Chapter One

* THE PHYSICAL OFFICE

The physical plant of the architectural office has begun to take on a new look. The firm that once worked only in a local community now has a global reach. Where proximity once limited the opportunity for a client to access global talent, the computer, transportation, and communications technology allow for interviews based on architectural ability rather than proximity. It is no longer necessary to select an architect in one's immediate community, because technology allows for virtual meetings around the globe.

It is not one firm, but many that may construct drawings in a collaborative effort based on the ebb and flow of the size of the project. The result is that any firm, of any size, can join another to achieve an assigned task. Today, network does more than just describe a system of communication; it also describes the architect's role. An individual may work on a drawing halfway around the world, while at the project location it is the middle of the night. Redlines, or corrected drawings, can be marked up electronically and sent via email for the next work shift, resulting in two times the production in half the normal time. An architecture firm that specializes in design can partner with another firm that specializes in construction documents.

Architecture is a small crafts industry in which most offices employ one to four people. A home office may also be part of the office structure. A single drafter may be hired by two or more firms, in which case the office becomes a docking station for electronic project information, such as co