Nothing can be more inspiring for a budding architect than listening to a successful designer explaining designing as “an opportunity for magical realism, where things are at once familiar but different. Where arches bow, and the door handles reach out to shake your hand as you approach the space.”
As the architecture students progress through their semesters, they are eager to join the world of professional designers and deliver something unique, something mesmerising. They want to believe that “architecture isn’t just methodology and science; it’s a chance to invent another reality.” However, the reality that awaits them on the other side of university can be quite different from what they have been dreaming of for the past five years.
The idealist will argue that “architecture can’t always be practised as a formula. It’s also an art form that can be infused with personality and emotion.” But in the real world, where project abundance lies, the personality and emotion in question belong to the people who call the shots—the developers!
In the world of development, there are no “seamless blends of fantasy and reality.” The only things that blend seamlessly are demand and supply, and the focus is on who can place the right product in the market before others. What sells most, matters most and what sells today at a premium might have to sell at a discount tomorrow! Drenched in romanticism, the young architect dreams to mingle the “whiffs of once upon a time with hints of tomorrow,” but the market wants the scent of today with the assurance of the day after tomorrow.
Being in the industry for some time now, this is what I have observed. Developers like the master chefs want to maintain the core recipe of a successful or signature dish. If they were fortunate to discover the magic sauce, why mess with that except for a very high level variation. Here are the five cardinal rules any successful developer adopts for their commercial residential market offerings:
Unit Size & mix: Study the target audience and establish the ticket price to arrive at the right unit sizes. Maintain the mix that sells. Typically Studio: 5%; 1 Bedroom: 40%; 2 Bedrooms: 45%; and 3-4 Bedrooms/ penthouses etc: 10%;
Design repetition: Retain the core of a successful design, making only minimal adjustments.
Prime views: If one room can face the sea, it must be the living room.
Maximise typical floors: More typical floors mean more efficient construction, easy for the sales team.
Minimise variation: Less variation in unit types simplifies the construction process, joinery & modular units and appeals to a broader market.
Understanding of each of these rules is crucial for meeting market demands and striking the right balance to ensure commercial success of a project. Details could be the subject for another post and for another day.
While this practical approach may seem disheartening to young architects, it’s essential to understand that creativity and market demands can coexist. Balancing the artistic vision of architecture with the practical demands of the market is a challenging yet essential skill for evolution as a successful professional. By understanding both perspectives, young architects can navigate their careers more effectively and find ways to infuse creativity within the boundaries of reality.
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