Architects Work From Home: Ar. Gauri Gore explores the new normal
Views shared by Ar. Gauri Gore, Chief Designer, Edifice Consultants Pvt. Ltd
1. What are the current challenges faced by architects and designers in the face of the Covid-19 crisis?
Architecture, like all creative fields, relies on a highly collaborative working style. The foremost challenge we are facing is the cultural change of adapting a close-knit workshop based collaborative style to a remote work-from-home strategy where everything is virtual. The other challenge has been the logistics of making the required hardware and software accessible and easily available to the whole team along with the necessary technical support on such short notice.
2. How is your team handling the work-from-home experience, and what are the challenges coming up?
The entire team has responded well to the situation and is working as dedicatedly as they would have from an office environment. These being trying times for all, I see the team taking extra efforts in ensuring clear communication with clients and with internal teams as well.
3. As part of the architecture and design firm, how would you ensure a fruitful work-from-home experience for your team?
I believe technology plays a crucial part in ensuring a fruitful work-from-home experience. We are able to use different platforms which enable us to share screens and draw over remotely, to make things clear on design decisions, even in large groups.
4. How have the changes affected the architecture and design industry at the moment?
Projects under construction have currently been put on hold during the lock-down period. Therefore, the energies of the industry have shifted to projects that are on the drawing board. Many of our clients continue to be optimistic about the ongoing projects and work is going ahead full steam. We are observing minor delays in approval processes, etc. due to the lockdown.
5. What are the plans after the situation returns to normal?
We are definitely anticipating a slowdown in the first quarter when business resumes as usual, and some uncertainty in the first half of the year. But we are going to stick together as a team and overcome this crisis one step at a time.
