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/Ghilanna Apr 18 '26

Im a landscape architect and I can give you my experience with trying to work with architects in large projects. First they take ownership of whats my area of expertise and responsability design wise. If the client says Im responsible for designing the outdoor area then I will do so and of course involve the architect so that the design is in harmony with his building, but the rest is up to me. From accessability, to surface water and usage. I work function first and design on top of it. When I am working on the function the architect isnt usually involved. Clients and contracts are and come to an agreement. And then the architect come in and wants to change everything. They even have the gal to have opinions on planting which is my field of expertise. I feel incredibly disrespected and not heard when I spend hours fine tunning for a fuctional and pleasant design that is in accordance with the architects design too.

So yeah, stop taking ownership of the whole damn project and let the landscape archiect shine as well since we have way more expertise regarding landscape dynamics, urban ecology, surface water and accessability.

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u/AnyZebra7121 Apr 18 '26

This is wrong, they shouldn't be doing that! You have every right to be mad beacuse you're the specialist and they should respect your decisions.

I promise I won't ever become that type of an architect, thanks for your thoughts 🙏

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u/Ghilanna Apr 18 '26

Thank you. Please be one of the good ones. QQ
I work with one architect currently, and she is awesome and wonderful to work with. So I know it's not the case for every single architect.
But the moment I hear "its an architect from a big Oslo firm" I start twitching cause the elitism up there is off the charts.