Rethinking architecture as process

In a pragmatic manner

Recently I happened across a Swedish architectural practice that declared on the very first line of their self-presentation that they deliver “distinct ideas … in a pragmatic manner”.

What caught my eye was this prominent focus on the way in which they do their stuff – not just the result. Which is the real subject of this post.

sandellsandberg arkitekter AB in Stockholm seems to have a slightly different, refreshing take on presenting the architectural profession, in that their front page abstains from the project boast boards and architecture porn shots that are the (perfectly understandable) norm throughout the architectural profession. Instead it seems to be mostly simple black and white words, well-crafted in the mainstream architectural adulation of graphic minimalism.

Unfortunately, this perceptive highlighting of the difference and duality associated with process and product doesn’t permeate anything more than the upper layer of the website – but at least it’s a start.

Client – victim or beneficiary?

It seems there are all too few companies who focus on the quality of the client experience – one of the key features in customer-centric thinking. We can often read reams about the innate wonderfulness of a company’s products and services – and sometimes even attempts to “package” the perceived experience – but it is correspondingly rare that we encounter any depiction or description of the realities (rather than ad-speak romanticisations) of the customer experience.

That usually only emerges once the contractual trap has snapped shut. But in a rapidly moving commercial world I want to know about how my project is going to pan out – the window of commercial opportunity is often narrow, and I don’t have time (or the money) to switch suppliers if the client experience doesn’t meet expectations.

There’ll be more posts about different angles of this.