Well-built Architecture Requires A Sophisticated Construction Industry

For years America's building culture has only been concerned with the bottom line, but foreign architects designing high-profile projects for the North American market demand higher standards.

1 minute read

August 11, 2004, 11:00 AM PDT

By Zvi Leve

"Most American construction aspires to cookie-cutter commercial development rather than high-profile brand-name architecture," according to Sara Hart, a senior editor at Architectural Record. Construction in the United States tends to rely on quick fix solutions to technical difficulties, and there is an all-too-common attitude in the industry that "if it looks hard to build, don't, because it will be too expensive." With more and more high profile projects designed by foreign architects, the American construction industry needs to reconsider it's building practices in order to meet the new challenges: "Invest in thinking. It may be expensive but it's a lot cheaper than bad building."

Thanks to Zvi Leve

FULL STORY: Building a Bad Reputation: Sloppy American Construction

Sunday, August 8, 2004 in The New York Times

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