGRAPH:

Client & Architect

36-37_RIBAClients_V_OnInternational.indd 36 05/08/2015 10:44 Voices 37 International

In 2005 a third of construction was in the This is of immense value, particularly in less emerging markets. By 2025 that share is ex- mature markets. pected to be nearly two-thirds. Today, the RIBA enjoys an expanding Preparing for the China, India and the US will dominate, global footprint with 5,000 of its internation- international market accounting for 60%, but there will be other al members based outside the UK, supported Understand your capabilities. Start hot-spots. Vietnam, the Philippines and In- by chapters in North America, the Gulf and with self-reflection. What do you have donesia, for example, will together present a Hong Kong. It validates more than 30 schools that international clients want? Sector $350 billion market with annual growth top- of architecture internationally in key mar- specialism or a particular skill? How ping 6%. Contrast this with Western Europe, kets and demand for its services is growing. will you differentiate yourselves from where even by 2025 construction is expected The RIBA’s international influence is also competitors? to still be below its pre-recession 2007 peak. felt through close links with fellow institutes Working internationally isn’t for These figures are not pie in the sky. The around the world and participation in region- everyone. Understand your objectives. United Nations estimates that population al bodies that help shape architectural poli- Why work internationally? What do you growth and urbanisation will add 2.5 billion cy and advance the profession globally. The hope to achieve? Does it fit the ambitions people to the world’s cities by 2050; 2.1 billion RIBA maintains close ties with agencies such of your practice? Do your staff have the of that rise will be in Asia and Africa. as UKTI, the Foreign Office and the British appetite for it? Looked at from a UK perspective, these Council, to foster and spread understanding Identify the opportunities. Explore figures suggest almost 99% of the global mar- and promote members’ skill and expertise. how each market operates. How is ket (including the British market) for con- This skill and expertise, so needed across work procured? Are fee levels realis- struction work could be overseas. all international markets, is not the sole prov- tic? Where might you add value? Trade Opportunities to enter new markets or ince of signature architects and big practic- missions run by the RIBA with UKTI to expand existing international workload es. The UK’s Knight Architects are a perfect provide a low-cost way to experience abound and members of the RIBA have a dis- example of how small firms can succeed in new markets. tinct competitive advantage. internationally. Founded in 2006 and now Winning work is one thing, delivering The power of the RIBA brand should not with a staff of 12, the practice has developed it another. Do you have sufficient local be underestimated. Britain’s colonial and a strong reputation for a design-led service in knowledge? Would it be better to collab- Commonwealth past has played its part, the rather unusual sector of bridge design. orate with a local partner? This can pay with lower trade barriers, a common business By leveraging its specialist expertise to- dividends, but ensure there’s a proper language and a shared legal system together gether with its relationships with leading agreement between you. with British standards and working practic- engineering practices, the firm has complet- Leverage your network. Getting es in many parts of the world. But the real ed numerous award-winning projects – in started may be easier than you think. strength of the RIBA derives from a commit- Scandinavia, North America, the Middle Chances are that opportunities lie in ment to high standards and the professional- East, China, Russia and, of course, the UK. your network. Many practices work ism, integrity and creativity of its members. Not all markets are equal and some are with engineering counterparts to bid for more challenging than others. In developed work in consortia. This can be a way in economies in Europe and North America, for for smaller firms. example, members can expect to engage as Make sure you have the resources. equals with their professional counterparts Be realistic about the time and money and compete on their merits. needed to break into new markets. In newly industrialised economies the Working internationally usually requires environment can be more challenging and sustained effort. Don’t give up at the first regulation can sometimes make it tougher attempt. for foreign firms. In developing economies Promote yourself. Writing articles, institutions are often weak or non-existent speaking at conferences and exhibiting and the regulatory environment, especially at trade shows will raise your profile. in terms of building code and planning law, Take space on the RIBA’s stand at MIP- may be outdated. IM perhaps, or participate in ‘Shanghai There are general rules of engagement, Shop Windows’. Opportunities for but remember that context is always the key. Remember that ‘international’ new or expanded What works in one country may not work in starts right here. Many international another. Working internationally requires clients may already be working in your international workload preparation and commitment, but it can be home town, particularly in cities such as abound and RIBA deeply rewarding. • London. Relationships built at home can provide a springboard for work abroad. members have a distinct Peter Oborn is RIBA vice-president, interna-

PHOTOGRAPH: PATRICK REYNOLDS PATRICK PHOTOGRAPH: competitive advantage tional, and a national member of RIBA Council

Client & Architect

36-37_RIBAClients_V_OnInternational.indd 37 05/08/2015 10:44 38 Voices Marketing

Marketing is your best friend It’s about creating and retaining clients, so you need to understand it and work with it, says Amanda Reekie

‘We’d be happy with just a couple of articles or partners of any practice can take to create a in the nationals and some good features in the marketing campaign that will drive the prac- property and architectural press.’ tice forward. Too often this is what I hear when archi- First, the directors need to analyse the tects talk about their ‘marketing’ require- marketplace and the practice’s position rel- ments. I wonder when media relations be- ative to where they want it to be. This rests came synonymous with marketing in their on having a clear vision. The directors need to minds. Placing stories in the press is just one articulate that vision, clarifying the essence tactic. It’s by no means the most eective. of the practice, what can make it special, what Marketing is focused on creating and re- it seeks to deliver, and its ambitions. This is taining clients. It aligns the services and val- an essential Œrst step to eective marketing. ues of your practice to the needs and desires of Next, Œnd out how the practice is viewed your client base and then develops strategies from the outside. Worryingly, architects tend for delivering the key messages to the mar- to base marketing strategy on their own per- ketplace. The RIBA’s 2013/14 Benchmarking spective instead of what the market thinks. Report recommends that up to 5% of practice One of the best ways to discover market turnover is spent on marketing and up to 10% opinion is to informally interview a dozen or to break into a new area. so clients and consultants. Such a small sam- Sadly many architects appear to view ple has limitations, but in my experience the marketing as a task. It is a profession, con- feedback provides invaluable insights about stantly adapting to changing circumstance the practice’s brand and service, about client and a growing understanding of what works preferences, and sometimes about new areas where and what doesn’t. Professional market- of service that could be opened up. Without ers will add depth, knowledge and experi- market intelligence, only guesswork under- ence, but there are many steps that directors pins your marketing strategy.

How to create a marketing plan To create your year one Bishop Edward King marketing plan, follow Chapel, Cuddesdon, the rst four steps from Oxfordshire, by Niall situation analysis to McLaughlin Architects, SITUATION tactics, implement the was praised for creating ANALYSIS tactics, review them in a modern place of Where are we now? action, adjust according worship that works CONTROL OBJECTIVES to e‚ectiveness and both architecturally What targets and Where do we want market intelligence. and spiritually. how to monitor to be? Start again in year two.

ACTIONS STRATEGY Who does what and How do we when to get there? get there?

TACTICS How exactly do we get there? SOSTAC MARKETING DIAGRAM DEVISED BY PR SMITH

Client & Architect

38-39_RIBAClients_V_OnMarketing.indd 38 05/08/2015 10:44 Voices 39 Marketing

expectation by highlighting the practice vi- sion. In short, celebrate your culture and am- bitions. Clients need to feel excited by the op- portunities that your practice oers, so give yourself permission to make the story richer and more compelling. There are many ways to communicate and deliver messages. Some you cannot do without. These are my must-haves. • Website Despite the rise of social media, websites are still the most important marketing tool for architects so they need to be man- aged and curated. The aim is to keep visi- tors on your site with interesting, dynam- ic content that engages rather than sells. • Images Architects appreciate the power of strong visuals but can be reluctant to invest in outstanding imagery. This is a false econ- omy. For architects in particular, pictures often speak louder than words. • Sta Don’t overlook the home team. Prac- tice-wide awareness of the marketing ‘story’ is vital as every employee is a po- tential ambassador. Sta should be well informed about the vision and messages, and feel empowered to deliver them. • Third parties Third party endorsers are the most val- uable. They may be clients, consultants, planners, award judges, industry organi- sations and, yes, the media. For your sto- ry to be heard, believed and passed on you must engage with your peers, with indus- try in‚uencers and the marketplace. Your engagement must re‚ect your culture and Marketing positions the practice for busi- practice closer to its vision of success. your values as well as promoting your ser- ness success and is developed in response to When the practice has assembled a snap- vice. Practices must work hard to live up business objectives, so a business plan of some shot of its market, deˆned how it is perceived, to the story they are promoting and give kind needs to be produced. A simple state- and produced a business and marketing strat- contacts something to talk about. ment on two sides of A4 can be enough. egy, the main messages should be reˆned Research your market, understand how With this information to hand, your mar- and crafted into a compelling story about your practice is perceived, articulate your keting strategy can be developed. It might in- the practice’s strengths. If the story is just vision, set your objectives, invest time and clude, for example, improving relations with about service, projects and delivery then it’s money, take determined action and settle in a signiˆcant client or developing a new ser- a brochure not a narrative. Add some colour for the long haul. This means ensuring your vice to drive expansion in a particular sector. by showing character, set out your integrity actions, the service you deliver and the way It could involve positioning your practice as by demonstrating values, and give a sense of you behave remain consistent with the vision a specialist, or regional leader, or community and messages you project. If you can do all this activist, or a fearless innovator. It might seek and your vision is realistic then you will dis- to redress a negative perception or build up an One of the best ways to cover that marketing really does work and understanding of the practice as ‘up and com- to discover market opinion your vision becomes a reality. • ing’ or ‘inventively collaborative’. A set of realistic objectives needs to be is to informally interview Amanda Reekie is director and co-founder of PR agreed which, if delivered, will move the a dozen or so clients and marketing consultancy Stratton & Reekie

Client & Architect

38-39_RIBAClients_V_OnMarketing.indd 39 05/08/2015 10:44 40 Supporter’s view Manchester Metropolitan University

BELOW: Manchester Metropolitan University A MODEL RELATIONSHIP has worked with BDP, John McAslan & Partners and, latterly, The RIBA Client of the Year 2014 has a Feilden Clegg Bradley deep insight into the client-architect Studios, who designed both the School of Art relationship, and an unwavering belief in (below) and the Business School and Student Hub the inspirational value of the profession (bottom).

Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) is coming to- wards the end of a 10-year strategic programme of capital works worth £350m. Overseen by the recently retired vice-chancellor, Professor John Brooks, this featured several signi€cant buildings, including the Manchester School of Art and the Business School and Student Hub. It was for these that MMU won the 2014 RIBA Client of the Year Award. The judges singled out Brooks for his strong govern- ance. He has long experience as an owner-occupier client and a deep insight into the client-architect relationship. He has no illusions about the commercial realities of construction procurement, but his belief in the inspira- tional value of architects is unwavering. ‘Their unique di- mension is visioning – what the building could be, could look like and how it could function,’ he says. He is also outspoken about the client’s responsibility to agree a clear brief and set unambiguous lines of communi- cation. ‘To keep control of the design, there must be a sin- gle point of contact between the architect and the client.’ He prefers architects involved from pre-concept to post-completion. MMU uses them for business scoping before even thinking about the architecture. This builds up a detailed picture of the university’s market position, student numbers and research funding, giving the archi- tects an intimate understanding of both the users’ and the client’s expectations. Viability is critical, but MMU can invest long-term and is agile enough to link capital to operational expend- iture to pursue radical solutions. It needs to be prudent, however. ‘When you agree to an expensive geothermal water system, the architect’s concept must be viable. We always do a full whole-life costing for 25 years to demon- strate cost-e—ectiveness to our governors,‘ says Brooks. In commissioning architects, MMU looks for individ- uals and particular skill sets. Design creativity is a given. It seeks excellent project management, quality assurance and the ability to manage relationships with the client and the contractor. It believes the client should not be bur- dened with safeguarding quality and solving problems. Brooks admires the profession, and is consistently im- pressed by the quality of its output. And, for a man who avers wittily that ‘value engineering should be avoided at

all costs’, the respect is mutual. PHOTOGRAPHS: HUFTON+CROW; POSITIVE IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHY

Client & Architect

40_RIBAClients_ADV.indd 40 05/08/2015 10:46 End piece 41 Frank Duffy

The school of hard knocks It’s otherwise known as learning together, observes Frank Duffy, as he wryly reflects on how his Strategic Study of the profession – which sowed the seeds for this report – was received 20 years ago

Over the five decades of my professional life wisdom, guidance and assistance. written, far too wordy, far too long and above the biggest mistake the architectural profes- I bear some responsibility for allowing all it does not deal with the key issue: Eng- sion in the UK has made (and I must admit this to happen. With a perhaps too optimis- lish architects coming to South Wales tak- I am partly responsible) has been to fail to tic belief in the persuasive power of what I ing the bread out of our children’s mouths.’ I anticipate and respond quickly and imagina- called ‘architectural knowledge’, that is to was saved, temporarily at least, by the next tively enough to a series of major contextual say data on and understanding of the relation speaker, who said, ‘I agree with my friend. and strategic challenges. between architecture and societal, as well as I come from North Wales and today I must In the early 1960s over half the members individual, aspirations and goals, I believed report that there are architects from South of our profession were still employed directly (and still do) that the architectural profession Wales coming to take the bread from our chil- or indirectly by central or local government ought to be able to play a central and powerful dren’s mouths!’ in the recovery after the destruction of the role in creating environments that anticipate It is in such schools of hard knocks that the Second World War and to build, by no means and respond to collective social as well as in- majority of us architects learn our lessons. unsuccessfully, the infrastructure of the wel- dividual and client requirements. Certainly, at that moment it would have fare state: housing, schools, universities, hos- I soon learned that there was – and re- seemed absurd to me to contemplate that 20 pitals and so on. mains – a long and hard road ahead before years later the work of the Strategic Study Even when I was RIBA President in the achievement of this aspiration. It wasn’t long might be regarded as sufficiently relevant early 1980s, I was only dimly aware that before I came face to face with a very different to inspire another RIBA president. That Ste- seismic economic and contextual change and much more old-fashioned reality. phen has chosen to pursue through his presi- was well under way. However, I initiated and With the help of many RIBA colleagues we dency the first of three parallel tasks within led what I optimistically called the Strategic had completed the Strategic Study. I thought the strategy’s action plan provides mixed Study, the implicit and not adequately ar- it was my duty to take its findings, carefully emotions, but in the most part it leaves me ticulated objective of which was to help the articulated in three stout volumes, to as many optimistic. profession navigate through the fundamen- of our members as possible. Consequently A passion and drive to build and share tal shift from centralised procurement and one dark wet Tuesday evening in February I architectural knowledge is to the bene- strong top down, governmental direction to found myself in an unprepossessing motel in fit of all architects, the profession as whole the emerging privatised ideological, com- Newport Gwent. The more I talked, the more and ultimately to clients. We all benefit. This mercial and operational context we know all idealistic, irrelevant and unwelcome my is not a once in a lifetime task. It is a contin- too well today. This new context has become presentation must have seemed to the small uous process. an almost totally commercial jungle in which and increasingly restive audience. Frank Duffy was RIBA President from 1993 to some very big and unruly beasts – I certainly As I finished, one particularly unhap- 1995. He was a founder of DEGW, the interna- don’t mean just architects – are free to roam py member stood up and brandished a copy, tional architectural and design practice. This and do what they will with, or much more saying, ‘This is the worst thing I have ever report owes a debt to his influential Strategic probably without, our profession’s collective seen coming out of Portland Place. It is badly Study of the profession during his presidency.

Client & Architect

41_RIBAClients_EndPiece.indd 41 05/08/2015 10:46 42 Validation Views from the industry

‘There’s no shortage ‘This welcome initiative ‘This is a brave step of design talent among highlights how vital it forward for the profession architects but what’s is that our consultants and we congratulate needed is greater understand the constraints the RIBA for taking the professionalism in we have to work with initiative on behalf of its delivery, in relationships and what we’re trying members. We welcome the and in overall to achieve. It’s like any opportunity to participate performance. Stephen other relationship. Getting in the discussion.’

Hodder’s proposition along is great. Working Richard Cook, head of residential reinforces the importance through differences is development, Lend Lease Europe of a consistent direction more challenging but to bring this about.’ ultimately more likely to ‘We congratulate the RIBA

yield meaningful results.’ for taking this initiative. Rab Bennetts, director, Bennetts Associates Architects Great design is part of the Isabel Allen, design director, HAB Housing reason we get out of bed ‘We value close every morning; we like collaboration with our ‘Stephen Hodder’s to push it, have some fun architectural partners proposition will help with the architects and and were very pleased the profession to get as much as we can to contribute as part of remain relevant in the out of every building.’

the working group to the construction industry Tom Bloxham MBE, chairman and co- discussion around what today. Architects not only founder, Urban Splash (supporters of the can be done to promote RIBA Client of the Year Award) should, but must lead the better engagement vision, respond positively ‘Good relationships between contractors to clients’ key drivers, come from shared values. and architects.’ and robustly manage its The best clients are those Colin Tedder, pre-construction delivery from inception that are ambitious for director, Bouygues UK to completion.’ the institutions they ‘Good design from Sean Cook, design director, Clivedale represent, willing to London great architects delivers challenge the design tangible, investible value team and be challenged for us. The mantra is no themselves for the benefit longer “location location of the project. Such clients become friends for life.’ location” but “design design design”.’ Cindy Walters, director, Walters & Cohen

Paul Williams, director, Derwent London

Client & Architect

42_RIBAClients_Validation.indd 42 05/08/2015 10:46 Acknowledgements 43 Without whom…

Many people have been involved in this project, more indeed than in the list below. Thank you all. There is one person I would like to single out. Thank you, Frank Duffy, for your work all those years ago. It provided a foundation on which to build the RIBA for Clients work. A special thank you to the Client Liaison Group: Nigel Ostime (chair), Hawkins\Brown; Paul Morrell OBE; Dale Sinclair, Aecom; Linda Stevens, RIBA; Bobbie Williams, RIBA. Stephen Hodder MBE

Contributors to the discussions Architects Practice; Alan Francis, Gaunt Francis Land Securities; Mark Pearce, The Workshop; David Adams, Willmott Dixon; Isabel Allen, Hab Architects; John Frankiewicz, Willmott Dixon; David James Pellatt, Great Portland Estates; Michelle Housing; Mark Allnutt, Thames Valley Housing Furniss, BNP Paribas; Ron German, Stanhope; Percy, Clouston Group; David Pierpoint, Centre of Association; Ayo Allu, Kier Construction; Shaun James Gibson, Sovereign; Nick Glendinning, Nest Refurbishment Excellence; Sunand Prasad, Penoyre Andrews, G L Hearn; Ruth Angel, London Borough Development Suffolk; Ty Goddard, Education & Prasad; Jack Pringle, Pringle Brandon Perkins + of Kensington & Chelsea; John Barnes, Historic Foundation; Janet Gough, Church Buildings Division Will; Mike Pringle, president, Royal College of GPs; Royal Palaces; Andrew Barraclough, Adapt (Wates); of the Archbishops’ Council; Shelagh Grant, The Andrew Pryke, BAM Design; Simon Rawlinson, EC Tim Battle, Rational House; Richard Beastall, TP Housing Forum; Alan Green, Ocean Housing; Mike Harris; Nick Raynsford MP; David Roberts, Igloo Bennett; Dan Benham, RSAW President, Loyn & Green, Education Funding Agency; Ben Greener, Regeneration; Mark Robinson, Kier Group; Sarah Co Architects; David Benson, Cardiff Metropolitan Heritage Lottery Fund; Karen Guthrie, The Love Robinson, Churches Conservation Trust; John University; John Betty, Stoke-on-Trent City Shack; Mark Hallett, Igloo Regeneration; Kathleen Robson, Abbeyfield Care Home; Nick Rogers, Taylor Council; David Birkbeck, Design for Homes; Hargreaves, Underbank House; David Harris MBE, Wimpey; Phil Rose, Laragh; Cllr Ruth Rosenau, David Bishop, Nottingham City Council; Claudine WRW Group; Geoff Haslam, Local Agenda; Duncan Stoke-on-Trent City Council; Menaka Sahai, Homes Blamey, The Crown Estate; Jane Briginshaw, Haydon, Seamans Builders/Haydon Holdings; Nick and Communities Agency; Brendan Sarsfield, Family Homes & Communities Agency; Michael Buchanan, Heath, LondonMetric; Phil Heenan, The Cabinet Mosaic; Harry Scarff, Cornerstone; John Seager, Galliford Try; Caroline Buckingham, UK Learning Office; John Hicks, Aecom; Dr John Hiley; Dr Michael Siglion; Nick Searl, Argent; John Sell, Historic / HLM Architects; Andrew Bugg, Knight Frank; Phiri, University of Sheffield; Martin Howe, Keystone Environment Forum; Adam Serfontein, Hanro; Jonathan Carey, Insall Architects; Tim Carey, Law; Andy Jackson, Heeley Development Trust; Christopher Shaw, Medical Architecture; Christine Sunesis (Willmott Dixon + Scape); Mark Castle, Steven Jenkins, EC Harris; Laura Johnson, London Sillis, Girls’ Day School Trust; Andrew Simpson, MACE; Paul Chandler, Skanska; Jim Chapman; Borough of Kensington and Chelsea; Mairi Johnson, Dominic Lawson Bespoke Planning; John Slaughter, Kevin Chapman, Lend Lease; Judith Cligman, Aecom; Jamie Johnston, Bryden Wood Architects; Home Builders Federation; Lyndsay Smith, Morgan Heritage Lottery Fund; Steve Clow, Hampshire Chris Kane, BBC Commercial Projects; Despina Sindall; Karen Stafeckis, Citu; Katie Sully, Siglion; County Council; John Cole, formerly with Health Katsikakis, Workplace Consultant; Gerald Kaye, Gavin Summerson, BRE; Nigel Sunter, Purcell UK; Estates Investment Group (Northern Ireland); Peter Helical Bar; David Keeley, Crossrail; David Kershaw, Adam Sutherland, The Love Shack; John Swinney, Cole, Hammerson; Steve Cole, National Housing Balfour Beatty; Alan Kondys, Vinci Construction Carillion; Jonathan Sykes, Sykes Property; Colin Federation; Matthew Conduit, Sum Studios; Richard UK; Fareen Lalani, Crest Nicholson; Richard Tedder, Bouygues UK; Simon Trew, Stride Treglown Cook, Lend Lease; Sean Cook, Clivedale London; Lavington, Maccreanor Lavington Architects; (Agilis); Dr Barry Trindall, Independent Consultant; Robert Dalziel, Rational House; Gillian Darley, 20th Benjamin Lesser, Derwent London; Karl Limbert, Andrew Tuck, Lloyds Banking Group; Callum Century Society; Adrian Davey, Cambridge and London Borough of Kingston; Oliver Lines, Aspire; Tuckett, Laing O’Rourke; Huw Turner, Associated County Developments; Rob David, Cumbria Past; Barra Mac Ruairí, Bristol City Council; Mike Major, British Ports; Charlotte Upton, Lakeland Arts; Kath Davies, Arts Council of Wales; Sue Dawson, Skanska; Larry Malcic, HOK London; Dominic Richard Upton, Cathedral Group and Director of Lancaster and Westmorland Society of Architects; Martin, Communities and Local Government; Cllr Development Securities; Neil Usher, BskyB; Andy von Stephen Day, Barratt London; Alastair Dick-Cleland, Nick McDonald, Nottingham City Council; Steve Bradsky, PRP Architects; Jane Wade, 21st Century Landmark Trust; Kate Dore, Yorkshire Artspace; McGuckin, Turner & Townsend; Richard Meier, Schools CEW; Mark Wakeford, Stepnell; Jon Nicholas Doyle, Adecoe; John Dyer, Savills; Alex Ely, Argent; Paul Mercer, Tangram Architects; Keith Wallsgrove, The Ministry of Justice; Gordon Watson, mae; Alexi Marmot, Alexi Marmot Associates; Andy Millay, Steffian Bradley Architects; Gregor Mitchell, Lakeland Arts; Nick Watson, Lend Lease; Simon Fallon, University of Sheffield; Donald Farquharson, be:here Limited; Phil Nedin, Arup; Nigel Oseland, Wilkes, Legal & General; David Williams, Savills; Nick Kent County Council; Hugh Feilden, Feilden and Workplace Unlimited; Ian Parfitt, RPA Investments; Williams, Pocket Living; Ilona Woodhead; Jonathan Mawson; Peter Forsyth, Carillion; Simon Foxell, The Nick Parkinson, Hill Residential; Kiran Pawar, Woodhead; John Worrall, Cardiff County Council.

Client & Architect

43_IBC_RIBAClients_Acks.indd 43 05/08/2015 10:47 RIBA 66 Portland Place London W1B 1AD

44_OBC&SPINE_RIBAClients.indd 44 05/08/2015 10:48