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I am sitting in the airport in
Orlando with my laptop computer “borrowing” what I
hope to be an internet connection offered free to
travelers waiting for their delayed flight.
As amazing as high speed
internet connections in Starbucks and airline
terminals are, you only need to read “The World Is
Flat” by Thomas L. Friedman to glimpse the ground
shaking changes taking place in our world while
we’re all sleeping.
My three advisors cringe when I
read a new self help or business book- because it
permeates all the advice, insight and dialogue I
offer at our monthly planning meetings.
Apologies to you all for the
following.
The first chapter of Friedman’s
book is fascinating enough with it’s detail about
how homes in Japan are designed with quick sketches
then scanned and sent to China for production of
Contract Documents.
It goes on later to detail how
graphic designers and illustrators see a dissolution
and commoditization of their services with the use
of digital photography and the global expertise in
the graphic “trinity,” Quark, Photoshop, and
Illustrator. If you don’t’ know these software
programs just think of AutoCAD and the other 2d, 3d
drafting and design programs. Our pencils, inks,
and watercolors of yesterday, atomized and able to
be uploaded and downloaded instantaneously anywhere
on the planet.
It is not just outsourcing that
both threatens our profession and offers immense
possibilities. It’s also homesourcing,
open-sourcing, supply chaining, in-sourcing and
informing. These and other Friedman forces are
leveling the playing field for architects,
engineers, designers and drafters throughout the
world.
The challenge for architects
seems to be to follow Friedman’s advice and dig deep
inside ourselves to find our core competencies and
talents. Architects have traditionally been most
valuable to society when they imagine and create.
According to Friedman, these are two of the most
valuable ‘natural resources’ on the planet.
Architecture, as stated most
eloquently by Marvin J. Malecha, FAIA and Dean of
the School of Architecture of NC State, is a very
different discipline. The sciences are focused on
understanding what our physical world is. The arts
and humanities are focused on understanding all that
is not physical in our world. Architecture focuses
on understanding and envisioning what is yet to be.
In 1893, architects from
America were able to envision a new “White City”, as
told by Erik Larson in “The Devil in the White
City”. An experiment that led to the City Beautiful
movement. It is now time for Architects to
discover a new world. Not one unknown to one
civilization, like Columbus did, but a world like
Dean Malecha says is yet to be. A world that is
sustainable, livable and beautiful.
The “Flat” world has given us
many benefits and opportunities.
High quality, low cost,
profitable Airline companies. Jet Blue does
this in part by homesourcing it’s booking agent
services so when you call Jet Blue to make your
reservation you are talking to someone in their
home, with only a phone, computer and high speed
internet connection.
Quick turnaround on laptop
repairs for your Toshiba. UPS thought they
could save days by offering to repair your laptop in
Kentucky rather than fly it to Japan. They were
able to convince Toshiba to train American, UPS
employees how to do it here.
Low cost computers and other
technology. One of the most illuminating parts
of the book is where Friedman details the life cycle
of his laptop computer he ordered from Dell from
initial phone call when he places the order to its
arrival at his doorstep, 13 days, 22 countries and
400 companies later.
The potential for peace and
prosperity throughout the world is another benefit
of a “Flat” world.
His stories of benevolent
entrepreneurs in India, China, and even Cambodia are
all Nobel Peace prize candidates.
Friedman’s “Curse of Oil” is
not only the drug we in the developed and soon to be
developed world are addicted to, but also the
instrument of oppression in the oil rich states.
This is something our political leaders need to
understand. It seems cheap energy can be just as
powerful as a smart bomb.
What this means for our cities,
villages, rural and suburban communities can only be
dreamed. When ‘resources’ means only the ability to
dream, connect and collaborate world wide our
communities can be reinvented. Our communities
which are born and fed by transportation, now need
only a broadband connection and an Aramex account
(the Arab Fed Ex) to mine, refine, and sell their
‘resources.’
We Architects have a lot of work to do. |
