ABSTRACT
The architectural profession has undergone more changes in the last decade than it has done through the rest of its existence. The pressures on the architect and the professional institutes in particular have been enormous and these bodies have reacted to Government and the public by removing many practices, some of which were deemed restrictive, and making quite significant changes to the understanding of the ‘professional ethic’. The main changes have been:
(a) The removal of the mandatory fee scale. (b) Allowing fee tendering. (c) Allowing architects to become Directors of contracting companies. (d) Allowing architects to trade as Limited or indeed Public Companies. (e) Allowing architects to advertise and market their abilities
These have all had a tremendous impact on architects. Not surprisingly many have organised their firms in such a way as to benefit from the removal of such restrictions and the economic growth during the 1980’s meant that such practices increased in size very significantly. Managing this growth has been the problem, but the downturn in the construction industry during 1990 has meant that architects must learn to manage
without affecting the quality or morale of the organisation.
