ruminations about architecture and design

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

defining architectural service

A client commented that they expect to receive a "final and complete design" and would not pay their bill until we delivered on this.

There is no "final and complete design" in architecture--or any artistic or technical process. The design is a fluid and always incomplete description of a future state. Certain arbitrary milestones, which are reached by consensus or fiat, signify a temporary state of completion, but finality should never the be objective. Even the endpoint of a construction or assembly period should be used as an opportunity to make a critical commentary on the success of the design.

Something on paper means nothing if it doesn't reach the right person.

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