The Architect's Guide to Developing and Managing an International Practice

by Perkins, Bradford

• ISBN13: 9781119630166
• ISBN10: 1119630169
• eBook ISBN(s): 9781119630173
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2021-03-16
• Publisher: Wiley
• More Book Details

Summary

Start or grow your architectural firm with this masterful guide to international practice, featuring country-specific information for over 185 countries 

The Architect’s Guide to Developing and Managing an International Practice is the definitive resource for architects considering or already engaged in projects outside the United States. Offering expert guidance on every essential aspect of international expansion and management success, this comprehensive volume covers recruiting, licensing, strategic planning, current trends, emerging technologies, and more. Author L. Bradford Perkins clarifies and expands upon the major issues that architects face when they begin to explore how to enter a new international market for their services.  

This real-world guide is designed for young architects and architectural students thinking about working overseas, for firm leaders pursuing international projects for the first time, and for established global firms seeking to expand or refine their ongoing international practices. It includes advice drawn from dozens of conversations with leading architects who have worked in dozens of countries around the world. A must-read for architecture and design professionals wanting to successfully win and carry out work abroad, this book will help you: 

• Plan an entry into international practice 
• Pick the best initial or next international market for your services 
• Sell and contract for your services 
• Manage the financial aspects of international practice  
• Invoice and collect what is owed to you 
• Enhance your domestic practice with international work 
• Understand the telecommunication, software, and technology platforms required 
• Identify and avoid the common problems of international practice  
• Understand how experienced global firms effectively deal with risks and issues 

Written by the co-founder of Perkins Eastman Architects, an international architectural firm with more than 1000 employees and work experience in over 60 countries, The Architect’s Guide to Developing and Managing an International Practice is an indispensable reference and guide for any architect planning to seek work outside the United States. 

Author Biography

L. Bradford Perkins, FAIA, is Co-founder and Chairman of Perkins Eastman Architects, a New York City-based architecture, planning, design, and consulting firm. In his 50-year career, he has directed several hundred projects across a dozen building types in more than 30 countries. Perkins is the author of eight textbooks and more than 100 published articles and book chapters on architectural and planning, is a faculty member the Cornell University College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, and is the recipient of dozens of awards for planning and design excellence. 

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xv

List of Figures xvii

CHAPTER 1 Introduction and Historical Overview 1

Introduction 1

Why Firms Pursue or Choose to Avoid International Practice 7

How Firms Start 8

Reasons to Have an International Practice 9

Reasons to Be Cautious 13

References 15

CHAPTER 2 Getting Started 17

Researching the Major Issues 17

Developing a Plan 23

First Steps 29

What Country Is the Right Place to Start? 29

How to Start 32

Questions to Answer During an Initial Exploration 32

Getting the First Projects 33

Contract Issues 34

Case Studies 34

Perkins Eastman 34

Ennead Architects 40

MASS Design Group 44

ZGF Architects 45

KPF 48

Oppenheim Architecture+Design 48

Reference 51

CHAPTER 3 The Major International Markets 53

Americas 55

Canada 55

Mexico and Central America 64

Mexico 66

Central America 71

South America 73

Brazil 80

Colombia 84

Ecuador 86

The Caribbean Islands 88

Bahamas 92

Bermuda 92

Dominican Republic 94

Jamaica 94

Trinidad and Tobago 95

Asia 96

China 97

Reasons to be there 105

Reasons to be cautious 107

What firms are currently operating in China? 107

Special Administrative Regions—Hong Kong and Macau 124

East Asia 130

Southeast Asia 147

South Asia 172

Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands 184

Who Is There 184

The Potential Clients 186

Domestic Firms 186

Licensure 186

The Middle East and North Africa 187

The Gulf States and Saudi Arabia 189

The Middle East 211

Egypt and North Africa 227

Sub-Saharan Africa 234

Angola 234

Benin (formerly Dahomey) 234

Botswana 234

Burkina Faso 237

Burundi 238

Cameroon 238

Central African Republic 238

Chad 238

Comoros 239

Democratic Republic of the Congo 239

Republic of the Congo 239

Djibouti 239

Equatorial Guinea 239

Eritrea 240

Ethiopia 241

Gambia 241

Gabon 241

Ghana 241

Guinea 243

Guinea-Bissau 243

Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) 243

Kenya 243

Lesotho 244

Liberia 244

Madagascar 244

Malawi 245

Mali 245

Mauritania 246

Mauritius 246

Mozambique 246

Namibia 246

Niger 246

Nigeria 247

Reunion 249

Rwanda 249

São Tomé and Príncipe 250

Senegal 250

Seychelles 250

Sierra Leone 251

South Africa 251

Somalia 251

Sudan 252

Swaziland (Now Eswatini) 252

Tanzania 252

Togo 252

Uganda 253

Western Sahara 253

Zambia 253

Zimbabwe 254

Russia and the States of the Former Soviet Union Chart and Map 254

Russia 256

The Former Soviet Republics 259

Central and Eastern Europe 263

Albania 265

Bosnia and Herzegovina 266

Bulgaria 267

Croatia 267

Czech Republic (Czechia) 267

Hungary 268

North Macedonia 269

Moldova 269

Poland 269

Romania 270

Serbia 270

Slovakia 271

Slovenia 271

Western Europe 271

Austria 274

Belgium 274

Cyprus 276

Denmark 277

Finland 277

France 278

Who is operating there now? 281

Germany 282

Reasons to be there 282

Reasons to be cautious 282

Greece 284

The market 284

Iceland 285

The market 285

Languages and communications 285

Ireland 285

The market 285

Languages and communications 287

Italy 287

Liechtenstein 288

The market 288

Languages and communications 289

Luxembourg 289

The market 289

Languages and communications 291

Monaco 291

Netherlands 291

Norway 292

Portugal 294

The market 294

Spain 294

The market 296

Reasons to be there 298

Reasons to be cautious 298

Skills and capabilities that are important 298

Sweden 298

The market 299

Switzerland 299

The market 299

Languages and communications 299

United Kingdom 299

The market 302

Reasons to be there 302

Reasons to be cautious 303

Skills and capabilities that are important 304

Who is operating there now? 304

Who are the clients? 304

What is the process for getting work? 305

Languages and communications 305

Licensing and legal issues 305

Scope of services 305

Fee levels, payment terms, and taxes 306

Major contract issues 306

Local resources 307

Design issues 307

Code and regulatory issues 307

Typical schedules 307

Personal safety and health issues 307

References 307

CHAPTER 4 Common Legal, Licensure, Registration, and Contract Issues 309

Operating Legally in a Foreign Market 310

Licensure 310

Contracting for Planning and Design Services 311

Negotiating Contracts for Design Services 316

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act 323

CHAPTER 5 Setting and Collecting Fees, Accounting, and Banking Issues 325

Setting Fees 325

Payment Terms 326

Currency Issues 326

Tax Planning 327

Performance and Bid Bonds, Bank and Other Guarantees, and Banking Services 328

Invoicing 328

Collections 329

Repatriating Fee Income and Profits 329

Financial and Management Accounting 330

Insurance Considerations 331

CHAPTER 6 Common Governance, Management, and Quality Control Issues 337

Common Issues 337

Models for International Practice 340

Managing the Relationship Between the Domestic Offices and the International Offices and Teams 342

Managing a Successful International Office 342

Monitoring and Managing Client Management, Project Management, and Quality Control Issues 342

Working with Local Associate Firms and Consultants 343

Work Sharing, Offshoring, and Outsourcing 344

Reasons to Consider Work Sharing, Offshoring, and Outsourcing 344

Withdrawing from a Market and Closing an Overseas Office 348

CHAPTER 7 Staffing International Projects and Offices 351

North American Based Staff Traveling to International Locations 352

North American Staff Relocated to an International Location 354

Foreign Staff Stationed Overseas 355

Reference 356

CHAPTER 8 Technology and Communications 357

The Basics 358

Issues 359

Future Developments 363

Reference 365

CHAPTER 9 Cautionary Case Studies 367

International Practice’s Role in a Firm’s Demise 368

Swanke Hayden Connell Architects 368

The Architects Collaborative 369

RMJM Hillier 370

Emery Roth & Sons 371

Case Studies Where Leadership or Ownership Changes Affected or Were Affected by the Firms’ International Practices 371

Arcadis North America CallisonRTKL, Stantec, and AECOM 371

Perkins + Will 372

Burt Hill Kosar Rittelman 372

Freeman White 373

Outsourcing Needs Leadership 374

Kohn Pedersen Fox London 374

Common Project Issues 375

FX Collaborative in China 375

FX Collaborative in Dubai 376

Dubai, 2008–10 377

Oppenheim Architecture+Design 378

A Chinese Life Insurance Company 379

A Government Agency that Wanted Us to Fail 380

Clients that Disappear 381

Scams 381

Conclusion, Project Problems, and Bad Clients 383

Health and Safety Issues 383

Iran 383

Lebanon 384

Libya 384

Egypt 385

Doing Projects in High Crime Areas 385

Medical Emergencies and Exposure to Health Issues 385

The Dangers of Some Countries’ Drinking Culture 386

Conclusion 386

CHAPTER 10 The Future 387