Start or grow your architectural firm with this masterful guide to international practice, featuring country-specific information for over 185 countries
The Architect’s Guide to Developing and Managing an International Practice is the definitive resource for architects considering or already engaged in projects outside the United States. Offering expert guidance on every essential aspect of international expansion and management success, this comprehensive volume covers recruiting, licensing, strategic planning, current trends, emerging technologies, and more. Author L. Bradford Perkins clarifies and expands upon the major issues that architects face when they begin to explore how to enter a new international market for their services.
This real-world guide is designed for young architects and architectural students thinking about working overseas, for firm leaders pursuing international projects for the first time, and for established global firms seeking to expand or refine their ongoing international practices. It includes advice drawn from dozens of conversations with leading architects who have worked in dozens of countries around the world. A must-read for architecture and design professionals wanting to successfully win and carry out work abroad, this book will help you:
- Plan an entry into international practice
- Pick the best initial or next international market for your services
- Sell and contract for your services
- Manage the financial aspects of international practice
- Invoice and collect what is owed to you
- Enhance your domestic practice with international work
- Understand the telecommunication, software, and technology platforms required
- Identify and avoid the common problems of international practice
- Understand how experienced global firms effectively deal with risks and issues
Written by the co-founder of Perkins Eastman Architects, an international architectural firm with more than 1000 employees and work experience in over 60 countries, The Architect’s Guide to Developing and Managing an International Practice is an indispensable reference and guide for any architect planning to seek work outside the United States.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements xv
List of Figures xvii
Chapter 1 Introduction and Historical Overview 1
Introduction 1
Why Firms Pursue or Choose to Avoid International Practice 7
How Firms Start 8
Reasons to Have an International Practice 9
Reasons to Be Cautious 13
References 15
Chapter 2 Getting Started 17
Researching the Major Issues 17
Developing a Plan 23
First Steps 29
What Country is the Right Place to Start? 29
How to Start 32
Questions to Answer During an Initial Exploration 32
Getting the First Projects 33
Contract Issues 34
Case Studies 34
Perkins Eastman 34
Ennead Architects 41
MASS Design Group 44
ZGF Architects 46
KPF 48
Oppenheim Architecture+Design 48
Reference 51
Chapter 3 The Major International Markets 53
Americas 55
Canada 55
Mexico and Central America 64
Mexico 66
Central America 71
South America 73
Brazil 80
Colombia 84
Ecuador 86
The Caribbean Islands 88
Bahamas 92
Bermuda 92
Dominican Republic 94
Jamaica 94
Trinidad and Tobago 95
Asia 96
China 97
Reasons to be there 105
Reasons to be cautious 107
What firms are currently operating in China? 107
Special Administrative Regions - Hong Kong and Macau 124
East Asia 130
Southeast Asia 147
South Asia 172
Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands 184
Who is There 184
The Potential Clients 186
Domestic Firms 186
Licensure 186
The Middle East and North Africa 187
The Gulf States and Saudi Arabia 189
The Middle East 211
Egypt and North Africa 227
Sub-Saharan Africa 234
Angola 234
Benin (formerly Dahomey) 234
Botswana 234
Burkina Faso 237
Burundi 238
Cameroon 238
Central African Republic 238
Chad 238
Comoros 239
Democratic Republic of the Congo 239
Republic of the Congo 239
Djibouti 239
Equatorial Guinea 239
Eritrea 240
Ethiopia 241
Gambia 241
Gabon 241
Ghana 241
Guinea 243
Guinea-Bissau 243
Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) 243
Kenya 243
Lesotho 244
Liberia 244
Madagascar 244
Malawi 245
Mali 245
Mauritania 246
Mauritius 246
Mozambique 246
Namibia 246
Niger 246
Nigeria 247
Reunion 249
Rwanda 249
São Tomé and Príncipe 250
Senegal 250
Seychelles 250
Sierra Leone 251
South Africa 251
Somalia 251
Sudan 252
Swaziland (Now Eswatini) 252
Tanzania 252
Togo 252
Uganda 253
Western Sahara 253
Zambia 253
Zimbabwe 254
Russia and the States of the Former Soviet Union Chart and Map 254
Russia 256
The Former Soviet Republics 259
Central and Eastern Europe 263
Albania 265
Bosnia and Herzegovina 266
Bulgaria 267
Croatia 267
Czech Republic (Czechia) 267
Hungary 268
North Macedonia 269
Moldova 269
Poland 269
Romania 270
Serbia 270
Slovakia 271
Slovenia 271
Western Europe 271
Austria 274
Belgium 274
Cyprus 276
Denmark 277
Finland 277
France 278
Who is operating there now? 281
Germany 282
Reasons to be there 282
Reasons to be cautious 282
Greece 284
The market 284
Iceland 285
The market 285
Languages and communications 285
Ireland 285
The market 285
Languages and communications 287
Italy 287
Liechtenstein 288
The market 288
Languages and communications 289
Luxembourg 289
The market 289
Languages and communications 291
Monaco 291
Netherlands 291
Norway 294
Portugal 294
The market 294
Spain 294
The market 296
Reasons to be there 298
Reasons to be cautious 298
Skills and capabilities that are important 298
Sweden 298
The market 299
Switzerland 299
The market 299
Languages and communications 299
United Kingdom 299
The market 302
Reasons to be there 302
Reasons to be cautious 303
Skills and capabilities that are important 304
Who is operating there now? 304
Who are the clients? 304
What is the process for getting work? 305
Languages and communications 305
Licensing and legal issues 305
Scope of services 305
Fee levels, payment terms, and taxes 306
Major contract issues 306
Local resources 307
Design issues 307
Code and regulatory issues 307
Typical schedules 307
Personal safety and health issues 307
References 307
Chapter 4 Common Legal, Licensure, Registration, and Contract Issues 309
Operating Legally in a Foreign Market 310
Licensure 311
Contracting for Planning and Design Services 311
Negotiating Contracts for Design Services 316
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act 323
Chapter 5 Setting and Collecting Fees, Accounting, and Banking Issues 325
Setting Fees 325
Payment Terms 326
Currency Issues 326
Tax Planning 327
Performance and Bid Bonds, Bank and Other Guarantees, and Banking Services 328
Invoicing 328
Collections 329
Repatriating Fee Income and Profits 329
Financial and Management Accounting 330
Insurance Considerations 331
Chapter 6 Common Governance, Management, and Quality Control Issues 337
Common Issues 337
Models for International Practice 340
Managing the Relationship Between the Domestic Offices and the International Offices and Teams 342
Managing a Successful International Office 342
Monitoring and Managing Client Management,
Project Management, and Quality Control Issues 342
Working with Local Associate Firms and Consultants 343
Work Sharing, Offshoring, and Outsourcing 344
Reasons to Consider Work Sharing, Offshoring, and Outsourcing 344
Withdrawing from a Market and Closing an Overseas Office 348
Chapter 7 Staffing International Projects and Offices 351
North American Based Staff Traveling to International Locations 352
North American Staff Relocated to an International Location 354
Foreign Staff Stationed Overseas 355
Reference 356
Chapter 8 Technology and Communications 357
The Basics 358
Issues 359
Future Developments 363
Reference 365
Chapter 9 Cautionary Case Studies 367
International Practice’s Role in a Firm’s Demise 368
Swanke Hayden Connell Architects 368
The Architects Collaborative 369
RMJM Hillier 369
Emery Roth & Sons 370
Case Studies Where Leadership or Ownership Changes Affected or Were Affected by the Firms’ International Practices 371
Arcadis North America CallisonRTKL, Stantec, and AECOM 371
Perkins + Will 371
Burt Hill Kosar Rittelman 372
Freeman White 373
Outsourcing Needs Leadership 373
Kohn Pedersen Fox London 375
Common Project Issues 375
FX Collaborative in China 375
FX Collaborative in Dubai 377
Dubai, 2008-10 378
Oppenheim Architecture+Design 378
A Chinese Life Insurance Company 380
A Government Agency that Wanted Us to Fail 381
Clients that Disappear 382
Scams 382
Conclusion, Project Problems, and Bad Clients 383
Health and Safety Issues 384
Iran 384
Lebanon 384
Libya 385
Egypt 385
Doing Projects in High Crime Areas 385
Medical Emergencies and Exposure to Health Issues 386
The Dangers of Some Countries’ Drinking Culture 386
Conclusion 386
Chapter 10 The Future 387
Appendix A: AIA International Contract Documents 391
Appendix B: Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Antibribery Provisions 419
Index 427
