In the past four years, the real estate and housing downturn has drastically cut billings at architecture firms. However, the Architecture Billings Index shows improvement for a fourth consecutive month and the highest reading since November 2007.
The number of working architects dropped from 214,000 in 2007 to 153,000 in 2011. The sustained increase in billings is expected to help reverse this unemployment trend, as firms begin hiring designers to meet increased demand. "Rising billings also are viewed as a gauge of future construction activity because real-estate developers tend to break ground on new projects 9 to 12 months after they hire design firms," adds Robbie Whelan. "Construction generates large numbers of jobs for engineers, contractors and tradesmen." This could indicate not only an improving real estate and housing market, but also a broader economic recovery.
Architects are finding work with public-sector and non-profit organizations, including medical centers, colleges, and other institutions. "I think higher education has probably been the most-active market in the last year or two," said Alan Bombick, a principal with Legat. His firm is building a hotel for a mixed-use development coordinated by the University of Chicago. Neil Denari, a Los Angeles architect, said, "We're going to be putting more energy into pursuing educational projects, because that's where a lot of the work is."
FULL STORY: Demand for Architects Builds Momentum
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The Top Urban Planning Books of 2021
Planetizen's annual list of the top urban planning books of the year is here—maintaining a tradition that dates back to 2002.
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Motorists want expensive roadway expansions provided that somebody else foots the bill, but when required to pay directly through tolls, the need for more capacity often disappears. What should planners do?
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Contentious Houston Freeway Widening Project Inches Forward
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Biden's 'Path Out of the Pandemic' Imperiled by Multiple Court Decisions
The vaccine mandate that applies to federal contractors included in President Biden's COVID plan announced in September to slow the Delta surge was halted by a federal judge in Kentucky. That's the third requirement to be paused, leaving only one.
Town of Palm Beach
Perkins&Will
City of Oxford
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of San Carlos
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Royal Oak, Michigan
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
