American Institute of design vs China Design Institute, what is the difference?

Working environment in China and America

The scale of the construction company in the United States are generally relatively small, less than 20 people called a small studio, about the size of the middle and even the size of about 70 people, or even about the basic office is the largest of the 200. For example, Gensler, HOK, RTKL and other well-known American companies, they are in the region of office is less than 200 people look like, when the economic situation is good will be more than 200 people.
And I said the size of the company is a company that includes design, administration, HR, IT, cashier and so on; the companies generally include professional landscape design and interior design, or model group, such as rendering team.
I in the past few years are not often return home, have no concern about the large domestic design institutes, until one day I came a chance to go to my classmate's unit (central region of a well-known state-owned enterprises), the entire building was forced to subdue; of course, he is also the office building they design their own building, the basic facilities for everything, the canteen also seems to have; with the United States, office is not an order of magnitude. Later I basically decided to return home, and in Shanghai some large Design Institute, to deeply feel the huge domestic &hellip Architectural Design Institute scale; … a professional residential companies in Pudong office is tall on the blind, the hardware facilities are good.
I would like to say that the objective of the individual's feelings: most of the domestic units, hardware facilities than the United States but the company; the main reasons are: first, too many employees, the space is more crowded. Although the basic is a staff of a computer location, telephone and other basic configuration, but I haven't seen for designers to configure the drawing board &hellip in China; … the reason behind this matter I will further explain. The whole company, print room size accounted for the proportion of the office is very small, it is always a variety of card printer drawings are in the queue, or garbled file in the brush paper, super waste, much less than A2 color, basically can not rely on internal drawing.
And I was in the United States where the company (up and down the size of 70 people), the print room is equipped with a professional staff to work every day to wait on these printers! This man is a company from a printer machine. His job is to take care of the printing equipment with a variety of care solutions almost every day, and to ensure that these machines are running smoothly at any time, otherwise office can not figure out, we will be crazy! In the print room of our company, as well as advanced large internal drawing printer can play A1 color and high quality (a A1 color market price at least 50 under the knife). To send only when a batch of text, the text submitted for approval before NewJeasy played more than and 20 sets of pictures, all outside lay and bound to the results were sent to the company, our group boss principle sat signature for a whole afternoon … …
Domestic office area basically no public activity area. When you go to work, if you bring your own lunch at noon, you can get together with colleagues in a table, chat and watch tv. But this is related to the culture and time. For example, the United States to work, only an hour to eat at noon, a car to go back to work, and in China, there are at least 1-2 hours can eat lunch break. Personally feel that this is the biggest benefit to work in the country, can still sleep at noon 20-30 minutes. Although I haven't developed this habit
The staff dress up, the office of the words and deeds

As a girl, I really do not like to make up every day, on the eye shadow eyeliner, painted foundation blush. BUT, working in the United States, I have no way not to make up, because if I run with my face, I feel like a monster! Almost all women, regardless of is the front, personnel, or accounts, there will be a more delicate makeup. So the female colleagues, when hit in the company often praise each appearance, your clothes look good, or your shoes cute. So, if you are special, wearing a very prime, and the most basic conversation between colleagues are afraid of it is difficult to start. In contrast, the face of domestic staff, I do not know how to evaluate. Earlier in the Design Institute of friends and I said, the country does not pay attention to wear, you will work just fine; there is overtime, how do you wear comfortable how to. Jeans can wear, sports shoes can wear, summer girls can wear shorts?! Anyway, we are very free … …
After my formal work, can occasionally hear some group of girls to chat, said their parents take their children to the park, what, what to buy good stuff in a store yesterday, or some gossip topic. Such scenes are not common in American companies. Although colleagues will also be a guest to talk about where to go on weekends to play, and so on, but definitely not loud or at work time to start talking about these! Of course, I later learned that this is normal, work is not every minute is a unit, and the next class is not every minute is your own. The strength of the domestic design institute is still very large.
Added: General Design Institute, the most beautiful girl should be the front desk, followed by the secretary. Do the designer of the girls are generally less, Yan value and Secretary of the spell is quite rare. Of course, private enterprises and state-owned enterprises in this appearance is still poor. BUT, on the whole, designers, are generally more internal; there is no need for a lot of external business image and temperament, unless it is necessary to meet or see customers. Hey. Domestic work pressure, overtime really too much, so I rarely see a good body of architects, basically no exercise habits. So sad… I feel knowledgeAnd the aesthetic level of such goods are the architects, why do not care about appearance and image? The cognition of the people in China is always a little bit beautiful. It is impossible to have a beautiful and powerful female architect.
Working mode

After I entered the job, I was surprised to find that the entry process in China was not bad. For example, computer telephone office supplies basic configuration are in place, name card printing is relatively agile. Although the entry training is not on time, but it is not encountered things do not understand the need to ask personnel, because too many colleagues around, turn a few words will know what to do. (it is mainly people won't feel disturbed, quite happy to talk to you.)
While in the United States, I joined the first day of the program is about this: first in the largest room, personnel to give me all kinds of a thick hundreds of pages to sign documents, a labor contract, medical insurance, pension and a series of relevant documents and instructions. Basically signed a word in the morning, the personnel side explained that we ask questions until all the questions are clear. And the unit to the new employees, the company will have a lot of welcome front of the brand, and then the whole unit, as long as the work to know that there are new employees. Subsequently, the personnel will also introduce new employees, basic education background, work experience, hobbies and other information, welcome to the new family Paperwork after the end of the first is to go with the group of colleagues in a circle to say hello, and then take you to your location, tell you some basic things. The average American office space will be looser, and generally every two people have a very high professional canvas, (my director, equivalent to the creative level, domestic often in his picture of the sketch design, hand painting is very beautiful!) Because I particularly like the big drawing board, and later asked the Secretary of the big boss in private, I knew that the drawing board almost 2000 knives. Keke. Then is the IT Technology Department sent over to tell you your telephone, personal email, data of the company in what place, if the file is missing how to do so, taught you how to integrate the rules of the company. And I remember that IT was a special cute intern who was born tutor me, and helped me to connect the company's email calendar to my cell phone. So that there is a meeting of what the unit, what activities, when there will be a day at noon all the courses will be on my own iPhone instant reminder or update. I deeply feel that technology makes life better! All things are formal formal, very worry very intelligent, feel very happy working conditions.
Of course, in the case of my current work at home, it seems that my unit has internal communications software, like QQ, as long as the name of the other side, you can easily start dialogue. A few words will be able to solve the problem, or make a phone call can also be clear, it is convenient. Although the domestic mail is really not so popular, but the company has any notice or release some news is very timely and in place.
In the United States, work is work, standard capitalism, every minute of your company paid you, you have to really work. Even our largest group of principle always complain about pretending to be hypocritical, and pulled me to the interview? How come I have so much time for billable? Overall, the work environment is very formal and decent, but also very rules. Each employee has a timesheet that needs to be filled in, eight hours a day, work items and work content. Director is going to check it every week. Then the group will have a smartsheet, when every Monday to everyone in the group through the mail, so that everyone can see who this week will be mainly responsible for what project, or one project which will make the number of hours inside. So the work is very clear and transparent. The main reason why e-mail is so popular is that everything will be recorded. Meeting e-mail notification, there is an event or an urgent e-mail notification, you do not go is your own problem.
On the contrary, I feel the domestic work environment is more “ flexible ”. A project schedule according to the basic Party B feedback all the time into the change pattern; regardless of the time regardless of the location of the service for the owner of a project, the duration of the node is also the basic party say, to catch up with the progress of die pressing for approval. I often hear my head with the phone when Party A, “ then we adjust again to you ” or “ that we can do for you, &rdquo edition; the heart is the one hundred thousand horse gallop across. And in this state of adjustment, the change in the United States, will not be all right with you draw a set of CAD, will be the first to discuss with you a good direction to discuss, and then determine the map. Otherwise, what is not sure when the drawing of a version of the map, and then adjust and painting and adjustment, the middle of useless work too much. I slowly found that drawing this thing, really can not put every set of plans as the last version of the painting! Hurt yourself … … on the domestic design institute, it is said to have to say, the next time I write a good topic; hope to design practitioners all can reflect, and then improve our working mode and environment.
A few days ago, a friend of mine from SOM came back from america. I always think the work mode is relatively standardized, are basically straight forward, step by step, the final results are relatively ideal; because I think that shows all the time in the direction and thinking of the. The little brother said directly, ” change the map of what? We'll change the money. We have changed several versions of “ I forgot that the United States is a typical capitalism, do everything is to talk about money. Although I used to be in the publicWhen our early want to grab a project, which is almost up to send program posted free, but sent to the general director design is our hand diagram and some indexes; for you is also a basically design intention, why do we do what is design. Tell Party A. If you like it, we'll continue to do it for you. Anyway, all of our work is based on the company signed the contract, how much money to do many things, but we guarantee quality. Both parties have a high degree of trust, which is in the Chinese market is too short.
Work content

In the United States, the project is generally relatively small, mainly to private developers. (in fact, is not small, but I feel like China are big developers, the kind of luxury burst with houses.) Like I was in the program group is mainly residential, and basically will be built. There is a high-rise residential in NewJeasy, I told about half a year is ready to start construction. Personally feel that, no matter how small the majority of projects, the United States design companies are doing very fine. It seems that just do the program or repeated adjustments, but in fact are constantly thinking and then optimize a process. You will find that seemingly small things, in fact, have been thinking about the entire life cycle of the building. Once I find a flat color pictures courtyard my boss just hand painting, but in fact he every every detail is carefully considered, a chair he painted on the plane he must be repeatedly thought this place in the end can not put this, cross or swimming pool. How to use the green block line of sight. Compared with domestic cool renderings, I do not know how to evaluate. Some of the effect of the project to do a really good looking, but the total feeling did not go into the appearance of; or some of the projects built, to look at the time to find the effect of the survey and the effect of drawing a far cry. About “ renderings ” the existence of this matter is the need to seriously consider its necessity as well as authenticity.
There is one thing I would like to say is that in the United States, the company with IT do better. The company's documents are a shared disk, the basic information is transparent and open. It is interesting to note that when they assign work, they may be the same as a CAD map, you can't see the hands of a few people, and you can always go on. How to explain it, is the company will have a very very standard system requirements (regular and CAD/REVIT courses, while training while answering) linear color of each layer of layer CAD which is made of such provisions, who are required to draw in accordance with this standard; this kind of the same picture, different people can directly take over to start work. But it is interesting that we almost never pass the CAD file with the party representations, are used with title drawings (JPG/PDF) conduct periodic report, and this figure is repeated in the company had no problem to check out. Every time you have a dialogue with the party will be recorded, e-mail is the best form of the time and place of the characters, what content, what feedback, at a glance.
I do not do much work in the domestic content and form of analysis, after all, I just returned to work, but also slowly adapt and adjust. Occasionally encounter some wonderful things I love Tucao, more likely to think, why is this, or can not be improved, or how to guide the industry toward more efficient and healthy development? Architects should be very versatile, rational and emotional combination of highly respected senior career; although the salary is considerable, but the price is too low. In the country, is a bitter force to death, but also by party a second child feeling … … should not be like this! Really should not.
I also found that there is a problem, is designed to do this thing is that different people have different views, not only the standard answer. Often a team out of the project, to the last has been in the construction, the creative will say, do not say this is what I do. In short, look back and found that no matter how good the design, from the beginning of the formation to the ground floor, said the exaggeration is beyond recognition, that is a little bit of good technical bias. Think of us to do the architect is also very sad, no matter how good the idea and design, not only to sell the money to help workers to help workers, those so-called feelings have been destroyed by the reality of the ashes. So I always admire those who can sell their own design architects, they are successful in businessman, they are eloquent and charming, actually not how to do the design, but a wide range of control, to live requires a designer in house really have the ability to complete. But have to reflect on why the design and landing can be so poor? I think a large part of the reason is because the designer simply can not control the details, or that is not a bad design details. For example, a staircase, even if the same design, different materials can have a different feeling. So what is the architect's understanding of the material? On the design and construction of detail and how to grasp?
I do not add: advertising, I remember I just back to Shanghai for a Yu Ting in the corner office, just to hear the Kege Ling told his team to do Wuhan Hilton resort project. From the design drawings to the final completion of the construction of the beautiful drawings called a stunning! I just want to play a hanging up, hanging in his home study. Such works and attitudes should really set an example for the industry!
Working pay

In the United States, the architect's social status is quite high, but the salary is really low to the bottom of society. It is hard to imagine a Native American who would not choose to study architecture after high school. basicIs equal to the choice of a wage is not high employment is not good, but also very tired to learn. So the question is, why? I guess a lot of the reason is that they really do not learn mathematics and physics, even if some of the talent but not Asian and India friends. If you really want to learn art, it is equal to this life do not want to get rich. Art employment is always the first to occupy the bottom of the industry. My husband is the godmother of Professor sculpture, not much money, but high social status, but also respected, works of art are different views, so make less money is basically luck. So, architecture, combined with the rational and artistic, especially on both sides of the perfect half. Unlike the standard answer to the theory, but not as artistic style, so there is a large degree of freedom to play in the will. When I was a graduate student in the United States, the same job, all the work of students hang out completely different, very shocking. You can learn more from your classmates than from the teacher. However, Americans will choose to study architecture and certainly have some talent, such as great artistic talent, quite strong their performance; for example, we can say is, in may seem very strange thing, they can say as if it were raining flowers make you feel is a good answer; for example, they are very good Rhino software, can make all kinds of odd shape things; childhood is removed from the workshop work or small expert. In short, people who choose to study architecture must be like the industry, and can stand out in one respect; or else to do a better than the architect of the money, promising. The doctor, lawyer, not to mention the CS; the same graduates come out, the annual salary of 10W, do not open BMW are embarrassed to say that they are doing CS. Architecture student to find the work of the annual salary of 4W from the same, BMW Mercedes Benz would like to rely on wages to buy 5-10 years later.
In China, the construction industry was once very red professional, the reason is that too good employment, wages are high. Now there are a lot of WeChat push articles are talking about the situation in the past ten years, the Design Institute, what real estate gold for the past ten years, there are architects of the winter. Although my experience is not so deep, but I am very pleased that the construction of the line or threshold has been very high, such as the need to Chinese general training, and architecture is five years, how to train. Unlike many other industries, can only do a programmer, or to do a sales. Our so-called architects have a very strong “ self superiority ” but the reality is that a large part of the people in the design institute to do drafting drawing, not to do the design. Even if it is to do a lot of design, but also a lot of paper architect, or for Party A in the design. Keke. I really think it is a surface of the face of the fact that the hard drive to the death of self occupation. Moreover, I am not telling the truth, as the architect of the middle reaches of the designer, the ability can not be extended to the level of decision making, and can not be extended to the level of the construction of the ground floor, a good.
Salary to a certain extent, also vary from person to person, unlike the u.s.. In China, before and after the beginning of 2010, and now work for five years, basically adhere to the design institute to do the annual salary can be more than 50w. Like before 2010, my personal contact is still not deep; but the basic salary of work in the Design Institute for ten years and I know are millions, the most common is 100W; like director of vice president of this level of early salary 300-500w. But most of these people seem to be workaholics, with all their bent on their work. Some of the body is broken, or the understanding of life, or return to the family, and the back are doing sideline. Life is not only to make money and have fun, but after earning money can find their own fun, life is very satisfactory.
In short, the domestic construction industry is certainly greater than the United States to increase the space, after all, developing countries, urban construction is still a considerable demand. Sit up, the annual salary of one million mixed general one; and also can have a well-off life. I said that the United States ten years of work in the old architect, but also to support the annual salary of 15W up and down, do not talk about the u.s.. Unless he later switched to live open office, it is basically business man. The annual salary of nature to a level, but the burden is too heavy, the whole company last borns on your salary you raise, fuck broken heart, but also easy to fear all day, in case of economic crisis live is ruined. Anyway, I still like a word, the greater the capacity, the greater the responsibility. We have to find their own direction, Life is gift a, don' t waste it.
epilogue
In 2016 the industry situation is particularly poor, called the winter. I have friends in the design institute told me to do more than in previous years, but less than in previous years. Major design institutes have laid off pay cuts, pushing the articles are mostly architects go. Even the big brothers in Shanghai feel the tender injury, no fun. There is a high-level friends just set up their own studio, and I said, “ the market is poor, but the last thing left is really like to do construction and construction. ” maybe it's a good thing, too. With the years of Architecture Professional enrollment, a large number of students of architecture market couldn't pile up in excess of requirement, their five years of hard study ability. The compound also has a sense of social responsibility, a wide range of interns, and then provide a small number of employment opportunities. This is an era of change, the ups and downs of the industry, but also the history of the … …