The Nine Phases of Architecture

 

A departure from Ruskin’s seven lamps of architecture: “Sacrifice, Truth, Power, Beauty, Life, Memory, and Obedience”

I have read many comments regarding architectural education and practice over the years. A few seem to be generated by a misunderstanding of the scope involved. Others seem to be unaware of the complete path because the architectural image may be fine art, but it is an objective and not the goal, in my opinion. The following is my attempt at a brief outline.

PATH

The architectural path, as I remember it, involves education over a 4–6-year period; apprenticeship over a 2-3-year period; licensing in one or more years; employment; and partnership. In fact, employment does not require a degree or a license and does not necessarily lead to a partnership. A partnership, however, requires a license but can be elusive.

PROFICIENCY

All aspiring students of architecture should be aware that the path is intended to produce proficiency in at least nine phases of architectural practice, but a lack of proficiency in the first two can make it difficult to escape specialization in one or more of the last seven.

Unfortunately, formal education must rely on apprenticeship and employment to teach proficiency in Phases 1-3 and 5-9. The educational focus on Phase 4 trains students to think like strategists without the proficiency needed to lead the effort. Apprenticeship opportunities cannot always be found, however, and tend to focus on specialization in phase 5, in my opinion, because this is where manpower is needed. This emphasis may be a misunderstanding of the path that has led to some of the comments I’ve read.

The following is my impression of the phases involved, and a lack of proficiency in the first two can make independent practice illusory.

1- BUSINESS ORGANIZATION and administration of architectural practice

2-CLIENT DISCOVERY and retention

3- SCOPE ASSESSMENT- the definition and evaluation of a client’s aspirations, spatial requirements, and related engineering services

PROGRAMMING - the definition of a client’s aspirations and spatial requirements

EVALUATION – assembly and evaluation of all project-related information. The investigation of survey limitations, deed provisions, environmental restrictions, utility service availability, soil bearing parameters, zoning regulations, building code requirements, the shelter capacity of land available or required, and so on are a few of the topics that are often involved.

4-STRATEGIC PLANNING and DESIGN correlation of the physical planning and engineering objectives required to shelter client aspirations and activity. creation of a strategic plan using logic to correlate the plans, spaces, services, materials, appearance, and engineering systems required to serve the shelter requirements and aspirations of an owner defined in the programming and evaluation phases of a strategic planning effort.

PLANNING EXHIBITS: Site plans, Floor plans, Engineering Correlation, Elevations, Sections, Details, Renderings/ Models, Cost Estimate 

5- CONTRACTUAL DEFINITION and CORRELATION of OBJECTIVES

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT CORRELATION- involves refinement of schematic design concepts with a definition of the primary architectural and engineering objectives required to support a strategic shelter design goal and includes a cost estimate update.

WORKING DRAWING and SPECIFICATIONS CORRELATION– This phase of architectural effort defines in detail the strategic direction, primary decisions, and construction objectives implied by the earlier schematic design and design development phases of architectural contract preparation.

Site Package Correlation – defines all survey, grading, landscape, and utility features surrounding and serving the building(s)

Surveys/utility locations

Geophysical analysis/soil borings

Environmental analysis 

Architectural Package Correlation – defines the plans, volumes, envelope, materials, finishes, specialties, and details of assembly required to shelter the functions of one or more owner activities.

Site plans

Floor plans

Elevations

Sections

Details

Schedules

Specialty Topics 

Engineering Package Correlation– defines the engineering systems supporting the shelter objective 

Civil Package

Structural Package

Mechanical Package

Electrical Package

Plumbing Package

Specialty Packages 

Specification Correlation –written descriptions of the materials and methods that must be used to complete each package objective. When complete, the definition becomes part of a contract that is submitted for building permit approval and offered to contractors for examination and bid submittal.

Cost Estimate Correlation - An estimate of design development construction cost is provided at the end of a design development to evaluate the strategic cost of the proposal presented.

6-CONTRACT ASSEMBLY and BIDDING

Contract Assembly

Building Permit Submission

Bidding

Advertisement for Bids

Addenda Preparation

Bidding Management/ Administration 

7-CONTRACT AWARD

8- VERIFICATION OF TACTICAL PROGRESS involving periodic observation

Shop drawing review

Change/field orders

Construction observation

Pay Application Review/Approval

Substantial Completion Certification 

9-VERIFICATION OF COMPLETION and FINAL OCCUPANCY

Architectural Approval

Final Payment Authorization

Public Occupancy Permit 

I have always believed in the leadership promise of architectural education, evaluation, and correlation; but the logic, knowledge, and creative response required to produce a shelter solution for the activities of a client does not include the time or proficiency required to contractually define the objectives that must be completed. This contractual definition is bid and guides the tactics required to achieve the shelter goal. The definition demands the greatest number of manhours but does not appear as a priority until apprenticeship.

The difference between strategic planning, evaluation, and contractual definition should be understood by every aspiring architect. The transition from dream to reality, the contractual definition required, and the time required to gain proficiency may be a surprise for many whose comments I have read. I won’t even mention an unstable economy and lack of apprenticeship opportunities that can become roadblocks.

Those who wish to remain strategists should consider urban design and city planning in my opinion. These are fields that can benefit from the research, measurement, correlation, and knowledge needed to credibly provide shelter for the activities of growing populations within geographic limits scientifically defined to protect their quality and source of life. An architectural education, the equations of shelter capacity evaluation, relational database software, and G.I.S. software are some of the data science tools available to support the creative, strategic journey.

Walter M. Hosack, May 2025