Trust, Purpose and Unity

The time when I joined Lead 8 was during its start-up phase, and the size of the practice was relatively small. As it uses a flat structure management strategy where all staff plays a key role; collaboration to improve the quality of the project or to achieve different aspects of the project as a team is obvious when compared to other practices of similar size.

“Collaboration can enable architects to generate better solutions collaboratively than they can by themselves.” (Walter Cropius, 2013)

In Lead 8 we all separate into several small teams and are directed by one of the eight directors and one senior associate.

Every team will be allocated several projects and distributed to each of us depending on the experience we have and the scale of the project. For example, a part 1 student like me will get a chance to become a project leader for a smaller-scale project and get involved in all project phases while the other team members play as assistants on this specific project.

Thus, the more senior and experienced a member is, the more complex project they get.

In the design process, I had to define and prioritize the tasks need to be completed and consult with either Simon or Wisely. A team meeting then took place every Monday morning to divide the workload and finalize a work schedule as a team. As a project leader, I also had to deal directly with the client and wider design/construction team and collaborate more with companies with specialized skills to understand their requirements and strategies.

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The knowledge acquired through collaboration allows me to think from various angles, stimulating creativity and building up confidence.

While working on China Merchant we have appointed WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff to work on façade lighting strategy and canopy structure. I had to collaborate with their team to develop a lighting strategy plan and discuss any structural issues that appeared during the design process. Furthermore, as we hire an external company for rendering, I also had to comment on drafts to ensure they matched our desired quality.

I think this management strategy task the directors and associates to identify and mentor all future board members so we will be ready when we are asked to take the reins. This framework that the office is based around doesn’t only encourage every team member to become the creator and designer, through communication it also allowed me to be open to different styles of problem-solving, maintain a good team relationship and learn from others too.

During my time in Lead 8, I learned that communication is essential for good collaboration in an architectural practice. Due to a large number of direct stakeholders working on a project and the constant development of ideas, communication is crucial to minimize mistakes during the design process and maximize work efficiency. There are four other key aspects to maintaining an effective collaborative team and it can be counterintuitive if the members don’t work well together.

Transparency: Internal and external transparency is vital to every team. The design processes and thinking need to be clear to every stakeholder. A clearly understood ethos of collaboration, respect, and fairness; and a place where successes are shared equally amongst each team member.

Trust: I believe the composition of a team and the mix of personalities are critical to the success of a project because no one can do a project alone, so we all rely on a united and committed team of people to create the best design.

Common goal: A design studio is a team affair where like-minded people come together and work towards a common goal – to design and create. It is this same mindset that builds the strength into the design and creates team spirit and bonding. This pushes each team member to improve, communicate and learn from others.

Unity: We are all together working towards the same goals and sacrifices that need to be made. Every single person adds value to what they do, it’s only by combining our entire skills to truly make a difference.

A design studio is a team affair and an environment where we have job winners, designers, deliverers of outcomes, and a support team; we all work together for mutual benefit with all individuals doing their utmost to create design and advance the company forward.