CORA POSITION PAPER
Please read the below “Blue-Sky Vision” story and then take the CORA Position Paper Survey. This story is an optimistic vision of the small residential practice of tomorrow that could evolve from the CORA Position Paper dialogue. Each position is covered in the narrative; which is then followed by a brief outline of the positions regarding potential roadblocks that face small practices today. By removing the roadblocks that each CORA Position alludes to, a small practice might be better equipped to survive a severe downturn in the economy such as the one we are facing today. That's what we think.
What do you think? We want to hear from you.
The CORA PositionsWe believe that the sustainability of small architectural practices is jeopardized because of a series of impediments that could be rectified with the support and actions on the part of professional organizations, governing agencies, and related academic and journalistic institutions to bring about the following changes:
1) Enhancement of Licensure2) Multi-discipline Career Encouraged
3) Continuing Education Reform
4) Automatic LEED Status
5) Curricula Reform
6) Regional Re-alignment
7) Residential Practice is Unique
8) Style-Blind Critiques
CORA Blue-sky Architectural Practice
(Instructions: Follow the story and refer to the positions as they are numbered. The positions, listed after the story, are changes that could be made to our practice over time.)
A young architect-in-training graduated from an accredited school three years ago and is now completing her fifth year of an apprenticeship under a licensed architect. Her first two years of apprenticeship happened simultaneously with her last two years of architectural studies. During her apprenticeship, she has had hands-on training with not only architectural design and specification services but also with construction. (5) She has been a student member of the AIA ever since she entered architecture school. Upon completion of her apprenticeship she is tested and certified by the AIA as an expert in her industry. She will now be recognized as having achieved the highest level of certification in architecture; surpassing any other current or future design certification from any other organizations. (4)
Now a certified Architect, she will be eligible to apply for licensure to practice architecture anywhere in the United States (assuming she meets any additional testing that an individual state may require). She realizes that one day only licensed architects will be considered qualified to provide architectural services, especially in the field of practice she plans on focusing on: residential architecture. (1) As it happens, she is particularly talented at both interior and exterior residential design solutions that follow the principles of American classical architecture. She has already won acclaim from a national architectural magazine for her academic work creating virtual reproductions of period rooms in the Queen Anne Style. (8) Now her talents will be recognized by her colleagues through her participation in a variety of local and national competitions that recognize the diversity of aesthetics that all architects pursue.
She dreams of owning a small practice in her small town where she hopes to provide all the architectural services she excels in—from interior restoration to new construction. (2) Knowing that it might be difficult to regularly update her knowledge of the state-of-the-industry in a small town, she finds a nearby university that is qualified to provide the necessary continuing education courses in one-day sessions. And, happily, those courses are offered free of charge. (3) Of course, running any small business is a challenge, but she is comforted to know that she will have the support of her local AIA Chapter which has the resources and experience to help her. Her local AIA Chapter also has a powerful regional presence, which will be useful when she is faced with the political challenges of coordinating with various governing agencies. (6) Even though the region where she is practicing architecture is struggling economically, she is confident that she can make a go of it because the nation places a high emphasis on the importance of residential architectural services for the health and welfare of all people, regardless of their income. (7) The circle will be complete when she can afford to take on an intern; one like herself who is proud to have chosen her profession as a residential architect.