Unlicensed Architects: Why does it feel bad to be right?
This is the first of a few posts I am going to write on all the emotion and confusion surrounding the word architect: unlicensed architects, who can be called an architect, the licensing process itself, other industries co-opting the term architect, and other related topics. Future posts will aim to approach these questions from a few different angles. There’s a really interesting conversation exploring this topic over on LinkedIN. Check it out. The example I use below comes from that discussion. I’m really curious what other people think about this. If someone is inspired, I’d love some guest bloggers to share their thoughts. Send me an e-mail.
Math Time!
Here is a math equation that should bother everyone connected to the construction industry, whether or not you agree with what it all adds up to. I’ll explain below.
The Practice of Architecture & Use of Title “Architect” in New York (legal stuff)
+
Person calling himself an Architect in many locations online (1 , 2 , and 3)
+
Person missing from this list
=
Crime, chargeable as up to E felonies and subject to criminal proceedings
(N.Y. Educ. Law § 6514)
Following the logic of this equation, these institutions are accomplices to a crime, and subject to the same punishments. Right?
Accomplice One – Accomplice Two – Accomplice Three – Accomplice Four – Accomplice Five
I don’t wish this guy or these institutions any harm, but I have conflicting emotions about all this. I wish our schools and publications would take the value of a license and the terminology more seriously. I know our education prepares us for all sorts of professions, but not everyone who goes to architecture school gets to call themselves an architect because they like the sound of it. At least not in the USA. Language is powerful, and cues are taken from those with more clout than us.
But, is the law wrong? Am I wrong to not feel the law is wrong? Is the law okay, but the punishment too severe? Should laws like this go away because the offenses are too wide spread and ubiquitous? Why police something everyone is doing anyways? It’s just a little white lie. I mean this particular guys is not really soliciting work as an architect, I don’t think (though that doesn’t exempt him from the law). And even if he is, it’s not like that is affecting the health, safety, or welfare of anyone. It’s just a victimless crime, right? This guy isn’t hurting anyone by claiming to be an architect. Except maybe your student loans aren’t getting paid off as fast as they could because you have a shitty job as an intern at a firm that doesn’t have enough work because firms run by people without the debt of getting licensed or licensing obligations can circumvent the requirements that are holding licensed firms back. Or when people want to talk to an architect they interview anyone who calls himself an architect, and not actual licensed architects who have different perspectives. I don’t know. Or maybe we should just laugh and be proud that people think it makes them seem more important if they call themselves an architect. After all, Nothing is Higher than Architect.
Half the time I feel like a monster that I think people like this should be confronted. The other half I feel like a wimp for not standing up and speaking out about people devaluing licensed professionals. And all the time I don’t get why telling non-architects to stop calling themselves architects makes me feel like I am infringing on their rights, rather than the reverse.
When you introduce yourself to someone at a party, what do you say you do? After many long years, my answer became very easy. Then it got complex again. But we’ll talk about that in a future post. Subscribe to my blog to read more about the tricky world of being an Architect in the 21st century: Shoegnome on Facebook, Twitter, and the RSS feed.
Patrick May
I too have mixed feelings about this subject. I do not call myself an architect, except to those who ask what I do then look confused when I tell them I am a residential designer. The firm I work for does not practice architecture, this does not keep sites that list us, unsolicited, as architects (directories like yellow pages, builders associations, etc.). This has been an issue in the past. My boss has actually had issues with work done legally as a designer in cooperation with a licensed engineer on light commercial projects.
I think there are some licensed architects have who have a bit of a vendetta against unlicensed designers, wether they practice within the legal realm of their limited field or not (essentially hunting these designers down, looking for something to go wrong). This example you provided is a clear case of this person promoting themselves as an architect, not a designer. Its hard to police everything anyone could possibly write about you, but this is a case of this person writing about himself as an architect.
I can relate to a person WANTING to be an architect, but the narrow avenues to that goal are difficult and expensive. I started down that road and was halted by the economic shit storm. That doesn’t mean that I’m going to say “well I got close enough, I’m an architect now”; I may pursue licensure later in life, but for now I am a designer working strictly on residential projects and thats all I really want out of design right now.
I would hope that someone who claims to have gone through architecture school would know better than to call themselves an architect if he is not. That was driven into me in several of my courses in architecture school. Damn, architects have a lot of rules (can’t call your firm x-architectS if you only have one licensed designer, cant use the term if your not an architect…)
sorry for the long post/rant, but just had to share my experience and opinions.
Jared Banks
Patrick, thanks for the great response. Always happy to hear your thoughts.
Brian Paletz (@bpaletz)
This is one subject I have never wavered on in my college and professional career. To me it’s pretty simple, if you are a licensed architect, you can then call yourself one, if you’re not, you can’t. I agree with the comment above, you can’t police everything everyone else says, but the example you show simply isn’t that.
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John Bear Rambo
I’m an unlicensed “architect” (dropped out of a dual Architecture, and Urban & Regional Planning master’s program); currently not practicing but in the process of entrepreneurship within the field.
I refer to myself by a few titles; “environmental designer”, “principal placemaker” and “lead bioneer” (to be determined). My goal is to develop a small Eco-Community and Eco-Retreat; “Biodiver.City: A Project in Placemaking”
A small, self-sustaining community; more of a neighborhood, a “contrada”, if you will. Ecologically-friendly, low-impact, carbon-neutral, and off-grid. It will employ renewable sources of energy harnessing and production, as well as eco-friendly waste management, and water treatment and reuse systems.
It will utilize locally sourced, naturally-occurring resources as well as reclaimed historic construction materials. Architecturally, it will be influenced in design by various historic (Old World) styles,
It will be green in every sense of the word; with vegetation engulfed, walkable streets, much of it wild edibles. And it will rely upon personal and community horticulture and small-scale agriculture.
It will be traditional in character; aesthetically pleasing, skillfully-crafted, academically-oriented and culture-rich. It will be happy and healthy.
Imagine small townhomes and cottage-like homes; a small hostel/bed & breakfast; possibly a micro-winery and restaurant to serve guests and residents (supplied by the local agriculture). I would also construct small cottages and cabins, as well as yurts and tipis, and even bare tent sites as part of the Nature-Camping Retreat.
I’ve considered, as a personal endeavor such as this, that the titles and licensing I initially planned to achieve would not be necessary. I’ve also considered hosting workshops pertaining to various green building techniques and other areas of sustainable development and agriculture.
Thoughts?
Jared Banks
sounds like a place a lot of people would want to be a part of.
John Bear Rambo
Thank you, Jared. I’m hoping so. The right people, anyway.
Robyn
I think there should be more accredited schools for architecture. We have a university where I live but they do not offer any architecture programs. I would have to drive an hour and a half each way, every day to get any sort of degree. That would not work for me. I have a 4 year old autistic son who needs me. I think it’s unfair that there are not more options for older people seeking degrees. Every time I read anything about getting a degree in architecture it is geared to those who just graduated from high school and are mostly not tied down by any responsibilities. I have been designing houses since I was 7 years old. I had my first drafting table at 11. And it was given to me by an architect. I didn’t start using technology till I was in my early 20s because no one owed a pc until around that time. I was born in 1974. If you owned a computer (paper weight) in those days you were considered rich. I am now 40. I can honestly say I have been designing homes since I was 23 with a good knowledge of math and technology. That’s almost 20 years on my own (for my enjoyment only). But now I want to share my designs. I want to be a professional architect but can’t because there are no schools in my area. It’s ridiculous. Why are there not more options for people like me? Like online? Telecommuting is the green way isn’t it? It really saddens me that my dream cannot come true because of the lack of accredited schools. There has to be some alternative. And moving is not an option because of my husbands career.
Jared Banks
Robyn, thanks for the comment. I agree it seems like there should be some remote BArch and MArch programs out there. It is a huge untapped potential. Especially if it helps bring architects to remote (or underserved) areas and locations. If your primary interest is single family residential work though, the good news is you don’t NEED to have a license to do that work. Is there a way you can get a non-accredited degree, like an AA or some other degree from a local institution? It wouldn’t get you on the path to getting a license, but if it opens the door to working in a firm or setting up your own residential design business that might be all you need to explore and share your passion. This is the weird thing about designing buildings, depending on the scale of project and the relationship of the designer to the project team as a whole, an actual architecture license can be inconsequential to the process. Sometimes. So I say don’t let the lack of a local institution stop you from pursuing the dream now. There are so many examples of people successfully doing what you want to do without the “proper” education. Find another way to get the experience and knowledge you need and go for it!