Architecture 101 for Building Product Manufacturers - Better know an Architect!

Recently I've been in contact with someone that has been involved with the marketing of building products through the traditional means.  As architects, we don't realize just how mysterious we are outside our professional silo.  What we do understand is that we are rarely understood, and we are amazed by how often building products completely "miss the mark."

While sustainability has become an important hot button for us, imagine how unsustainable and costly the retooling and production of a new building product we have no interest in?  We may not find it “architectural” as far as we're concerned.  This word “architectural” is thrown around far too loosely by product reps and manufacturers.  And, please excuse my infamous architect’s ego, but if you aren't an architect, you don't really know what the word “architectural” means – to us.  And, just because it goes on a building doesn't make it "architectectural"!

If you are marketing to us, you better try to understand how we think, but of course that is a lot like trying to understand the opposite sex, so you also need to understand you never really will.

However, in addition to practicing architecture, I am also a part-time University design critic, and instructor teaching Revit to undergrad and graduate architecture, and interior design students.  Virtually all of my closest friends are architecture professors and/or architects, and when we get together, at least 50% of our discussion and debate is devoted to architecture and its education.  In other words I may be well suited to expose you to the “inner sanctum” if you have a flashlight handy and care to go.

Without taking anyone through the 4+2 years now required to be fully indoctrinated and eventually licensed as an architect, I will provide a crash course right here and now covering the very latest in architectural material science.  

This will provide a glimpse into what is being taught in virtually all architecture schools across the U.S.  These are the schools producing what will very soon be the next generation of building product decision makers/influencers.  On the other hand, beginning more than 30 years ago, as an architecture student I was also exposed to much of the very same material science.  So this isn't entirely new, but I'm still betting very few here are familiar with the material properties I am about to describe and key to the future of the building product industry.

As an introduction, because the practice of architecture is largely the combined practice of both art and engineering, and because upon graduation architect interns will be immersed in the engineering/construction side of practice, schools must take the opportunity to encourage students to literally push the envelope in order to learn the art of architecture.  

Over the last 15 years this has given rise to a style of architectural design within the schools referred to as “blob-itecture” (no joke).  This follows its older brother, now more than 25 years old and referred to as “deconstructivism.”  Frank Gehry and Daniel Libeskind have been widely recognized for their pioneering built works and giving birth to the craze in the architectural schools.  (Daniel Libeskind taught at our school during the late 1970's).  The two are also well known for designing buildings that include envelope failures that some would argue result from a lack of suitable products to satisfy their needs.  The opposing argument, "it's the architect's fault" will be interpreted as a failure to understand "real architecture."  Who's right?  "The customer is always right!"  Right?

Resulting from these semi-current architecture movements, often seemingly defying gravity, is the requirement for building products that will better satisfy the unique requirements of what will no doubt become more prevalent in the future. For better or worse there will be architects that only know how to think and design in these styles.  Very often, common and current building materials do not adequately suit their needs.  The first manufactures capable of satisfying these requirements will hold the Holy Grail.

Many of these future building products will need to be made utilizing a material my architecture friends and I fondly refer to as “Unatainium.”  Possibly requiring carbon fiber, nanotube or similar technology, Unatanium is not yet widely available, but I can describe its 3 most unique and critical material properties:  First and foremost, it must be blessed by the Pope.  Second, and due to the design criteria of these graduating students, it must be lighter than a fart.  Third, and understandably, it will be more expensive than a divorce……  ;-)

Now, before you get angry for falling victim of architect humor, you need to understand this is really not a joke at all!  I promised to take you on a brief tour of the inner sanctum and I did.  I apologize only if you heard this one before, but again there is a very serious point here and that is this:

Nearly all manufacturers, develop products as though they are a customer of the product themselves.  This is roughly how Ford came up with the Edsel - a complete and well known marketing disaster.  When Ford realized the scope and cost of their mistake, they immediately understood they must take a different approach to product development and marketing that includes customer psychology. They then followed the Edsel with the still extremely popular Mustang.

As many of these young architect interns will soon learn, they can't continue to design projects for themselves upon graduation, building product manufacturers must realize they can't develop products for their own use either.  They need to learn how to truly appeal to their customer.  

Most brag they are already doing that, but if they do, I can almost guarantee they are instead shoving Edsels down architect’s throats.  What they really need is direct access to architects, not the AIA, not through corporate websites.  Not even through their best technical representatives.  What they need is involvement with the peer-to-peer group of professional architect product review consultants being formed as I write.  No one can understand what architects want and need better than other architects.  And if you're a manufacturer hiding the next big thing between the pages of the magazines we no longer open, or somewhere on your corporate website we won't find, you need architects to help you bring your amazing new product into the light!