Why Do Architects Need An Office?

Would it work for an architectural team to work from their respective homes or co-work offices? ('Co-work' is the concept where you rent a shared office with other companies -- often for as little as $200/mo.) Or what about working from Starbucks, the local tea shop, the library, a restaurant, your consultant's office, your accountant's office, a co-work sublet, or an office building's shared conference room / equipment. What do you really need?

I brainstormed this list of activities that normally take place in the office. I only found four that couldn't be completely addressed by the tools available to you today. For instance wi-fi and LTE devices, Bacecamp, Google Hangouts, Skype, SMS, chat,  cloud storage, mobile phones and laptops. Throw Kinko/FedEx or your local repro house into the mix and everything is pretty well covered.

• Designing
  
• Design reviewing
  
• Writing specs
  
• Discussing problems
  
• Asking questions
  
• Corresponding 
  
• Coordinating 
  
• Scheduling
  
• Marketing
  
• Website
  
• Preparing proposals
  
• --Meeting [sometimes you just need to meet, but with a little creativity you can cover this]
  
• Printing/plotting
  
• Library
  
• --Shop drawings [the paper ones need special treatment, but you can do it]
  
• Pay requests
  
• Client meetings (Ha, ha! Do clients ever come to you?)
  
• --Design team meetings [Think Google Hangout with its shared screen feature. Maybe not perfect, but close. Or go to your consultant's office.]
  
• --Sample storage [This would be a good reason to hire an interior designer. Getting the physical stuff in front of others and storing it needs a solution.]
  

Savings? Looks like at least $1,500 per month -- $18,000 / year

• Rent: at least $1,000/mo.
  
• Tenant improvement loan: varies, but say $250/mo
  
• Security: $20/mo
  
• Window washer: $20/mo
  
• Parking(?): we will assume $0
  
• Janitorial: an hour of your time or $200/mo
  
• Commute - time and money (quality of life): at least $3 and ½ hour / person / day.
  
• Furniture: too variable to say
  
• Computer equipment: does everyone provide their own?*
  
• Internet: does everyone provide their own?*
  
• Library: cost of shelving vs browser bookmarks
  
• Office supplies: does everyone provide their own?*
  
• Stationery: does everyone provide their own?*
  
• Fax/Copier/printer/scanner: does everyone provide their own?*
  

* $75-$100 / mo. / person could reimburse staff for providing these items themselves.

Can't cut loose from having an office? Have a mini-office of one room with two desks and supplies. Or a conference room with scalable tables (ref tables when not a conference table). Go in one day each in rotation. If five people, go in once a week. If seven or eight, go in every week and a half. Etc. 

- OR -

Get an RV and drive it to sites and client meetings. ’Own’ your no-office, nomadic existence. Hold charrettes and bring the ’office’ to them. An intense hands-on experience like a charrette is just made for PR and marketing.

Think about it. This economy is going to give you plenty of time to right size yourself for survival. Be creative.

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