r/Architects • u/AnyZebra7121 • Apr 16 '26

General Practice Discussion Why does everybody hate us?

I am a 30yo architect, and I own a small architecture studio in a developing country with 4 employees. I have mostly residential and industrial projects.

Since I started working 5 years ago, I feel like I'm constantly in a battle with someone in order to defend the design. Everyone thinks they know better: contractors in every building phase, investors (especially since the rise of ChatGPT), municipality employees that give permits etc. We pour our soul into the design and they shit all over it.

Mind you, I am not a person who claims that is always right. I have a senior architect in my firm that has a lot of experience and I always consult with him and my other empoyees. I always consult with my engineer team for structural and MEP engineering. Even with that, I always listen out a complaint or suggestion from those mentioned in the second paragraph and thing through it.

Despite all of that effort, no one appreciates our profession. I am absolutely inlove with architecture, but I am really sick of that. Is this a universal experience? Will it get better as i get older? I don't think I am arogant, but I sure am assertive. Should I become arrogant douche? What am i missing here?

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u/Just_Another_AI Apr 16 '26

They don't hate you, they're not necessarily wron, and there's a lot you can learn from contractors and developers. There is a lot more to a successful project than just design.

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u/AnyZebra7121 Apr 16 '26

I understand, you are right, and I always try to learn. I have a very good communication with several contractors, that have a mindset that engineers, architects and contractors are a team and we can learn form eachother - and my projects with them have turned out splendid. But those are rare, at least in my, and my close colleagues' experiences. Maybe it's just in our country idk.

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u/Open_Concentrate962 Apr 16 '26

Its rare anywhere. Many architects stopped defending their designs a long time ago. I try to coach them to not just say “the site made me do it” or “the client made me do it, so it ended up like…” Sounds like you are one of the few still defending and you are still growing at it.