Meaningful Development: Value Producing Architecture

Abstract

I identify as a design-oriented entrepreneur, or "archipreneur." Most architects find themselves serving clients who ultimately make the key decisions. The architects of the 21st century should seek to strategically develop their projects as multi-faceted investments for themselves, their communities, and the environment. By taking on an entrepreneurial attitude of practice, projects can be developed with a sensitivity to issues deemed important by the designer, in addition to the obvious economic parameters. This strategy not only empowers architects to develop work they find meaningful, but it allows them to secure a less encumbered position upon outside resources - potentially leading to revenue streams greater than those from typical fee for service models.

Following thorough market and contextual analysis, entrepreneurial designers can seek to create spaces that positively impact their immediate environment in a variety of ways. Areas of importance, such as: community investment, sustainable design, site sensitivity, and social responsibility can be the driving forces - instead of afterthoughts. These principles, paired with a design-oriented business plan, can yield meaningful and profitable developments, This is where good development can emerge. From a situation where traditional solutions are neither desired nor feasible, the archipreneur's creativity can evolve unhindered to resolve issues in non-traditional ways.