Dean Shaw and I have agreed to take part in a debate taking place tomorrow at RIBA West Midlands. The debate will form the basis of the next issue of AREA magazine, the regional newsletter for RIBA members in the region.
The theme of the debate is collaboration. We will be discussing how collaboration can help to achieve better design and add value.
In their words:
We want to look at the working practices of the modern architect, who typically works alongside a multi-disciplinary group of professionals, community leaders/groups and artists as well as a diverse range of public agencies to achieve design excellence
Specifically, I’ve been asked to go along because of my interest in Web2.0 and digital communication, and in particular I’m hoping to contribute by sharing ideas (which is truly in the spirit of Web2.0 of course!) about alternative media, online collaboration, and how this can shape a project, improve a design and ultimately create better buildings and places.
I would welcome any thoughts or comments prior to tomorrow’s debate. Do you think that a collaborative improves a project? Do online collaborative tools actually work? What value can social / digital media add to a project? Is this where the future of collaboration in construction lies?
Rest assured I will be sure to remind everyone that my contribution has been enhanced because of the wealth of knowledge and experience available to me through channels such as blogs, twitter and social networks!
Many thanks in anticipation.
Lorna Parsons
Practice Manager
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UPDATE: 18.01.10
Here is a small sample of some of what was discussed at the debate. The juiciest bits and some fairly conclusive answers will be published in the next edition of Area magazine and the full transcript will eventually be available to download from the RIBA website.
Leadership: Does collaboration threaten the traditional role of team leader? Do collaborative design teams require a leader and who should that be? Could that leadership be rotated?
Artists and Architects: Why do architects like working with artists? Is it because artists appeal to architect’s creative juices? Are artists more flexible? Is it because art is unconstrained and often temporary?
Social Media / Web2.0: How can web-based tools help us to work more effectively? Do they threaten a deduction in productivity? Do they need to be managed, and by whom?
Community Consultation: Can we expect involvement of end-users to create better places? A sense of ownership is essential for a successful project, but does this need to be managed, and if so, by whom?