At this year’s AIA Leadership Summit in Washington D.C., President Kimberly Dowdell proposed to those in attendance from around the country that there should be a chief architect working for the government at the local or state level. In New York City, we have the Department of Design and Construction, the School Construction Authority, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. These agencies have teams of architects working on or managing projects, and each agency has a standard of design excellence that is expected for city or state projects.

Why the need for an architect in such a specialized position? Speaking from my experience as the Passaic County Architect in the State of New Jersey, I can attest there are significant benefits. Passaic County comprises 186 square miles, and contains county and administrative buildings, as well as historic and park structures—in short, there is always a job to be done. I work directly with and for the legislative body, in my case the county commissioners and county administrator. Counties incorporate townships, boroughs, and cities within their boundaries. Taxpayers also live within the county boundaries. The architect working directly for local government is, in a way, directly accountable to the taxpayers. Projects may get funded by bonds or grants, but, most of the time, matching funds are supplied indirectly through taxpayer money. The architect is accountable for planning the final design, managing the project, and ultimately ensuring there is a good outcome.

An architect working directly for the local or state government cannot do it all, however, due to the scope and magnitude of certain projects. We create our own Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for consulting services from other architects, engineers, and associated disciplines. We develop partnerships with consulting architects and work together on the design concept, programming, the public bidding process, construction administration, and close-out.

It can be hard for architects, even those from a large firm, to get a public agency to provide answers during the design or construction process, because they are viewed as a private entity. State, county, and city architects have more leverage with agencies because their client base—the taxpayers—is so extensive. When public utility companies or public agencies need to provide answers or complete important parts of a construction project, we can move that process along. If more architects worked directly for local government throughout the nation, both parties would better understand what needs to be done to move important civic projects forward efficiently. There would also be a greater understanding of when and where there are public agency staffing shortages, which can slow down the process in getting approvals and permits. Staffing availability can be worked into project schedules and, in a reciprocal nature, help save money for the project and the government entity.

If more architects worked directly for local government throughout the nation, both parties would better understand what needs to be done to move important civic projects forward efficiently.

It is understandable that architects want private work and associated fees to keep their firms growing and successful. They may want their projects featured in a magazine article—and win some design awards to boot. Architects employed in the public sector may not experience the spotlight, but they do have the satisfaction of knowing that when a project is done, it has been done right under their guidance. Moreover, architects working directly for local and state governments typically enjoy job and compensation security—though the political climate can impact job security. While an economic recession affects the private sector, an architect working directly for the public sector can be impacted if the political wind shifts legislators in power from one party to the next. Indeed, a state, county, or local architect can be at the mercy of the agenda of the new party in control. San Francisco has gotten it right by incorporating the position of city architect into the laws of the city. In addition, its city architect is also the deputy director of Public Works for Building Design and Construction.

Architects play a crucial role in designing buildings that serve the public. Working with local or state governments can be tough at times; bureaucracy affects everything, including budgets and the payment of invoices. The city, county, or state architect is the bridge to making our profession accountable to the public.

 

Andrew Thompson, NOMA, AIA, LEED AP BD+C is the Passaic County Architect in New Jersey, with projects ranging from historic preservation to building renovation. He has worked in the public sector with organizations including the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the City University of New York. Awarded AIA New Jersey Architect of the Year for 2021, Thompson is a member of the NOMA Council and the current president-elect for AIA New Jersey.

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