Who is an architect? What is its value? Do architects work for ideas? Probably each of us at least once in his life heard from someone: "it's nice to be an architect, you can draw something and earn a lot of money". Then I always smile under my breath and reply, "yes, sometimes even enough to pay Social Security". Because here's the paradox: we create the spaces in which all social life takes place, and we ourselves are increasingly balancing on the edge of the profitability of our own existence.
This text was written out of frustration and out of love. First there was the office - my own coveted design studio. Walls painted white, freshly bought tables and computers, and the feeling that here I am starting to change the world for the better. And then came the Excel tables and the questions: why do I get less for a project that takes months than a construction crew gets for a week's work? Why are rates that were "market" a decade ago stagnant when housing prices are soaring and office workers' salaries are chasing European ones?
In Poland, the architectural profession is a bit like an elegant store window with handmade shoes: everyone admires, marvels at the craftsmanship, asks about the details, and then walks into a chain store for the cheapest sneakers anyway. I'm not the first to notice this. The Wielkopolska Regional Chamber of Architects, in correspondence with me, pointed out that, in fact, the profession of architect in Poland
does not formally exist. We only have a common law on professional self-governments of architects and civil engineers, which regulates the functioning of the chambers, but does not clearly define what architects actually do and under what conditions they should do it.
In 2018, we were even close. A draft law on the architectural profession made its way to the Government Legislation Center, but was lost somewhere in the depths of drawers. It probably lies there to this day, quiet and dusty, like a mock-up of an unfinished estate. So the question arises: do architects have the strength and courage to take this project out of the drawer, refresh it and push it further? Or should we go a step further and introduce a minimum wage provision into it? After all, an architect, like a doctor, lawyer or notary public, is a profession of public trust - he is responsible for the safety, functionality and quality of the space in which we live. If Poland has managed to introduce minimum wages in health care, if there are regulations on the salaries of notaries, attorneys, legal counselors - why do architects continue to live in a free-market fiction?
It is not that the Chamber of Architects has never tried to solve this problem. In the past, an attempt was made to create an official "architect's fee regulations" - a document that was supposed to bring order to the price chaos and show investors the real cost of design work. Unfortunately, the OCC found it to be anti-competitive and fined the Chamber. Since then, the topic of regulated rates has become like a hot potato - everyone knows it needs to be raised, but no one wants to get burned.
In the meantime, the market is regulating itself, but in a way that is more like confusion on a construction site than a planned project. More and more young architects are abandoning design offices and moving "to the other side" - to developers, where they can count on a steady, much higher salary and less stress, or give up the architectural profession altogether. Because what's the point of working in an office where the responsibility and pressure are enormous, and the margin at the end of the month barely allows for salaries for the team? I understand them, although my heart hurts when I see offices losing good people who stop believing that it's possible to make an honest living in architecture .
I thought about this for a long time, sitting in my studio, looking at the bills and calculating more projects "at cost." I thought: after all, this is absurd. In the UK they have their ARB, which keeps an eye on standards, in Germany until recently there were HOAI forks (until EU officials intervened), in the Scandinavian countries minimum rates were negotiated by unions in collective bargaining agreements. Even the Netherlands has its CLA for design offices. Architects there are not at all lavishing in luxuries, but they can focus on their work, instead of constantly wondering how to fit into the investor's budget and not exceed the limit of decency.
The idea for a minimum salary law for architects came from my own experience, from conversations with professional colleagues, from a sense of powerlessness in the face of constantly lowered rates and the pursuit of unrealistic deadlines. And then came conversations with the Chambers - Lublin, Greater Poland, Mazovia - and it turned out that I wasn't the only one with such thoughts. Instead of stopping with the talks, I decided to prepare a preliminary draft of a law on minimum remuneration for architects - a document that can become a starting point for further work and consultations with the community and lawyers. This is not a ready-made recipe for all problems, but it is a first step that shows that it is possible to act and that it is worth starting to talk about it out loud.
Yes, opinions are divided. Some say "it's impossible, it's illegal, and the OCC will challenge it anyway." Others: "it's a great idea, only you need to dress it up well in regulations". Still others wave their hands: "why bow out, somehow it will be done". Only that "somehow" has been going on for too long and leads us all nowhere.
Because it's not just a question of money. It's a question of the value of our profession and how others perceive it. And we are a little guilty of this ourselves. Over the years we have learned that money is an embarrassing subject. As if we still only work "for ideas." As if the fact that we want fair remuneration for our knowledge and responsibility means that we are losing the mission. Meanwhile, the notion that the lowest price means the best offer is still being trotted out. In public procurements today, competitions are often won not by those projects that are really good, but by those that fit in the tables of officials - regardless of whether they respond to real user needs. And then everyone is surprised that schools are built where functional and comfortable solutions are hard to come by, or squares that shine empty because no one wants to spend time on them.
In other industries, when you need to cut costs, you can always "optimize": change suppliers, cut material quality, automate the process, shift work to cheaper subcontractors. But what about us architects? What can we actually still optimize in the design process? Software, which we have the cheapest possible anyway? Hardware that has long been asking to be replaced? The wages of subcontractors and employees who have long been working for minimum wages? Or the time we are already squeezing to the limit, agreeing to unrealistic deadlines?
The introduction of a minimum wage could break this pattern. It could make competitions once again be won by projects that are thoughtful and functional, truly designed with people and their needs in mind, not just to fit into the lowest Excel box. Because public space deserves more than the next "cheapest option."
I remember a client who looked at a project and chuckled: "after all, it's only a few dashes". A few dashes? I smiled at the time, although in my mind I had a whole catalog of situations in which these "dashes" determined people's safety, quality of life, or simply whether the house would last longer than the developer's warranty. But instead of getting into the discussion, I again adjusted the rate to fit "within budget." It shouldn't look like that.
That's why I think that as architects we should take two parallel steps: first, refresh the Law on the Architectural Profession and give it real life - because today it's a bit like a building without a foundation. Second, start working on a minimum wage law - even if initially in the form of a recommendation, algorithm or regulation, but at least start talking about it loudly and boldly. Because if not us, then who? If not now, then when?
The real mission of an architect is to create good space - and to do it well, you need the right conditions: time, peace of mind and decent pay. So I ask again: what is the value of an architect?
I hope that we will soon answer this question not only in columns and coffee conversations, but also in laws and regulations that will make our work meaningful again. If we don't fight for ourselves, no one will do it for us.
Draft law on minimum remuneration for architects
Chapter 1: General Provisions
Article 1 Purpose of the Law
- The Law establishes a minimum salary for architects in order to ensure the quality of architectural services and to protect the labor market.
- The Law applies to self-employed architects, those employed under employment contracts and those performing services under civil law contracts.
- The provisions of the law are aimed at eliminating unfair competition and increasing the transparency of fees in the architectural industry.
- This Act specifies the conditions for determining the amount of the architect's fee in relations between the Employer and the Architect.
- This Law sets forth the conditions for determining the amount of the architect's fee in the employer-architect-employee relationship.
Article 2 Definitions
- Architect - a design firm, its representative or a natural person who, in accordance with the applicable law, is authorized to perform independent technical functions in the construction industry, and who is registered in the list of members of the competent district chamber of architects (Contractor).
- Designer - an architect who is not authorized.
- Investor (Contracting Authority) - a natural or legal person or public entity ordering architectural services.
- Investment value - the total cost of the construction project, including materials, labor and additional costs, as specified in the investment cost estimate.
Chapter 2: Scope of work of the architect
Article 3 Basic responsibilities of the architect
- The architect shall be obliged to develop project documentation in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Construction Law.
- Construction and detailed designs must be prepared in a multi-discipline form, taking into account all necessary technical branches and arrangements.
- The architect's scope of work includes the following stages:
- Pre-design work - site analysis, preliminary programmatic and spatial assumptions,
- Programmatic and spatial study - determination of general conditions for the implementation of the project,
- Conceptual design - development of preliminary architectural solutions,
- Construction design - documentation required to obtain a building permit. The detailed scope of the construction project should be in accordance with applicable regulations,
- Executive design - detailed documentation necessary for the implementation of the investment,
- Costing studies - investment cost estimate,
- Assistance in obtaining a building permit - support in the administrative process,
- Detailed technical specifications - definition of standards for the execution and acceptance of works,
- Participation in the acceptance of the investment support in the process of handing over the object for use. - The architect can also provide consulting and advisory services related to the supervision of the
authorship during the implementation of the project. These services are subject to a separate fee.
Chapter 3: Minimum remuneration
Article 4 Architect's remuneration
- The architect's remuneration shall be determined on the basis of a written agreement between the Investor and the architect, however, it shall not be less than the results of calculations based on this law.
- The architect's remuneration shall be a percentage of the value of the project implementation in accordance with Article 5.
Article 5 Minimum percentage rates for design work
- Residential buildings
1.1 Single-family residential buildings - 10%.
1.2 Multi-family residential buildings - 7% - Office facilities
2.1 Low-rise office buildings (up to 12m) - 6%
2.2 Medium-high and high office buildings - 7%
2.3 High-rise office buildings - 8% - Administration facilities - 8%
- Facilities of guards, police, prisons - 7%
- Trade and service facilities - 7%
- Educational facilities - 7%
- Hotels, hostels, dormitories - 8%
- Scientific institutes - 8%
- Health and welfare facilities - 7%
- Cultural facilities - 8%
- Religious worship facilities - 8%
- Sports and recreation facilities - 7%
- Agricultural facilities - 6%
- Transport facilities
14.1 Detached single-story garages - 6%
14.2 Detached multi-story garages - 6%
14.3 Underground garages - 6%
14.4 Vehicle service stations - 7%
14.5 Petrol stations - 7%
14.6 Railway and bus station buildings - 8%
14.7 Airport buildings - 8% - Industrial and warehouse facilities - 7%
- Military and civil defense facilities - 7%
- Other
17.1 Simple farm buildings - 6%
17.2 Barracks - 6%
17.3 Sheds - 6%
17.4 Crematoria - 7%
Article 6 Percentage distribution of remuneration
- Conceptual design: 20% of the architect's total remuneration,
- Construction project: 40% of the architect's total remuneration,
- Executive design: 40% of the architect's total remuneration.
Article 7 Minimum remuneration for architects working in design offices
- The remuneration of architects working in design offices depends on their seniority and is minimally:
- Up to 2 years of seniority - PLN 6,000 net per month,
- From 2 to 5 years of seniority - PLN 8,000 net per month,
- More than 5 years of seniority - PLN 10,000 net per month,
- Above 5 years of seniority and holding a construction license in architectural specialty - PLN 15,000 net per month. - The salary of architecture students doing design internships is minimally:
- Up to 3 months of practice - PLN 3,000 net per month,
- Above 3 months of practice - PLN 4,000 net per month. - Employers are obliged to valorize salaries annually in accordance with current labor laws.
Article 8 Hourly honorarium
- Author's supervision, consulting and advisory services related to the execution of the contract and additional meeting not specified in the contract are subject to separate remuneration according to hourly rates:
- for work provided by the head of the architectural office or a highly qualified designer - PLN 500/h,
- for works rendered by a designer leading the project - 300 PLN/h,
- for the work of an architectural assistant - PLN 200/h.
Chapter 4: Enforcement
Article 9 Control and sanctions
- The body responsible for supervising compliance with the Law is the Chamber of Architects of the Republic of Poland and the construction administration authorities.
- Investors and firms that violate the regulations are subject to financial penalties of up to PLN 50,000.
- Architects who knowingly agree to remuneration below the minimum rates may be subject to disciplinary responsibility.
Chapter 5: Implementation of the Law
Article 10. entry into force
- The Law shall enter into force 6 months after the date of promulgation.
