Differences Between Designers and Architects
Many would not know the difference between an architect and a building designer. Both of their jobs are to design buildings, residences, factories, and other structures. However, if you look closely at the skills and the services they offer, you could find many differences between them. Based on the skills and qualifications of practicing individuals, a clear-cut distinction between the two professions can be determined. The main duty of a building designer is to come up with design and drafts of the building structure.
A building designer would meet the client and discusses their requirements and suggestions to incorporate in the design of the building. Based on this the designer comes up with drafts and concepts of the building. Next, the architect takes on these concepts and determines whether it meets the building specifications in terms of feasibility, functionality, and practicality of the project. Now let us look at the below comparison table to identify the basic difference between Designers and Architects.
Designers and Architects (Infographics)
Below is the top 5 difference between designers vs architects:
Key Differences between Designers and Architects
Below are the lists of points, describe the key differences between designers vs architects:
Who is an architect?
In order to be an architect, one must graduate from an accredited institution. Most later pursue a master’s degree and complete the Architect Registration Examination. Architects not only learn about the artistic process behind designing a building, but they are also trained to create building specifications. They collaborate with designers, contractors, and building inspectors to ensure that the structure they built meets all the regulations and codes. They are also capable to handle the construction of a building from its initial face to the final process.
In order to become a professional architect, one must:
- Obtain a valid degree in architecture
- Should be covered by the required liability insurance
- Must be registered as an architect and be compliant with the local architecture body
Even if a person has several degrees in architecture and many years of professional experience, it is illegal for them to trade as an ‘architect’ if they are not officially registered as one. Therefore, registration with the government architecture organization is what outlines an ‘architect’, for qualified and legitimate requirements. Scholastically, architects learn about both the artisanship and the science of building plan in significant profundity.
Architects go through somewhere around five years at college, covering technical design and different things like history and contract law. Graduates are ordinarily required to complete two years of practical work under a registered architect before they are qualified for enlistment as an architect. Depending on the briefs provided by the clients, architects, and building designers can apply their ideas to the project. Sometimes they may even act as the contract administrator’ and take care of the entire responsibility of the construction process.
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Job responsibilities of an architect include:
Meeting with the clients and discussing the design strategies along with the design and construction team members
- Giving fundamental evaluations of costs, work, and building times.
- Visiting the worksites intermittently to check work and meeting plans.
- Preparing scaled illustrations utilizing freehand art or computer-supported drafting software.
- Stay up to date with zoning laws and guidelines; building trends; and design elements.
Who is a building designer?
Building designers collaborate with architects and should be imaginative in their way to deal with building design. They should understand what a customer communicates to them and transform those thoughts into innovative structure drafts. It is also essential for them to have a working knowledge of construction regulations and building industry standards. Building designers should also have broad practice in math, physical science, and computer-supported drafting. Designers must be set up to adjust designs as they proceed to be prepared to review drafts relying upon a customer’s need.
Earlier, designers were called draftspeople or draftsmen which later became designers to mirror their advancing jobs and ranges of abilities. Nowadays, the job of a designer reaches out into the design of functional, energy-efficient, and frequently impressively stunning homes. Building designers can emerge out of various design-related fields. This comprises individuals with degrees and practice in architecture who are not registered as architects, along with people having a formal education in the design field.
Job responsibilities of a building designer include:
- Consulting with clients to determine building use, plans, and size
- Making proposals of the physical form and interiors and devising plans to stay within the spending budget.
- Presenting preliminary and finalized designs
- Helping clients to hire contractors and construction companies.
Required qualifications for building designers
In many places, anybody can work as a building designer without any qualifications or authorizing prerequisites at all. These places also do not require registration or licensing as well. While anybody can work as a building designer in such places, it is significant to recall that eventually, their work needs to be compliant with building and planning guidelines, or it just won’t be built.
Comparison Table Between Designers and Architects
Below is the topmost comparison between designers and architects:
| Basis of Comparison | Architect | Designer |
| Education | Degree in architecture | Associate degree preferred |
| Responsibility | Collaborating with designers and construction team, preparing design using software | Design suggestions on interior and exterior of the building |
| Fees | 7-10% of the build costs
|
3-5% of the build costs
|
| Experience Required | Minimum of 2 years | Not required |
| Salary | Higher compared to a designer | Comparatively less when compared to an architect |
Conclusion
By definition, architectural skills may cover practically any degree and consequently, are not manageable to basic certification. One appalling outcome is that there is no simple method to recognize a decent architect other than by their work-history, experience, and attitude: certification demonstrates just that the individual has some grip of concept, yet not really of practice.
Whether it is an Architect or a Designer, ideally you should base your choice on experience, qualifications, accomplishments, and enthusiasm – and clearly search for somebody whose past work meets your requirements. Similarly or more crucial is to find the right person you are sure you can coexist with – especially if that individual is probably going to help manage the development of your construction project. You will be working with them for a long time!
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