Different Types of Architecture Business
Architecture is a broad field that encompasses design, construction and business operations. Architects create structures for various purposes such as public or private buildings, community facilities, schools, hospitals and military bases.
Architectural professions range from residential to commercial; each requires specific skills and knowledge to perform their duties effectively. Residential architects collaborate with homeowners on designing a new home or remodeling an existing house while commercial architects work with businesses and developers on larger projects such as retail malls, hotels, office complexes and government agencies on infrastructure design for cities, counties and states.
If you’re an architect considering starting or growing a firm, being familiar with the different types of firms can be invaluable in making decisions about how to run your enterprise. Your choice of business model will determine how clients are acquired, what projects are designed and delivered, how staff are organized, how marketing efforts are directed, and ultimately how profitable the venture will be.
Efficiency-Oriented
This business model is often employed by architecture firms that prioritize projects that require minimal design effort, have a tight timeline and adhere to budget constraints. Examples include jobs with residential developers, chain restaurants or even small projects like Accessory Dwelling Units.
Another approach to this business model is to focus on improving the way projects are delivered through new technology or tools. Digital scanning, BIM, virtual reality renderings or AI are all areas that can be utilized to accelerate and streamline project delivery processes.
Experience Based
This business model is often chosen by architects when starting their own firms. These businesses focus on offering design services to various clients, often drawing from previous experiences to solve unique issues and maximize resources.
Selecting a business model that provides you with satisfaction can be rewarding, but it’s essential to be honest with yourself about your objectives and how your firm should operate. You might discover that the model you feel most passionate about isn’t ideal for your firm after all.
Enterprise Architecture
The Business architecture domain is an invaluable tool for strategizing, strategizing and mapping key value streams. It enables one to trace information flows between business units, capabilities, organizations and processes as well as their connections.
It also serves as a building block for other architecture domains (like application and data architecture), by mapping an organization’s requirements, models, and systems into a unified set of artifacts and abstractions.
Enterprise Architecture provides a framework that supports organizational changes, such as process modifications, structural reorganizations and comprehensive strategy revisions. It’s an invaluable tool that enables business objectives to be realized without the usual chaos, confusion or uncertainty that often accompany major alterations within an organization.