Singapore Institute of Architects’ new framework highlights value architects bring
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There are an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 architects and architectural assistants in Singapore.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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SINGAPORE – In an effort to curb the practice of firms quoting excessively low fees, as well as a brain drain and poor wages affecting the architectural profession, a new framework has been drawn up.
This is to give architects and their clients a clearer understanding of the liabilities and responsibilities that architects take on for projects.
The framework, known as Blueprint, was launched by the Singapore Institute of Architects during its annual dinner at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre on May 16.
It sketches out the value that architects bring to a project in three main areas: compliance and liabilities, which include contractual obligations, and documentation and record keeping; design expertise, such as innovation and attention to detail; and administration, like project oversight and quality control.
For example, if a client asks for a timeline for a project, an architect can use the Blueprint to determine the scope of work and milestones needed, and come up with a schedule.
There are an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 architects and architectural assistants in Singapore.
The institute said the framework will be an evolving document that will stay abreast of market demands. It added that it sought the input of architectural firms of various sizes to shape the framework, which was first mooted in 2022.
The institute said its latest salary survey of 300 practitioners, done by its Young Architects League from end-2023 to January 2024, revealed a 10 per cent to 15 per cent rise in median annual starting salaries of architectural graduates compared with 2021, rising from $43,200 to $48,000.
A survey of 536 young architectural graduates in 2022
Those who wanted to quit cited low wages and long hours, a lack of work-life balance, high stress and a poor work culture.
The institute’s first vice-president Tiah Nan Chyuan had said then that architects used to stay for about 10 to 15 years before leaving, but it became more common for them to quit with fewer than five years of experience.
Mr Melvin Tan, the institute’s president, said on May 16 that the results of the 2022 survey were a “rude awakening for many in the industry”, adding that it has since been working with various parties, including clients and employers, to find a better way forward.
Speaking at the institute’s dinner, Second Minister for National Development and Finance Indranee Rajah said she was heartened to know that the institute and its members have been proactively leading efforts to improve the profession.
She added that more must be done on this front to attract and retain architectural talent.
For instance, companies and business leaders need to continuously invest effort and resources to provide professional development opportunities and progressive workplaces for employees.
