What can architects learn from the world of business? Although the design and construction of the built environment is almost always contingent on broader economic phenomena to contract and fund work, the discipline of architecture itself has internal guiding ideals and principles not necessarily related to the forces that ultimately enable projects to be built and paid for. This tension sometimes leads architects to see business as, at best, unrelated to their design work. Using a combination of historical analysis and an exploration of the business of creative organisations, this lecture highlights how the success and survival of architectural practices can be linked to the intersection of business practices, innovation, and knowing when fitting in is more important than standing out.
David Goodman
David Goodman is the dean of IE School of Architecture & Design. His current research deals with innovations in creative practice and production during times of socioeconomic turbulence and technological transformation. Goodman is co-author of the book An Introduction to Architecture Theory: 1968 to the Present.