Image credit: Tessa Charles
Former HOK CEO and Chairman Patrick MacLeamy has encouraged architects to think more like the creators of smartphones when navigating the future of the profession. The comments came as part of a wide-ranging discussion Archinect had with MacLeamy last month on business and economics in architecture.
“Architects must become relevant by rescuing what good design really means and what good service means.,” MacLeamy told Archinect. “Good design is not superficial. It’s not about style or the latest colors. It’s about buildings that work really well, that serve their clients’ needs.”
“My ‘Exhibit A’ is the iPhone,” MacLeamy added. “It’s well designed, it fits in my hand, and it’s useful as hell. It is indispensable now. Steve Jobs and his team came up with a great design that not only looks good but works exceptionally well. The indictment of the architect is that when you hire an architect, buildings sometimes end up costing more than they should and don’t work as well as they should.”
Related on Archinect: ‘Architects Are Lost as a Profession’: Former HOK CEO Patrick MacLeamy Speaks Out . Image courtesy: Patrick MacLeamy
MacLeamy went on to note that there are over seven billion smartphones on the planet, and that the technology has unlocked business and entrepreneurial opportunities for users in the developing world. MacLeamy suggested that architects should “think much more like” the designers and manufacturers of smartphones, and put the needs and problems of clients and customers at the center of their business.
“Ask what is working, and what isn’t,” MacLeamy added. “Think outside the profession and look at how manufacturers do things. Look at the smartphone creators and at technology companies. Don’t be afraid of it.”
You can read our full conversation with MacLeamy here. Back in 2024, in a separate interview with Archinect, MacLeamy also offered architects advice on steering through recessions.
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