architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and construction, constructi ...

, a project architect (PA) is an individual who is responsible for overseeing the architectural aspects of the development of a

design A design is the concept or proposal for an object, process, or system. The word ''design'' refers to something that is or has been intentionally created by a thinking agent, and is sometimes used to refer to the inherent nature of something ...

, production of the construction documents ( plans), and

specifications A specification often refers to a set of documented requirements to be satisfied by a material, design, product, or service. A specification is often a type of technical standard. There are different types of technical or engineering specificati ...

, from which actively uses a variety of intellectual disciplines in engineering, law, and business, for the projects of the architectural environment.

Roles

The position generally involves coordinating the needs of a client, designer, technical staff, outside

consultant A consultant (from "to deliberate") is a professional (also known as ''expert'', ''specialist'', see variations of meaning below) who provides advice or services in an area of specialization (generally to medium or large-size corporations). Cons ...

s such as

structural A structure is an arrangement and organization of interrelated elements in a material object or system, or the object or system so organized. Material structures include man-made objects such as buildings and machines and natural objects such as ...

, civil, and mechanical engineers, as well as

interior designer Interior design is the art and science of enhancing the interior of a building to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the people using the space. With a keen eye for detail and a Creativity, creative flair, an ...

s and

landscape architect A landscape architect is a person who is educated in the field of landscape architecture. The practice of landscape architecture includes: site analysis, site inventory, site planning, land planning, planting design, grading, storm water manage ...

s. The specific tasks of a project architect are usually associated with architectural design, construction materials and methods and the production of construction documents (

floor plan In architecture and building engineering, a floor plan is a technical drawing to scale, showing a view from above, of the relationships between rooms, spaces, traffic patterns, and other physical features at one level of a structure. Dimensio ...

elevation The elevation of a geographic location (geography), ''location'' is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational equipotenti ...

s, etc.). Other responsibilities range from client relations to

zoning In urban planning, zoning is a method in which a municipality or other tier of government divides land into land-use "zones", each of which has a set of regulations for new development that differs from other zones. Zones may be defined for ...

and

building code A building code (also building control or building regulations) is a set of rules that specify the standards for construction objects such as buildings and non-building structures. Buildings must conform to the code to obtain planning permis ...

management, material specifications, maintaining quality control by checking and making revisions to

shop drawing A shop drawing is a drawing or set of drawings produced by the contractor, supplier, manufacturer, subcontractor A subcontractor is a person or business which undertakes to perform part or all of the obligations of another's contract, and ...

s. The project architect can also assume the role of the

project manager A project manager is a professional in the field of project management. Project managers have the responsibility of the Project planning, planning, procurement and execution of a project, in any undertaking that has a defined scope, defined star ...

(PM) in a small studio, but typically, the project architect is only responsible for the design management of a building project, assisted by interns and other staff. A project architect is typically registered as an architect in the state in which they are performing the role but not always required to be. Intern architects may perform the role under the supervision of a registered architect but may not sign or seal legal documents. The project architect may, but does not often, sign contracts, or seal construction documents or payment applications, which are most often legally signed and sealed by a state registered owner or partner of the architectural office. This liability is covered by the firm, and the legal responsibility for any architectural design errors and omissions ultimately falls on the registered architect; the owner or partner in an architectural firm.

References

Architecture occupations {{Job-stub