What does organization have to do with landing new clients? Managing Director Inger Kammeraat and Strategy and Development partner Jan Knikker at MVRDV believe a well-structured workplace is the foundation you need to attract, win and retain your ideal clients. In this Best Practice interview, they explained how they structure their firm to facilitate a healthy pipeline of new projects. They talked about how they use PR to drive business development, how they balance profit with their...

Running a new business is difficult, whether you're starting with a blank slate, rebranding, or splitting off from a larger entity. The key to success often lies in developing order in the form of a consistent set of principles and practices. During Section Cut, Adam Gayle of Level Architecture + Interiors explained how strategic processes will not only help you organize your practice, but take it to the next level.

Architects can often feel pulled in two opposing directions. On one hand are the client's desires and needs, and on the other hand is the architect's personal creativity and aesthetic. However, it is possible to keep professionalism and creativity in balance. During Section Cut, Steve Perce of bldg.collective shared his tips for achieving the best of both worlds.

Best practices in any industry change quickly. Flexibility and agility often make the difference between remaining cutting edge and falling behind the curve. During Section Cut, Lorena Galvao, co-founder of Defining Design Practice, explained why adaptability is so critical within the architecture industry.

Happy clients are a key ingredient to running a successful architecture business. Positive client experiences are important: when you do it right, you'll secure referrals and repeat business for your firm. During Section Cut, Lucas Gray and Dena Alspach of Charrette Venture Group broke down how to kick off a great client experience before the project even begins—and keep it going past project close-out.

Growth doesn’t happen overnight. But how does it happen? For Principal Jennifer Orr and Office Manager Tiffany Rasco of the landscape architecture firm Studio Balcones, growth goes hand-in-hand with community outreach. In this Best Practice interview, they talk about the importance of creating designs rooted in the local landscape, collaborating with project partners, applying for community certifications and participating in diversity programs, and educating clients throughout the process.

The dream training of an architect isn’t siloed, repetitive work. It’s experiencing a whole range of different scales, different typologies, and different locales in their projects. Ennead Architects doesn’t use a typical studio-based organization for the architects and instead embraces the cross-fertilization of ideas and skills transfer that comes from everyone having a variety of work. Even the partners. In this episode, Ennead partners Molly McGowan and Thomas Wong let us in on how they...

If you get your architecture degree and get certified, that means your only choice is to design buildings, right? Wrong. Yet, many people don’t realize that there are several paths to choose from until they stumble into them in internships or early-career jobs. Within the industry there are many roles that have an impact on a project that have nothing to do with design, from project management to business development to marketing. And there are several other industries where an architecture...

In the architect-led design-build model, the architect is responsible not only for design but for construction as well. This represents a major shift from the traditional design-bid-build way of building projects. Yet it offers unique advantages on both the architect and client end, say Thomas Gluck and Stacie Wong, both principals at Gluck+. Most importantly, it makes for a smoother construction process and a better, beautiful building.

Whether you’re an architect, a designer, or any creative, you need people to buy into your idea. That’s what the Monograph growth team discussed in a recent Monograph Roundtable. The best way to get others on board? Build your idea into a compelling story—one that’s clear and gets the message across, but is also enveloped in passion.

Many traditional architecture practices are no longer sustainable. Firms that want to lead the path into the future will need to adopt new ways of thinking. In this Best Practice interview, Christian Stayner, Principal of Stayner Architects, explains how expanding your services, collaborating with consultants, and systemizing client interactions can help you create new models for the future of the industry.

When unexpected opportunities arise, sometimes it’s best to say yes and figure it out later. But in order to see the project through, you need to understand how to get to the finish line successfully. In this Best Practice interview, Nik Lahiri of Essel Environmental explores how to understand your metrics for success, know where you get your energy from, and set expectations for project milestones to build lasting client relationships.

Good workplace culture is highly sought after, but it’s hard to find and even harder to keep. So what’s the magical ingredient for an office culture your employees can’t stop talking about? Hard work. Good company culture doesn’t magically occur on its own; it’s carefully cultivated by every employee, from the top CEO down to the summer intern. During our latest Roundtable discussion, Chris Morgan, George Valdes, and Silvia Lee discussed the importance of office culture and what you can do to...

Not every architect should start their own practice. It comes down to how you want to spend your time. If you want to spend most of your time being an architect, don’t start a practice. Starting a practice requires you to spend time on business processes, marketing, sales, and most of all, thinking about money. From setting fees to planning for the future, there are many financial decisions you’ll have to make right from the start. In this Best Practice episode, Marilyn Moedinger, founder of...

Developers need a steady pipeline of projects to keep their businesses thriving. That means juggling multiple projects that are in various stages, from design to starting construction, to completing construction. To stay on target, you’re always balancing what you’re working on now with what comes next. In this episode, Scott Shnay of SK Development told us the rules they follow to steadily feed that pipeline while keeping their work top-notch, like working with great partners and sticking to...

Owning your career path can look like a lot of things. But at its core it’s about balancing two things: becoming an expert at what you do and knowing when and how to work with others. When you take ownership of your career, you move from taking cues from those above you to being proactive about your own learning and your own path. You start looking for ways to solve the problems around you, improve the lives of your team, and elevate the entire company along with yourself. In this Best...

Mentorship can take on many different forms. For a small office, it may work more like osmosis, with people working closely together and absorbing the knowledge of those around them. For a large office, it might need to be more structured where one person is in charge of guiding the career growth of their mentee through one-on-one meetings and lessons. Mentorship can encompass various things as well, like coaching, sponsorship, tutoring, or apprenticeship. With so many firms remaining fully...

When you think about design, data probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Yet, that’s exactly what you should be thinking about according to Bobby Fijan of Form Developers. Data, especially on the local level, offers invaluable insight into what people really want in a floor plan and what they’ll spend money on. That’s why you should seek out data early on as you begin a new project. Just keep in mind that it’s not the only important factor.

Burnout can decrease workplace efficiency, make employees sick, and even cause people to leave their careers. In the wake of the pandemic, workers are more likely than ever to suffer from burnout, so if you want to prioritize your health, you need to set firm boundaries to keep from wearing yourself and your employees out. In our first Roundtable discussion, four Monograph team members discuss what they do to maintain a healthy work-life balance and keep burnout at bay.

Owning the means and methods throughout the design and construction process can be challenging. This is especially true for new designers or architects who haven’t been involved in many projects before. How do you go about understanding your role, the client’s risk tolerance, and keep an open mind throughout the process? On Best Practice, NADAAA’s principals Nader Tehrani and Arthur Chang explain how they use collaboration and relationships with contractors to own the means and methods during...

Business development is everyone’s job. Every employee, regardless of level or title, can and should do their part to propel their firm forward — to new clients, interesting projects, and positive PR. That’s what Carrie Villani and Doug Gonzalez of LERA believe. In a recent Best Practice episode, they talked about how marketing can naturally be incorporated into your workday, helping to grow both the firm and your individual career.

The Bureau of Overseas Building Operations has high standards to meet. The buildings they design have to be secure, functional, and stand the test of time. The embassies and other facilities they design are 50-year buildings. They have to withstand a place’s climate, fit in with the local culture, and confidently represent the U.S. as an open nation. In this episode, Curtis Clay, the OBO’s director of architecture, discusses how the bureau designs buildings that will become legacies—and how...