The effects of information and communication technology (ICT) on architectural profession

The working environment of an architect in the western society has changed more than ever before during the last 20 years. Most of these changes have been related with information and communication technologies (ICT). Architectural working methods and tools have changed profoundly, when CAD has replaced the traditional drawing table and cardboard models. Communicative working environment and document management has also been changed to digital, meaning email and digital document management systems. Completing a traditional architectural profile of the 20th century, a drawer-designer, contemporary communicating and managing skills plus mastering ICT are needed today to operate modem architectural practice properly. The paper proposes new aspects to be included in the modem architectural profile, namely project coordination, collaborative team-work, design information integration and profound digital content management. The objective of this post-graduate study is to create a change-oriented framework of the contemporary architectural profession concentrating on management and architectural ICT. The first phase of the study is based on literature, to be followed a phase of Delphi-interviews and case-studies, to examine three hypothetically different periods of time: 1. 1980-85 the era before CAD, the last days of hand-drawing, 2. 1993-98 the era of digital drawing, the expansion of architectural CAD. 3. 2000-05 the rise of integrated and pervasive web-supported digital design.