So Where Do We Go From Here?

It goes without saying that the current economic crisis has affected the building industry adversely as can easily be seen by the stagnation of infrastructure being commissioned, developed or completed.

A few years ago, almost every square inch of usable space in the office was committed to more cubicles as architects hired more employees to join the design team. If you were a half-way decent architecture graduate out of collage, you were sure of a job. Now, most offices are ghost spaces with a large percentage of staff having been let go. When I'm at work, I now hear sounds I've never heard before like Eric's dry smoker's cough, because its so much more quiet in the office. Still a few firms have held fast, the HKS' and SOM's of the world are still doing well though HKS' hiring frenzy has come to a screeching halt.

So in the current predicament, I often wonder how soon things will pick up. If Obama is offering tax breaks to businesses who hire new employees, will architects begin to hire again even in the absence of tenable work? When I talk to my peers, I get varying responses. Some feel that in this period where high-budget private commissions have disappeared, government sponsored projects will ensure that there is no more lavish construction of "useless" buildings ie highrise mixed-use which in their opinion, we already have enough of from Coast to Coast. They feel that Obama's infrastructure plan will create more projects of "needed" construction such as new hospitals, schools, bridges and roads. "The projects will be purer and more noble," they argue. As if the private sector brings out baser side in architects. "Pure" and "Noble" are also two adjectives I've never heard applied to buildings before.

It is all well and good to hope for Obama to jolt some life into our business but how long will this all take? Unless we all believe the moron Chip Saltsman that Obama is indeed a "magic negro," projects from the infrastructure program will not materialize overnight. Another question I have is just what it will do to the economy if the federal government is the largest client in the building construction industry? It really hasn't worked out too well for countries like Japan and Italy. Though more architects argue that Japan has produced the "best and most community serving" buildings in recent years because the government is a major client in construction. "The best?" I don't know about that.

I think we need more confidence in the market right now and then begin more design build projects against the future. Things will indeed pick up again but for now I guess we have to join the ranks of those companies waiting for a bailout except that we are looking for projects thrown our way and not money though I don't think any of us would turn the latter down.

Image obtained from www.mysdscience.ning.com