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  #1  
Old Posted Sep 19, 2010, 8:17 PM
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Bidding process / Architectural Design

Hello,

I am interested in learning more about the bidding process in architecture. I understand many developers start by reaching out to a number of architectural firms, and whichever provides the best solution wins, correct?

1)
Now what type of material is submitted by the architects in this initial phase of the project? I am sure they do not send a full book of floor drawings, but probably more general info such as renderings etc.. correct?

2)
Let's say I am an architect, and I'd like to be considered for the city's new big project. Am I allowed to pitch my design, or is the bidding mostly restricted to a select few?

3)
What kind of guidelines do the developers provide to the architects? Square footage, height...what else do they have to work with?

Thanks.
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Old Posted Sep 19, 2010, 10:51 PM
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Sometimes the future client sends out a public Request for Proposal or Request for Qualifications (Quals) to which either the architecture firm will put together a presentation document of floorplan concepts, renderings, cost breakdowns, project timelines, prospective contractors or subs, and a company organizational chart (if requested). RFQ's are much easier because it's basically your company's portfolio of work and past experience, who you have on staff, and certifications you have, etc.

This is a VERY general description, hope it helps.
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  #3  
Old Posted Sep 20, 2010, 12:37 AM
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Developers often hire the people they had on the last job. They often have competitions too.

Many large corporations and institutions (hospitals, universities) have formal processes, particularly if they're publicly-traded or receive public funding. Governments always have formal processes for major projects, in my part of the world at least. These can involve multiple steps, committees of reviewers, and complex scoring systems.

A general standard is that architect proposal will involve at minimum a cover letter, resumes of the project team, company project experience, some type of company bio, business terms (such as hourly rates), and architectural philosophy. There will generally be an interview stage after that.

Some clients will ask for ideas about design concepts. Clients are more likely to do this if they've studied the zoning and have a clear concept for what they want to do. If they haven't, and they don't provide some guidelines in the RFP, then they'd be asking competitors to design in a vacuum, and they'd get apples and orangutans back.

There are many different ways to hire designers. In some areas, "design-build" is common. This involves hiring an integrated architect/engineer/contractor team, often led by the contractor. With design-build, there's usually a qualifications stage to cut the list down to three or four teams, then each team submits a design concept and price.
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Old Posted Sep 21, 2010, 3:00 PM
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I have a series of lectures that details the basics of this process if you're interested
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Old Posted Sep 24, 2010, 10:34 AM
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Thank you for all your replies. Yes I'd gladly take a look at your lectures, Zerton.

Basically, I am an Industrial Designer, not an architect. I design Products such as electronics, and high-end products such as wristwatches for a number of prestigious clients. My career is on the way up.

My target is the opposite of Philippe Starck, who started as an architect and now makes all kinds of products under his own trademark.

I am interested in designing buildings, but I do not necessarily want to study architecture to get there. I am looking for ways to make this possible.

Does any of you know if Architectural firms hire "Designers" at all, since they do not really have as much "creative/artistic" power...?

Thank you.
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Old Posted Sep 24, 2010, 10:40 AM
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Originally Posted by oracle View Post
Basically, I am an Industrial Designer, not an architect. I design Products such as electronics, and high-end products such as wristwatches for a number of prestigious clients. My career is on the way up.
As you mean already being very rich, not a problem, make your own architecture office and sells the projects away. Because if you have your studies in Pasadena paid and your family came from Geneve, not really a bad start at all ... So why concerning writing in this forum ?
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  #7  
Old Posted Sep 24, 2010, 4:24 PM
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Originally Posted by oracle View Post
Thank you for all your replies. Yes I'd gladly take a look at your lectures, Zerton.

Basically, I am an Industrial Designer, not an architect. I design Products such as electronics, and high-end products such as wristwatches for a number of prestigious clients. My career is on the way up.

My target is the opposite of Philippe Starck, who started as an architect and now makes all kinds of products under his own trademark.

I am interested in designing buildings, but I do not necessarily want to study architecture to get there. I am looking for ways to make this possible.

Does any of you know if Architectural firms hire "Designers" at all, since they do not really have as much "creative/artistic" power...?

Thank you.
To be licensed you need to go through school and a period of years before you get your stamp.

You can still be a "lead designer" without being licensed. One route is to become renowned as a design icon to the point where your name makes a project more marketable, and then partnering with a real architect to handle the technical details. Or becoming a wealthy developer and hiring architects to assist you and take responsibility for (and stamp) the drawings. Another route that's probably defunct is to be an architect somewhere that doesn't require a license, and then act like my first option (such as Pritzker winner Tadeo Ando of Japan).

More realistically, there are probably some architecture firms that have theorists and creative thinkers that help their architects think through their designs and come up with ideas, but don't have technical roles. Other SSPers can speak to this more knowledgably....

I don't know how one type of engineering background translates to another. But an integrated design firm might have opportunities that blur the lines.
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Old Posted Sep 24, 2010, 4:44 PM
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Some of the best designers I know never went to school to be architects. It has alot to do with your eye for space and form. The technical stuff you can generally learn over time. A good friend of mine is a very technical architect and never went to school.

Most states do have a process by which you can attain an architectural license without going to architecture school. However, that generally becomes an issue of time. Going straight through architecture school (getting either a B. Arch or M. Arch), you then have to intern for at least three years, during which you can take your exams (a minimum total of 8 years). If you have less education, that state can determine how much extra time you have to work.

For example, I have a Bachelor's in Design (a 4 year architectural degree that is supposed to lead on to go on and get a Master's). Instead of going back to school, I worked. That state of California gave me 2.5 years educational credit for my 4 year degree, so I then had to work 5.5 years beyond school before I was eligible for licensure. So 8 years became 9.5.

So it can be done (and I know those who have done it), but it takes a minimum of 8+ years work. The exams are no picnic either.

On a positive note, if you're that good a designer, nobody will care if never went to school for it (provided you show adeptness at picking up the technical stuff). But getting the first job might be kind of difficult.
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Old Posted Sep 24, 2010, 6:47 PM
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Interesting. If you go without an architectural-related degree, do you still need a degree of some kind? Is that subjective on the state's part?
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Old Posted Sep 30, 2010, 10:56 AM
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Originally Posted by M.K. View Post
As you mean already being very rich, not a problem, make your own architecture office and sells the projects away. Because if you have your studies in Pasadena paid and your family came from Geneve, not really a bad start at all ... So why concerning writing in this forum ?
Not what I meant; I'm nowhere near being a developer, that is not my field, and do I do not have the millions for that, as you suggest. However, I want to leverage what I have (great, well published designs) to get into architectural design.
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  #11  
Old Posted Sep 30, 2010, 11:03 AM
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You can still be a "lead designer" without being licensed. One route is to become renowned as a design icon to the point where your name makes a project more marketable, and then partnering with a real architect to handle the technical details. Or becoming a wealthy developer and hiring architects to assist you and take responsibility for (and stamp) the drawings. Another route that's probably defunct is to be an architect somewhere that doesn't require a license, and then act like my first option (such as Pritzker winner Tadeo Ando of Japan).
Thanks for the input; this seems like the best approach for someone outside of the field of architecture, who doesn't want to spend another decade studying.
I guess I'll have to work on my own "brand", making (I hope) more successful products and get to know developers / architects, then start with a few projects with them....

Having read, seen and talked to a few famous architects, I had the strong impression that they were more involved in the styling of the building: "the weight of the arch over the gate is like a feather held in balance by...etc etc" than being hunched over floor plans.

In other words, architects, if they're successful, move from purely technical to artistic/aesthetic.
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  #12  
Old Posted Sep 30, 2010, 11:07 AM
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Originally Posted by plinko View Post
Some of the best designers I know never went to school to be architects. It has alot to do with your eye for space and form. The technical stuff you can generally learn over time. A good friend of mine is a very technical architect and never went to school.

On a positive note, if you're that good a designer, nobody will care if never went to school for it (provided you show adeptness at picking up the technical stuff). But getting the first job might be kind of difficult.
Yeah right? I went to I.D. school, studied for 6 years, then had to start from the very bottom, litterally scraping floors with the roaches. Then you see a few guys with absolutely no studies or degree in I.D. who have good jobs, no matter how much their work sucks. I think personnality, charisma and social skills are 80% of it...we need to work on that.
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  #13  
Old Posted Sep 30, 2010, 4:18 PM
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Interesting. If you go without an architectural-related degree, do you still need a degree of some kind? Is that subjective on the state's part?
You don't necessarily have to have any degree, but it depends on the state.
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