Don’t Ask-Just Take the Lead

by John D. Morris, II, AIA

I’ve just returned from a Washington meeting of the AIA State Government Network, a group of us from all 50 states that meets twice a year to talk about the hottest legislation that affects us all, and what to do about it.

This year there is a lot of hand wringing over the increasing popularity of project delivery by “CM at Risk,” in which a construction management team delivers an architect-designed project with a maximum price guarantee (GMP). Panic is arising among the architects because, frequently, the owner hires the CM to coordinate the entire project, including hire the architect, thus marginalizing the architect and his or her ability to perform in the best interests of the owner and the project.

There was lively discussion by a frustrated majority about how to counter this trend by supporting the idea of “design-led design-build,” and how DBIA, the Design Build Institute of America formed a few years ago by the construction industry, likes having AIA on its board, but basically ignores us.

My comment to the assembled, and to each of us, is: “Why should they give us the lead?” We talk and talk about how and why we should lead, but from the rest of the world’s perspective, why should anyone entrust a multimillion-dollar project to an architect who isn’t willing to take on the task of determining probable project costs before the design begins, and identifying the hard choices that need to be made, from Day One? The simple fact of the matter is that in today’s world, this is what people are looking for. When we spend money, don’t we do the same?

We advocate for design-led design-build, but won’t step up to the plate to lead. If we want to lead, we’ve got to step up and do it, not wait for an engraved invitation. The world would love it. But whining it doesn’t. There is a huge need out there for architects to embrace the real world, to expand their competency to the point of being able to put together total project development programs with budgets that are real and reflect a genuine commitment to respect them.

None of this suggests, as the saw goes, that this means forsaking design integrity, wonderful details and finishes. On the contrary, when an owner comes to realize and understand that you really are serious about keeping him within budget, an element of trust and confidence emerges that most often results in requests for the very upgrades you always wanted, except now, because the owner has the choice of electing them or not, he chooses them with exuberance instead of quiet resentment.

Best of all, we stand to gain, rather than lose, value and respect. And that we can savor.

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