How Writing Can Make Architects Relevant

Where are the architects with 10 million Twitter Followers? 

“Where are the architects with 10 million Twitter followers?”

This was the question recently posed in an article on BD Online by Leanne Tritton.

When I first read it, I dismissed it. They don’t exist. Of course they don’t. Why would any architect have 10 million followers? But the more I've thought about it, the more I've started to think about the real issue it raises, which is relevancy.

In today’s digital world, is there a danger of architecture becoming irrelevant to the general public?

And this thinking led to two questions.

Why are there no architects with 10 million Twitter followers?

and…

How do we get there?

Thinking about this, I believe it is something the profession needs, should be striving for and can achieve (almost!).

Firstly, I’d like to wind our ambitions in a bit, to something slightly more realistic; 10 million followers is for the global superstars, it’s probably not going to happen. But 1 million? 1 million is doable.

An architect with 1 million Twitter followers is an achievable goal.

So let’s start with why they don’t currently exist.

Why Don’t Any Architects Have 1 Million Twitter Followers?

I think there are three main reasons:

• Perception
• Lack of Understanding
• Lack of Value

Perception

In the BD article, Leanne made the following observation:

“architects tend to set themselves apart from everyone else.”

Architects are not exactly known for their ‘common touch’, and many do very little to change this. In fact, too many perpetuate this stereotype through their behaviours and, in particular, the way they speak about themselves and the profession.

And there is no doubt that this ‘image’ of architects, makes it very difficult for the general public to engage with the profession.

But the need to change the attitudes and behaviours of architects themselves is a whole heated and emotional debate in itself, and not one I want to get into here.

I would like to concentrate on the ‘Lack of Understanding’ and ‘Lack of Value’ aspects of the issue, as they are much easier to fix, and would play a large part in changing the general public’s perception of architects.

A Lack of Understanding

It is very difficult for anyone to engage with anything they don’t fully understand.

The average member of the general public, (understandably) doesn’t know that much about designing and constructing a building. And this lack of knowledge and understanding can be intimidating and creates a barrier to people engaging with the profession.

Personally, I know I hate going into a DIY store, not really sure of what it is I need exactly, having to describe it as a ‘thingy’ that can do ‘this’. This puts me off going to a DIY store, because I feel like I will look a bit stupid and be judged for my lack of knowledge on the subject in hand.

Quite simply, the public can’t and won’t engage with something that they know very little about, so they need to be educated.

And not in a patronising, ‘I’m an intellectual’ way. Just in a normal, human being way. The way that most people communicate with each other every day.

People need to be able to access information that makes the profession more accessible, helps them understand the profession and to feel like they ‘get it’, so that they can empathise with the architects’ role.

Lack of Value

For any architect to reach 1 million followers on Twitter, they need to provide some sort of value. Value beyond ‘this guy designs nice buildings.’

And it’s this lack of understanding, whilst being part of the problem, which also offers a real opportunity to architects to provide real value.

I’m convinced people do want to develop a better understanding of architecture. Particularly anyone who is planning to go through the process of finding and hiring one. And architects know about architecture. All they have to do is share.

But as most architects don’t, most architects aren’t providing any value.

Generally, what is viewed as precious knowledge, is protected and there’s a lack of openness about processes, reasoning, thoughts or opinion. There is no value in following an architect on Twitter to the general public, and so again, they have no reason to engage.

‘How do we get there?’

The reason for both this current lack of understanding and the responsibility to change it by providing some sort of value, lies 100% with architects.

Not the RIBA. Not Kevin McCloud or George Clarke.

Each individual architect and practice needs to take responsibility for this and do something about it.

So if we accept that architects are responsible for making a change to public perceptions of the profession, to make it more accessible and easier to engage with, how the hell do we actually do it?

It’s actually really simple.

The one massively glaring thing, missing from architecture, that will get the public engaged with architects and architecture, and to see architects reach millions of followers is writing.

“Every Architect Should Write”

How many architects do you know that have an active, interesting blog?

And I’m not talking about a practice that posts pictures and ‘news’ about their latest projects. I mean a really insightful, behind the scenes look at what they do, how they think, why they make particular decisions, their processes, what worked, what doesn't work etc.

This would be such a simple way to allow the public to engage with architects, understand the process, what is involved, the thinking behind every project.

It would make the whole industry so much more inclusive.

What should an architect write about?

Everything!

Everything you do, or don’t do, and why you did or didn't do it. Write about what you enjoy as an architect, and about what you don’t enjoy. Write about areas of expertise and write about areas that you want to learn more about.

Then when someone has a particular question about architecture, they will either know where to go, be directed to you or find you through Google.

And aside from the general public, sharing of this type of knowledge would also be for the betterment of the profession, opening up the possibility to learn from each other and other professions, and break down the walls of seclusion within the industry.

Web developers follow web developers who they respect and know they can learn from. Architects would follow other architects in their masses, if they knew that architect was sharing their knowledge, helping them to improve and potentially helping them solve a problem.

Why Don’t Architects Write?

My guess is it’s some sort of fear of sharing knowledge they believe gives them an advantage over competitors. But if nobody knows that you have this knowledge, how will you ever benefit from it?

Everyone is busy, so that’s not an excuse. You don’t even have to create your own blog. Write for other people. We’re looking for guest bloggers all of the time. You can write here, on Medium.

It doesn't matter, as long as you do it and you share it with the world.

What’s in it for Me, the Architect?

If this is what you’re thinking, then I’m afraid you are a part of the problem, and you need to start getting more comfortable with, and embracing collaboration, which relies on a certain openness and sharing.

If you want architects to be better understood, to be more appreciated, to be more valued, then it’s time to stop thinking about your own short term gains, and start contributing to the profession and the industry as a whole.

But here’s the best part…

By doing this, there will be something in it for you. You will increase you visibility. There will be more work. More interesting work. Better clients. Informed clients, who value what you do, because they understand what you do.

You’ll get to design better buildings and you’ll improve as an architect as you learn from others and the standards around you are raised.

Why Is Twitter Relevant to Architects?

I know there will be many architects reading this thinking, what has Twitter got to do with anything?

Twitter, and wider social media, whether you like it or not, is relevant to everything. It allows influential people to reach more people, build new and bigger audiences to share their ideas with and to be more influential. Architecture needs Twitter and social media to stay relevant. To ignore it might just lead to a much more serious question;

“Why Are Architects Relevant?”

Bringing architecture properly into the mainstream will take a while, but you can help start it by simply writing about what you do, how you do it, and most importantly, why you do it.

You could be our first architect with 1 million Twitter followers.

This article was originally written for and posted on the SpecifiedBy blog.

If you liked this article please recommend below.