As an architect, the outcome of a detailed design process is not dissimilar from that of a legal brief. It is the product of selective culling from a mass of information to achieve a desired outcome. The Outcome is Legal Laws become architectural laws Because the limits of permissible design are established by regulations, just as rules determine how knives can be carried in Virginia. My investigation into this particular area of law inspired a new approach to a recent architectural project that left the client speechless. My research revealed often overlooked facts all related to the end result. A legal dimension is added to design which helps to explain the persistence of architectural time lines. In both cases experts become a crucial part of the process. The best experts are the ones who have intimate knowledge of their resources, rules or laws. They know what’s possible and how to get there without it taking forever and running out of funds or resources.

Creative Limits allege imprecision For example, some architects overestimate their abilities to elude or revise rules, choosing instead to argue that they should be allowed creative freedom because architectural design is an art. We know that nothing could be further from the truth. In fact the laws may be very particular about numbers, types and sizes of rooms, the heights of ceilings and walls according to their purposes, and they may even designate finishes and materials. When steel bar lintels are prescribed, that is simply what the permit requires. The architect has only to comply. To do otherwise places the law, the architect and the client at clear risk. Above ground, the house will look essentially the same, but inside it may be riddled with unsupported walls and ceilings, creating an unintentional danger zone. For instance, the relatively recent trend of large open spaces in architecture may now be settled by the courts because one homeowner has interpreted a large opening as a “door” on the basis of sheer size, as Peter N. Tipton and Daniel Noe, authors of the promised article on virginia knife carry laws size and legal implications warn.

Lethal Details are in the Design All architects know that it is the details that make or break the success of a project. They determine not only the aesthetics, but also the way in which the space conveys feelings of both grandeur and comfort. When the details are carefully considered according to an overall strategy, the distinct characteristics of each little element can be exploited to emphasize the whole. Uncertain rules about sizes and departure from conventions can automatically render limits. Some architects see the rules as tight, others widen the parameters, preferring an outcome more like a watercolor than an architectural design or plan. This difficulty in the profession may stem from sustained misunderstanding about what architects do. Architects can be overlooked in favor of the popular conception of the interior designer as someone who comes in after the building is built to either select or provide furnishings and highly decorative finishes. In truth, the architect has a hand in every element of a project, sometimes advocating for the client, and at other times acting in the best interest of the public.

Architects Consider a Range of Factors More importantly architects consider a range of factors which are quite complex. For example, a significant change to a design may have a major impact on architectural responses to the daylight/saving times dictated by the seasons. The timing of those layers of light and dark may alter the ownership expectations implicit in the nature and use of the spaces. A tragic twist of fate can be avoided by just doing the math. Even so, the architect is committed to the ethics of the profession. He acts to balance the needs of the project with the safety of the occupants and the general public. My research into laws affecting architects has helped me better assess the risks of the designs I am commissioned to produce; and much like the selected knife, the details I incorporate deliver the greater fabric of my work. I recommend that all architects familiarize themselves with influential laws and regulations as the architects of their own professional futures. Of course, as with rulings about knife carry laws, rules might change. As an architect, you need to always be prepared for your plans to change.