SMALL MONEY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 122, 19 November 1931, Page 5

SMALL MONEY

ARCHITECTS' EARNINGS

NOT BUSINESSLIKE

Iv painting a doleful picture of the plight of architects during the financial depression, the president of the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects (Mr. L. F. Irwin), in an address to a meeting of the institute, vigorously criticised members of the profession for slackness and iueffteient business methods, says tho Melbourne "Age." Mr. Irwin's estimate that the average net earnings of a registered architect m Melbourne at present must be £144 a year, appeared to- alarm a number of architectural students who were present,: and they were not entirely reassured by Mr. Irwiu's hope that in the future architects and builders would join forces in stabilising economical and efficient business, At present, said Mr. Irwin, there were 350 registered, architects for a Melbourne population of 1,014,600. Of that population, -9* per cent, owned dwellings,, and' a further 6 per cent, .were directly interested in buildings. The profession therefore, had to rely on 152,200 people for its livelihood. If each one employed an architect once in fifteen years on the average it would "mean 10,146 persons a year requiring buildings. In 1928, which was a "peak year, a sum of £7,049,000 was. spentoh metropolitan buildings, or an average of £695vby each owner. Divided among 350 architects this meant an average of 28.5 clients each, who .spent a total of, £20,000. This, of course, was under the most favourable circumstances, and in addition if should be remembered that not more than 45 per cent, of the work was likely to go. to. architects. This reduced the amount spent by clients to £9000, on which the architect's ' 6 per» cent, commission would be a gross £540.. After deducting expenses the net average return in a "peak" year therefore would • be about £360. The work available now was 80 per cent, less, and assuming that it was evenly distributed, which it was not, it .would "only provide an average, net returu for each architect of £144 a year. No one could live long on that amount. (Laughter.) THEIR WEAKNESSES. Footprintson the sands of-time, continued the speaker, were never made by sitting down. (Laughter.) Either the number of architects should be reduced, "or the work available should be increased. The question of numbers would, right itself by.economic necessity, but architects would have to realise that they had not made themselves indispensable, and therefore obtained a comparatively small proportion of work. The success of a job depended on efficient handling as much a3 on artistic and architectural merit, aud clients who suffered from delays, uuforseen extras and mismanagement, would naturally refuse to re-employ architects or recommend them. The lack of cooperation in the profession was shown by tho attendance of 20 at the meeting out of a membership of 250. Architects did not keep abreast of modern development of construction and planning, they showed weakness in estimating, particularly in the preliminary stages; they did not take their rightful position in communal and political activities, their business administration was inefficient, and insufficient attention was given to publicity and group advertising. In the future building activities would probably be co-ordinated, and every part of the building enterprise would work together, each firm having specialised men in ehargo of departments. - Tho-constructional side would be incorporated, to tho benefit of both builders and architects.