21-05-2020
Architecture, the pandemic and the future of design: Dumican Mosey Architects
In only a few months, everything has changed completely. Even the world of architecture. In search of possible new scenarios, Floornature opens the discussion of a new approach to design for a time of public health emergency, publishing a series of interviews with architects all over the world.
How are the big studios organising their work, and what has been the impact of the current situation on smaller architectural practices?
What does it mean to design infrastructure, cultural centres and living spaces while avoiding social contact?
Might the resilience we seek in buildings also be applicable to the profession of architect?
Here are the architects’ responses, some in text form and others in videos, in the usual style of our portal.
1. How did your firm handle the lockdown?
DMA: We are a small office and prior to the lockdown we did not have a formalized work-from-home strategy in place but we moved quickly to adhere to the City and State Orders as well as ensuring the health and safety of our staff, which is of paramount importance to us. It all happened very quickly (we were actually having a meeting discussing how could setup working from home protocols hours before an announcement that a ‘shelter in place’ order was being implemented from midnight that same day) but as with all efforts within the office we all worked together to ensure everyone was supported and any needs and requirements catered for. Aside from VPN setup and ‘home office’ adjustments within the next couple days, we all got back in to our work flow relatively efficiently within a couple days.
2. What new forms of work are you experimenting with and how about the results?
DMA: The office agreed upon a couple of platforms to utilize in order to maintain communication and collaboration during this time of isolation and distancing. We had been using Microsoft teams or phone calls to communicate quickly and organize project teams and updates. Zoom meetings are used for external or longer meetings and team catchups as well as Coffee and Happy Hour sessions! Besides communication, we also encounter restricted ability to reference or acquire physical material samples while designing, and also plotting drawing sets for discussions or review. Almost everything is going digital/paperless during this Shelter-in-place period, this has not been without it’s challenges but we feel we have adjusted to the ‘new norm’ for the time being.
3. How do you think this experience will affect the future management of an architectural practice?
DMA: Whilst we are all working as effectively and efficiently as possible at a distance, we all miss the day to day interactions and dialogue that happens within the studio space. We are a small studio and we value the face to face collaboration that happens within office. That said, the current situation has tested our ability as an office to work remotely and endeavoring to keep all of these aspects of the practice intact. This will give more options and flexibility around work practices and potentially allow for periods of remote working when team and client meetings or collaboration is not essential. Having these protocols in place will allow our staff more flexibility to deal with and accommodate work and home life balance. The City also provides new protocols for online permit submission, this is still very new to everyone but we are very optimistic about this online permitting process and hopefully would become more streamlined everywhere.
