Suggestions and Comments Blog

This is a page for suggestions about the content of the wiki and the direction it will take.

 Perhaps you have an idea for a new page or subject to add?

Or, perhaps you think that there should be more involvement from the RAIA or perhaps the wiki should be thrown open to the public in a wikipedia style rather than being largely edited by RAIA members?

Or, perhaps there is something else you think the wiki should do?

Simply double click the page and the editor will open and you can place your suggestions. Please provide your initials and location as a minimum with your suggestions. You may also like to comment on suggestions made on this page.

Please add your suggestions below................

EB, NSW: what do you think about a page to notify people of upcoming competitions (national and international), for both architects and architecture students. There are so many different competitions out there, but sometimes it's difficult to know they are on, and then before you know it they've been and gone.

Administrator: Done EB

 The Relevance of Architects

 Q: Are architects relevant at all in todays society? Builders, draftspeople, virtually anybody can design a building. Do architects add anything to the building process? Many say the process of designing a good building is easy and can be achieved by anybody. Is a building just the four walls and thats it and as long as it is big enough that it will be acceptable? What do you think?

Administrator

From Don Osborne - 15/10/08 11:58

 That's a very simplistic view of building that can't be sustained. There are too many factors/complications to consider when designing/building that unless you are a specialist, then you are virtually doomed to failure.

The architect is the only trained professional with adequate training across a broad spectrum of issues connected with building, from the design process to land use planning and legal issues right through to building materials (new and tried/tested methods) and budget/cost controls allied to site performance/building standards.

Add the aspects of: dealing with beauracracy's like councils, lending authorities, selecting only environmentally sustainable materials,  ensuring the building performs within energy effecient parameters and bringing ALL these factors together homogeniously, then thge role of an architect is often very much understated and/or misunderstood.

Are peoples perceptions of architects  simplistic or are they just not understood ?

Are peoples experiences with architects of a positive outcome ?