BRIEF DESCRIPTION: A Project Architect is a fully competent professional Architect seasoned by many years of significant practice and experience. The Project Architect performs Architectural Design and Production work for Projects involving all stages of the Design, Documentation, Permitting, and the Construction Processes. The Project Architect may be assigned to coordinate Architectural work for an entire project or for a specific phase or element of a project. During all phases of the Project Delivery Process, the Project Architect coordinates and expertly delegates and distributes the creation, documentation and presentation of architectural, interior design and planning content intended to advance projects in the studio, and participates fully in the Design Process to research, explore and generate design solutions. This is an EXPERT LEVEL position that requires broad knowledge about project delivery, design and the art and science of building and contract documentation. This position requires extensive practical and relevant work experience following the completion of a Professional Degree in Architecture or a related Undergraduate Design Degree Program. Employees holding this position are strongly preferred to be licensed or actively seeking licensure in their respective design discipline [i.e., Architect, Interior Designer and Planner.] At AB design studio (AB), the Project Architect is expected to work well with others in a highly effective, productive and focused manner on a multitude of project related tasks as assigned with great attention to project Scope, Schedule and Budget. The AB design studio Project Architect is expected to work independently or within Collaborative team settings successfully; when assigned to work involving Collaborative team efforts the Project Architect shall produce, delegate and supervise work efforts and workflows of small or large numbers of studio staff members. One of the fundamental roles of the Project Architect at AB is to manage and lead other individuals or groups, small and large, in the production of all phases of a project. Said another way, the Project Architect is expected to get other people in the studio to work through expert delegation, supervision and often mentorship. A Project Architect’s productivity is often measured by how much work he or she is able to delegate to others in the studio by distributing and supervising successful, timely and productive results. A Project Architect is expected to distribute and delegate work assignments through expert level communication, coordination and facilitation with focus on the required Standard of Care, AB Proven Processes and well established methodologies for deploying successful Design and Project Delivery work efforts. The Project Architect is expected to conceive and lead work efforts with adherence to and use of AB Proven Processes and current AB Standards, Architecture & Engineering (A&E) and Construction Industry Processed, Standards and Graphic Standards including, but not limited to, staffing, scheduling, and leading work shopping efforts and studio meetings or presentations using work planning efforts, critical path management (CPM), drawing, detailing, specification, cartooning (cartoon set production), redlining, document editing and markup, Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QAQC), supervision, coaching and mentoring.
A Project Architect is a team leader supporting the Principals, Project Managers, Project Captains and Project Designers. The Project Architect often receives project direction from the Principal in Charge and Project Manager. The Project Architect usually works in concert with a project manager who is responsible for the scope, schedule and budget of a project and the project team including all consultants (engineers, cost estimators, interior designers, landscape architects). Can be relied upon to present technical and design solutions directly to the Client or Principals. Works closely with the Project Manager and Project Captain to advance project efforts and phases. Coordinates with Project Manager, Project Captains and Project Designers to directly supervise and coordinate the team’s Design Process and Project Delivery efforts. May include special expertise roles and titles, such as specifications writer, waterproofing specialist, technical drawings & detailing specialist, code specialist, QA/QC expert, risk management expert, etc. The Project Architect, in partnership with the Project Manager, Project Captains and Project Designers, is accountable for defining and control of project scope including financial and schedule performance, defining design intent and ensuring design execution, and the facilitation and coordination of project team organization, productivity and communication. The Project Architect can occasionally assume the role of the Project Manager, but typically, the Project Architect is intended to be widely distributed throughout the studio and project teams to provide a highly experienced resource for Design Process and Project Delivery.
The Project Architect is expected, like the Project Manager and Senior Project Designer, to be capable of conceptualizing and visualizing projects in their ultimate complete state. Having experienced all phases of the Design Process and Project Delivery Process including Permitting, Documentation and Construction of a multitude of Project Typologies, the Project Architect is uniquely qualified to understand and see an “end-to-end” view on any given project with clear confidence backed by decades of “on the court” experience. The Project Architect is responsible for coordinating architectural work for entire projects or for specific phases or elements of a specific scope of a project. Typically, the role of the Project Architect includes attention to Design Execution, Design Intent, Firm wide Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) responsibilities and oversight and attention to industry requirements for Responsible Control and Standard of Care. Typically, Project Architects can provide a high-level support role to facilitate the Firm’s Bidding & Negotiations, Cost of Work Estimation and Construction Administration services. A Project Architect is responsible for overseeing the architectural aspects of the development of a design, production of the construction documents, and specifications, ensuring code compliance and graphically and technically correct deliverables. Responsible for the issuance and content of deliverables, technical content of the Firm’s documents and coordination of disciplines in the form of informal and formal submittals, including coordination of consultants and for the supervision of all staff producing documents. A project architect is the individual who is responsible for overseeing the architectural aspects of the development of the design, production of the construction documents ("plans") and specifications. The position generally involves coordinating the needs of a client, project teams, and outside consultants such as structural engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Civil Engineers and Landscape architects. The specific tasks of a Project Architect are usually associated with architectural design, construction materials and methods and the production of construction documents (floor plans, elevations, sections, schedules, detail, etc.). Other responsibilities range from client relations to zoning and building code compliance, material specifications, maintaining quality control, product and material research, and ensuring a high Standard of Care and Responsible Control throughout the Firm.
GENERAL PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: 20+ years minimum experience for Non-Licensed Architectural Staff; 15+ years Registered Architect [RA].
