Architects Are Screwed

The American Institute of Architects has released the results of its 2012 Firm Survey. While the results won't likely come as a surprise, the numbers are pretty staggering: since early 2008 revenue has dropped 40% and employment has dropped 28%.

2 minute read

September 18, 2012, 11:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


The recession has had a profound impact on employment in many sectors of America's economy, but perhaps none has suffered more than those connected to real estate and development. The construction sector, for instance, continues to have the highest level of unemployment according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

New data out from the AIA details just how bad the past four years have been for architecture firms and employees. According to the 2012 AIA Firm Survey, "Total construction spending levels, which exceeded $1 trillion in 2008,
fell to under $800 billion in 2011. As a result, gross revenue at
architecture firms declined from more than $44 billion in 2008 to $26
billion by 2011, a 40 percent decline over this three-year period."



Naturally, as revenues fell, firms were forced to cut their staffs dramatically. And although the recession officially ended in mid-2009, the lost jobs have not returned. "Construction payrolls peaked in early 2007 and steadily declined
through mid-2011 due to the housing downturn. Since then, there has
been very little recovery," says the report. "Between 2007 and 2011,
more than 28 percent of positions at architecture firms disappeared,
more than erasing the 18 percent increase in architecture positions seen
during the 2003–2007 upturn."

Looking for a silver lining amidst the bad news? With more time available for professional development, "The number of LEED APs on staff nearly doubled in the last three years."

Monday, September 17, 2012 in AIA

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing

The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

2 hours ago - Strong Towns

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

3 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

Green Skid Row mural satirizing city limit sign in downtown Los Angeles, California.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents

The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.

4 hours ago - Los Angeles Public Press