Originally printed in Columns magazine in October 1999, many of these points remain relevant today, nearly two decades later. But what is missing? How has the change in the profession, the change in practice, affected the architect-client relationship? What would you add?
The heart and soul of an architect’s service to a client is the personal and ethical relationship from enthusiastic start of a project to its satisfactory completion.
Taken for granted but poorly defined is the relationship of the architect and client. Both parties try to do their best. The relationship is not only long and contractual, but also far more complicated and involved than almost any other client-professional relationship.
Clients have to learn “how to be a client” and architects have to tell them how to do so. Few guidelines exist because every project is different. However, the relationship should always be based on principles of business conduct and ethics to facilitate working together in the most business-like of all professional services.
A study of the various codes of professional ethics and business conduct indicates that both parties to a contract should have a common understanding of ethical behavior in business. This is especially true in the development of architectural-type buildings because professional services are rendered by a multi-professional team.
Architects provide their services as a pivot member or leader of the project team. Architects and their clients who collaborate and cooperate for a period of three or more years need to know – and function by – the same principles of ethics and business conduct. It is impossible for ethical people to collaborate with unethical people. This is why a common code of business conduct is needed for the use of all parties who participate in client’s project. Many principles are directly applicable to the precontract and contract.
It would be difficult to discuss all of the ethical principles of business conduct known to exist and that is why the architect should identify and help his or her client understand the most relevant principles listed here.
Heading the list of ethical principles of business conduct are the competency principles of the professional team which are:
- Performs only if competent
- Performs in accordance with the standards of one’s own profession
- Directs project with knowledge and skill
- Performs up to date services
High on the list of principles pertaining to the architect and the professional team are the personal integrity principles such as:
- Serves honorably and ethically
- Serves using all of one’s knowledge and skill
- Serves one’s employer or client faithfully
- Does not injure the reputation of others
- Does not distort facts
- Does not bribe anyone
- Does not accept a bribe
- Maintains confidentiality of the client’s project
Both the architect and his or her client should adhere to the following principles of personal integrity:
- Respects the rights of others
- Reports unethical practice of another
- Discloses any interest that could affect judgment
- Admits and corrects one’s errors
To carry out a long costly contract satisfactorily, both architect and client should adhere to the following contractual principles:
- Represents one’s credentials accurately
- Represents one’s experience accurately
- Represents one’s contractual responsibilities accurately
- Provides services by contract only and for an adequate fee
- Does not provide a free service
- Obtains contract fairly
- Fulfills the contract’s terms and conditions
No principles of ethics and business conduct are more relevant to a successful, enjoyable, and reading architect-client relationship than the principles of communications such as:
- States facts only
- States truth only
- Does not criticize unfairly
- Never gives an opinion, if uninformed
- Does not make misleading statements
- Advises others of adverse consequences
- Keeps accurate records of all project information
Even more significant to the success of an architectural-type project are the day-to-day principles of collaboration such as:
- Cooperates with everyone
- Helps everyone understand the client’s project
- Gives credit to others
- Exchanges information freely
- Assists others to understand their responsibilities
- Delegates responsibilities wisely
- Makes commitment to client’s goals
The ever-increasing importance of human health and safety – in the planning, design, construction, and operation of architectural-type buildings is focusing the actions of the architect, his client, and his project associates on such principles of health and safety as:
- Designs for public safety
- Protects the public’s health and safety
- Notifies everyone about an unsafe condition
- Refuses to cause an unsafe condition
Never to be forgotten in the course of developing an architectural-type building for our democratic and free enterprise system are strict conformance to regulatory principles such as:
- Complies with building construction laws
- Complies with professional registration laws
- Signs own professional work
- Does not violate any misconduct laws
The modern, long-duration, costly project involving many members of the client’s oner-user organization, many members of the multi-professional A&E team, and many contractors (general and specialty) highlights the ever-increasing importance of the decision-making principles such as:
- Makes judgments fairly and justly
- Makes decisions impartially
The more one learns about the relationship between the architect and his or her client, the more one realizes that no two entities have a greater need to work together, tackle problems together, resolve difficult questions, and make decisions together. That is why all parties to a contract should establish a bond of understanding that shows acceptance of the ethical principles stated here.