In the “Spatial Agency: Other Ways of Doing Architecture” reading, many points and questions are raised regarding how architecture is practiced and how it can be thought of in a more “outside-the-box” way. One particularly direct inquiry raised in the text is on the topic of the brief. The brief is an integral part of architectural practice, and is described in the text as means of communication that “set out in varying degrees of detail the kind of accommodation required, the planning requirements, and often the overall cost” of a project that the client writing the brief wishes to pay the architect to accomplish.

Having worked in a very small firm, the experience from firm to firm is unquestionably different as to how these briefs are obtained, negotiated, and carried out. For a small firm however, much of the livelihood of the employer and employees is dependent upon the ability of the team to obtain a numerous and steady stream of projects, usually on the smaller scale, and complete them as efficiently as possible.

This leads to the issues that this text seems to overlook when discussing how architects can “have a greater impact” or “design the beyond.” While there are many aspects to architectural business and politics I do not grasp, the experience of the small firm, with perhaps one or two licensed architects and a few staff members, is largely dependent on the state of the economy and business from repeat clients. Without the backing of a political entity, high-profile donors, or a significant fundraising campaign, I question how these smaller firms can tackle the broader tasks the text is calling for. These are honest questions however, and I would be interested in expanding my knowledge in the aspect of the profession.