The Boat

I asked a contractor recently what he thought makes a good architect. He said construction projects are like a three-legged chair: the architect, the builder and the client. If one leg is weak, the whole thing becomes unstable.

Hmm, ok. Not specific to the architect but I can see what he meant. A weak architect creates confusion: poor coordination, unclear drawings, details that don't make sense on site. A weak builder creates uncertainty: hidden costs, delays. A weak client creates chaos: endless revisions, unclear priorities, indecision.

At first the lesson seems simple: be a strong leg. And there are certainly things one can do to become better at their chosen profession. But the more I thought about it afterward, the more I realized construction projects are probably not chairs.

If anything, they are boats. And on a boat, it doesn’t really matter how strong you are individually. You can’t row a project ashore by yourself.

So maybe being a good architect is not only about being the best you can be at architecting. Maybe it is also about recognizing where others might struggle and helping them along. Helping clients understand tradeoffs so they can make decisions. Work with the builder to bring more clarity into the drawings.

I have a lot of admiration for competent people, but I don't think projects are held together by expertise alone. I'd rather be remembered as the most helpful person in the room.