Do I Need An Architect?

This is a question a homeowner, business owner, developer and others may ask when contemplating and planning the construction of a project.  It is often an inquiry into legal requirements, but can blossom into an understanding of the value that an architect can invest into a decision involving great financial and moral resources.

The Texas legislature has assigned a regulatory agency known as the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners (TBAE) with the task of regulating the public work of architecture. This agency provides guidance to the public as to the legal circumstances when to engage an architect for a project. A flow chart demonstrating the scenarios requiring this engagement may be accessed at the Quick Links portion of the agency’s website under the “Architect Required” link: www.tbae.texas.gov

Furthermore, the TBAE in its regulations contain a definition of the “practice of architecture”. The value of engaging an architect beyond the strict legal requirements is underscored. This value is elaborated in its definition as follows:

 “A service or creative work applying the art and science of developing design concepts, planning for functional relationships and intended uses, and establishing the form, appearance, aesthetics, and construction details for the construction, enlargement, or alteration of a building or environs for human use or occupancy, the proper application of which requires education, training, and experience in those matters.”

These values give substance to making the judgement for the necessity of an architect. It is these values that Stella Maris Architecture (SMA) is committed to deliver to their clients. SMA adds an additional dimension to what an architecture firm can deliver to its clients by their devotion to communicate beauty in its architecture.  This is less a purely aesthetic proposition and more a devotion to principles of discipline that have proven over the centuries to be a real fountainhead of a beautiful and powerful environment. 

There are three principles for the criteria for beauty: Integrity, Consonance, and Clarity. Integrity means that what should be in a project is actually in the project.  SMA will labor to ensure that the design process and solution be comprehensive.  Consonance means that what is fitting to be in the project is what is employed.  SMA will take care that those involved and vocabulary used in the design be in perfect tune with the essence of the project.  Clarity conveys the idea of brightness to a project; not in how our eye sees it, but how our mind and intuition receives what is built. SMA’s process will be to understand clearly the vision of the client and return a built environment that communicates that vision clearly and immediately to those inhabiting and visiting the place.

For Stella Maris Architecture, this pursuit of beauty is a work ethic whose purpose is to make a work of architecture in which both the client and architect can take pride.