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Essential guidance for architectural practice
Business, legal, and technical trends are rapidly altering the environment in which architecture firms practice. In response, the American Institute of Architects has developed a significantly revised edition of The Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice.
Substantially updated, with nearly one-third new content, this indispensable resource covers all aspects of architectural practice, featuring:
- In-depth new material on sustainable design, managing multiple offices, lifelong learning, mentoring, and team building.
- Major revised content on programming, project management, construction contract administration, risk management, and ethics.
- Coverage of small firm considerations, as well as emerging issues such as integrated practice and integrated project delivery.
- Useful appendices with lists of related organizations, copies of the 2007 A201 general conditions and 8101 owner-architect agreement, and a useful expanded glossary.
The Fourteenth Edition book/CD package now comes with two CD-ROMs. One contains the text of the book (in a viewer that can be downloaded to a PC computer) in a searchable format. The second CD-ROM has samples of all AIA Contract Documents (in PDF format for Mac and PC computers), including those that released in 2007.
The Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice continues to be the essential reference for every architect who must meet the challenges of today's marketplace with insight and confidence.
Architects must be proficient in a variety of business practices to contribute to, manage, or launch a successful firm. They are responsible for the same kind of legal, financial, marketing, management, and administrative activities as any other professional. Within these broad categories, however, there are many details, including professional standards and documents, that are unique to the profession of architecture. First published in 1917, The Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice has been the definitive guide to running an architectural practice for nearly a century. Now in its Fourteenth Edition, the book covers everything from project delivery methods to staff management.
Compiled by a team of experts from architecture as well as law, business, and other professions, this edition has been completely updated, with 50% brand new content and substantial revisions throughout. The book is available in a hardcover format and the sample AIA documents are supplied on a companion CD-ROM.
Features:
- Definitive coverage, from The American Institute of Architects (AIA).
- Content is revised to be applicable to firms both large and small.
- Complimentary CD-ROM bound into the back of the book includes samples of all of the AIA documents.
- Compiled by a team of experts from architecture as well as other professions, including law and business.
From the Preface
The Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice has been a definitive source of information about the business and administrative aspects of architecture practice since it was first published in 1920. Continuing this legacy, this 14th edition brings together new and thoroughly revised material responsive to the needs of today's architects and building design professionals.
Since the release of the 13th edition in 2001, a number of significant changes and trends in the practice environment have prompted the need for a new edition. Some of these changes are advances in digital technology, new and emerging approaches to project delivery, the adoption of new building codes, and the introduction of new and revised AIA contract documents.
We were deeply honored when the Institute asked us to serve on the Handbook Steering Group to provide guidance and leadership for developing the 14th edition. This challenging yet exciting assignment involved a variety of tasks, which were carried out individually and in meetings of the Steering Group with the AIA editorial staff at Institute headquarters.
We began our work with a review of the findings from a survey of 8,000 Handbook users conducted in December 2004, along with the results of several Handbook focus groups. Armed with this important user feedback, we proceeded to carefully evaluate, topic by topic, the entire content of the 13th edition. To better understand the Handbook's history and development, we also reviewed earlier Handbooks, including the first edition.
Working closely with Handbook editorial staff, these efforts resulted in the identification of new topics, topics to be revised, and recommendations for material to be dropped or replaced. The planning effort also included defining a framework for organizing the Handbook's extensive body of information, which eventually resulted in its final structure and table of contents.
During the content development phase, the Steering Group provided ongoing input, advice, and suggestions. This included identifying prospective authors and reviewers, suggesting resources for specific practice subjects, reviewing selected material, and participating in preliminary marketing planning for the 14th edition.
We believe the many hours spent listening, reading, researching, and advising have produced an indispensable resource that will support the professional endeavors of both architects and their allied professionals. We sincerely hope that your copy of this edition becomes as dog-eared over time as have our own copies of past editions. We're confident you will reach for this volume often as you confront the many decisions required to develop and run a successful architecture practice.
Members of the Handbook Steering Group
From the Foreword
The management and operation of an architecture firm, regardless of its size, is more important than ever. Keeping a design practice competitive and viable involves obtaining new commissions, nurturing client relationships, preparing contracts, controlling project schedules and budgets, recruiting and hiring staff, and dealing with myriad business and administrative activities.
Almost a century ago, members of our profession had the foresight to recognize that architects need information about the business component of practice and, to meet this need, the Institute developed and published the first edition of the Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice. In the years since, thirteen editions of the Handbook have delivered an evolving and expanding body of knowledge to help guide architects through the business terrain of practice.
In the spirit of the Institute's 150th anniversary theme - "Celebrating the Past, Designing the Future" - the 14th edition of the Handbook looks both backward and forward by weaving tried and proven material with that which is new and emerging. Comprehensive in scope, the subject matter in this edition, with an emphasis on basics, has been thoroughly updated and thoughtfully organized.
I highly recommend this compendium of practice knowledge for architects, building design professionals, and others aspiring to become more informed about the complexities and intricacies of architecture practice. Whether looking for information about a practice issue, checking on a specific point, or explaining a concept to others, those in or associated with the building design and construction community can rely on the Handbook for answers to the issues and challenges they confront in their professional life and work.
Marshall E. Purnell, FAIA, President
The American Institute of Architects
March 2008
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