With the increasing demand and aspiration in today’s architectural projects and the growing complexity involved with what we are now facing in present times, companies are looking for new ways in which projects are being pursued. Making a positive impact and targeting socioeconomic, demographic, ethnic and climate-related problems have become key factors in making a substantial turn in the right direction. Successful companies are incorporating different fields and technologies into their common practices and they have seen a significant return in output growth. Mark Foster Gage, principal and founder of Mark Foster Gage Architects, states that his office is “more like a Tesla in that it’s aiming to do competition tangentially by introducing new tech and opening up possibilities for innovation that other firms can’t offer.” He prominently mentions the importance of sourcing different talents and broadening the range of the collaborators within an office space.
In an article by architect magazine Gage mentions he tries to find people who are generally good in different fields and professions, and people who question normal practices and thoughts, or as he better puts it “misfits” of the profession. While he is referring to this group of “misfits” as he so calls it, he also mentions that assembling a “body of people that come at architecture from different angles results in a stew of intellectual thinking that is fascinating.” This doesn’t necessarily mean that it only applies to a generalist, it is more like it is congruent with the idea of having people from multicultural backgrounds and practices to approach complex problems at different angles. According to an article by the Harvard Business Review, only true immersion of multicultural leadership can unlock awareness and true understanding of the client and consumer needs.
A workplace designed to reflect a company’s organizational DNA can be a powerful tool for encouraging social connections, sharing information, and enabling communication and trust. For more info
It is by going outside of one’s comfort zone that we can truly see the underlying problems and effectively tailor the approach to solve them. Providing a setting for multiculturalism to take place by modifying the structure within a company will inevitably contribute to the intellectual growth and expansionism that will drive a company from a small studio, to a major industry leader. Making structured programs that allow this exposure of global talent and give them a platform in which their input can be noticeable and perceived by their coworkers, will diversify the inner mechanisms of the company and increase the experience of exploration and dialogue between members. Something which we try to make readily accessible for US-based companies that truly value the importance and significance of a multicultural setting and want to take a plunge into a lucrative future. It is by committing to exchange programs like Architect-US’ that will provide US based companies with sponsored talent that will have the necessary tools and resources to design the future.
Being able to build a sustainable future we must be able to accommodate all ethnic groups and follow global trends to predict the needs of the people. Taking everything into consideration will shape the way that we as human beings and as social structures interact and go about our daily routines. Companies which choose to follow this ideal will be able to provide unique qualities to their work and provide a platform for the formation of a progressive society and a better world. Different countries from around the world are trying to unite all fronts so that so that we create sustainable development goals that will aid, target, and bring attention to the public to the fact that there are a lot of people that are being suppressed because of different undesirable conditions and situations. If we can help, even with what can feel as small contribution, we will essentially lighten the burdens of others and help build the foundations that will commit to a new and bright future.
