In architecture competitions are fascinating. Over the years, they have increasingly become a popular mechanism for architects in acquiring work and clients in looking for designers. Still they are a debated topic, being recently discussed at the European level, presenting several controversial issues of both a practical and theoretical nature and relevance. In fact, competitions, as architecture in general, are a fertile ground for contradictions and management oxymora struggling among opposing forces, such as artistic recognition and market constraints, individual passion and collective collaboration, creative spark and discipline. These are actually examples of paradoxes that architects confront regularly. In organizational terms, a paradox is a set of contradictory yet interrelated elements, logical in isolation but irrational when juxtaposed. Paradoxical tensions exist simultaneously and persist over time with no resolution, therefore attending competing tensions is critical for architectural practices. This paper explores the paradoxes of architectural competitions (referring to the four categories of performing, organizing, belonging, and learning) together with their underlying tensions and possible management approaches to handling them. A qualitative multiple case based approach is adopted: four architectural practices, two in Italy and two in the UK are investigated using the paradox lens, which is helpful in explaining how architects define competing strategies and organize for competitions’ design proposals. The paper also challenges and encourages the adoption of project management practices for successfully confronting opposing and competing demands.
Managing the performing paradox in architectural competitions
MANZONI, BEATRICE;
2012
Abstract
In architecture competitions are fascinating. Over the years, they have increasingly become a popular mechanism for architects in acquiring work and clients in looking for designers. Still they are a debated topic, being recently discussed at the European level, presenting several controversial issues of both a practical and theoretical nature and relevance. In fact, competitions, as architecture in general, are a fertile ground for contradictions and management oxymora struggling among opposing forces, such as artistic recognition and market constraints, individual passion and collective collaboration, creative spark and discipline. These are actually examples of paradoxes that architects confront regularly. In organizational terms, a paradox is a set of contradictory yet interrelated elements, logical in isolation but irrational when juxtaposed. Paradoxical tensions exist simultaneously and persist over time with no resolution, therefore attending competing tensions is critical for architectural practices. This paper explores the paradoxes of architectural competitions (referring to the four categories of performing, organizing, belonging, and learning) together with their underlying tensions and possible management approaches to handling them. A qualitative multiple case based approach is adopted: four architectural practices, two in Italy and two in the UK are investigated using the paradox lens, which is helpful in explaining how architects define competing strategies and organize for competitions’ design proposals. The paper also challenges and encourages the adoption of project management practices for successfully confronting opposing and competing demands.
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