The Architect's Guide to Developing and Managing an International Practice

Start or grow your architectural firm with this masterful guide to international practice, featuring country-specific information for over 185 countries  The Architect’s Guide to Developing and Managing an International Practice is the definitive resource for architects considering or already engaged in projects outside the United States. Offering expert guidance on every essential aspect of international expansion and management success, this comprehensive volume covers recruiting, licensing, strategic planning, current trends, emerging technologies, and more. Author L. Bradford Perkins clarifies and expands upon the major issues that architects face when they begin to explore how to enter a new international market for their services.   This real-world guide is designed for young architects and architectural students thinking about working overseas, for firm leaders pursuing international projects for the first time, and for established global firms seeking to expand or refine their ongoing international practices. It includes advice drawn from dozens of conversations with leading architects who have worked in dozens of countries around the world. A must-read for architecture and design professionals wanting to successfully win and carry out work abroad, this book will help you:  Plan an entry into international practice  Pick the best initial or next international market for your services  Sell and contract for your services  Manage the financial aspects of international practice   Invoice and collect what is owed to you  Enhance your domestic practice with international work  Understand the telecommunication, software, and technology platforms required  Identify and avoid the common problems of international practice   Understand how experienced global firms effectively deal with risks and issues  Written by the co-founder of Perkins Eastman Architects, an international architectural firm with more than 1000 employees and work experience in over 60 countries, The Architect’s Guide to Developing and Managing an International Practice is an indispensable reference and guide for any architect planning to seek work outside the United States. 

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements xv List of Figures xvii Chapter 1 Introduction and Historical Overview 1 Introduction 1 Why Firms Pursue or Choose to Avoid International Practice 7 How Firms Start 8 Reasons to Have an International Practice 9 Reasons to Be Cautious 13 References 15 Chapter 2 Getting Started 17 Researching the Major Issues 17 Developing a Plan 23 First Steps 29 What Country is the Right Place to Start? 29 How to Start 32 Questions to Answer During an Initial Exploration 32 Getting the First Projects 33 Contract Issues 34 Case Studies 34 Perkins Eastman 34 Ennead Architects 41 MASS Design Group 44 ZGF Architects 46 KPF 48 Oppenheim Architecture+Design 48 Reference 51 Chapter 3 The Major International Markets 53 Americas 55 Canada 55 Mexico and Central America 64 Mexico 66 Central America 71 South America 73 Brazil 80 Colombia 84 Ecuador 86 The Caribbean Islands 88 Bahamas 92 Bermuda 92 Dominican Republic 94 Jamaica 94 Trinidad and Tobago 95 Asia 96 China 97 Reasons to be there 105 Reasons to be cautious 107 What firms are currently operating in China? 107 Special Administrative Regions—Hong Kong and Macau 124 East Asia 130 Southeast Asia 147 South Asia 172 Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands 184 Who is There 184 The Potential Clients 186 Domestic Firms 186 Licensure 186 The Middle East and North Africa 187 The Gulf States and Saudi Arabia 189 The Middle East 211 Egypt and North Africa 227 Sub-Saharan Africa 234 Angola 234 Benin (formerly Dahomey) 234 Botswana 234 Burkina Faso 237 Burundi 238 Cameroon 238 Central African Republic 238 Chad 238 Comoros 239 Democratic Republic of the Congo 239 Republic of the Congo 239 Djibouti 239 Equatorial Guinea 239 Eritrea 240 Ethiopia 241 Gambia 241 Gabon 241 Ghana 241 Guinea 243 Guinea-Bissau 243 Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) 243 Kenya 243 Lesotho 244 Liberia 244 Madagascar 244 Malawi 245 Mali 245 Mauritania 246 Mauritius 246 Mozambique 246 Namibia 246 Niger 246 Nigeria 247 Reunion 249 Rwanda 249 São Tomé and Príncipe 250 Senegal 250 Seychelles 250 Sierra Leone 251 South Africa 251 Somalia 251 Sudan 252 Swaziland (Now Eswatini) 252 Tanzania 252 Togo 252 Uganda 253 Western Sahara 253 Zambia 253 Zimbabwe 254 Russia and the States of the Former Soviet Union Chart and Map 254 Russia 256 The Former Soviet Republics 259 Central and Eastern Europe 263 Albania 265 Bosnia and Herzegovina 266 Bulgaria 267 Croatia 267 Czech Republic (Czechia) 267 Hungary 268 North Macedonia 269 Moldova 269 Poland 269 Romania 270 Serbia 270 Slovakia 271 Slovenia 271 Western Europe 271 Austria 274 Belgium 274 Cyprus 276 Denmark 277 Finland 277 France 278 Who is operating there now? 281 Germany 282 Reasons to be there 282 Reasons to be cautious 282 Greece 284 The market 284 Iceland 285 The market 285 Languages and communications 285 Ireland 285 The market 285 Languages and communications 287 Italy 287 Liechtenstein 288 The market 288 Languages and communications 289 Luxembourg 289 The market 289 Languages and communications 291 Monaco 291 Netherlands 291 Norway 294 Portugal 294 The market 294 Spain 294 The market 296 Reasons to be there 298 Reasons to be cautious 298 Skills and capabilities that are important 298 Sweden 298 The market 299 Switzerland 299 The market 299 Languages and communications 299 United Kingdom 299 The market 302 Reasons to be there 302 Reasons to be cautious 303 Skills and capabilities that are important 304 Who is operating there now? 304 Who are the clients? 304 What is the process for getting work? 305 Languages and communications 305 Licensing and legal issues 305 Scope of services 305 Fee levels, payment terms, and taxes 306 Major contract issues 306 Local resources 307 Design issues 307 Code and regulatory issues 307 Typical schedules 307 Personal safety and health issues 307 References 307 Chapter 4 Common Legal, Licensure, Registration, and Contract Issues 309 Operating Legally in a Foreign Market 310 Licensure 311 Contracting for Planning and Design Services 311 Negotiating Contracts for Design Services 316 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act 323 Chapter 5 Setting and Collecting Fees, Accounting, and Banking Issues 325 Setting Fees 325 Payment Terms 326 Currency Issues 326 Tax Planning 327 Performance and Bid Bonds, Bank and Other Guarantees, and Banking Services 328 Invoicing 328 Collections 329 Repatriating Fee Income and Profits 329 Financial and Management Accounting 330 Insurance Considerations 331 Chapter 6 Common Governance, Management, and Quality Control Issues 337 Common Issues 337 Models for International Practice 340 Managing the Relationship Between the Domestic Offices and the International Offices and Teams 342 Managing a Successful International Office 342 Monitoring and Managing Client Management, Project Management, and Quality Control Issues 342 Working with Local Associate Firms and Consultants 343 Work Sharing, Offshoring, and Outsourcing 344 Reasons to Consider Work Sharing, Offshoring, and Outsourcing 344 Withdrawing from a Market and Closing an Overseas Office 348 Chapter 7 Staffing International Projects and Offices 351 North American Based Staff Traveling to International Locations 352 North American Staff Relocated to an International Location 354 Foreign Staff Stationed Overseas 355 Reference 356 Chapter 8 Technology and Communications 357 The Basics 358 Issues 359 Future Developments 363 Reference 365 Chapter 9 Cautionary Case Studies 367 International Practice’s Role in a Firm’s Demise 368 Swanke Hayden Connell Architects 368 The Architects Collaborative 369 RMJM Hillier 369 Emery Roth & Sons 370 Case Studies Where Leadership or Ownership Changes Affected or Were Affected by the Firms’ International Practices 371 Arcadis North America CallisonRTKL, Stantec, and AECOM 371 Perkins + Will 371 Burt Hill Kosar Rittelman 372 Freeman White 373 Outsourcing Needs Leadership 373 Kohn Pedersen Fox London 375 Common Project Issues 375 FX Collaborative in China 375 FX Collaborative in Dubai 377 Dubai, 2008–10 378 Oppenheim Architecture+Design 378 A Chinese Life Insurance Company 380 A Government Agency that Wanted Us to Fail 381 Clients that Disappear 382 Scams 382 Conclusion, Project Problems, and Bad Clients 383 Health and Safety Issues 384 Iran 384 Lebanon 384 Libya 385 Egypt 385 Doing Projects in High Crime Areas 385 Medical Emergencies and Exposure to Health Issues 386 The Dangers of Some Countries’ Drinking Culture 386 Conclusion 386 Chapter 10 The Future 387 Appendix A: AIA International Contract Documents 391 Appendix B: Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Antibribery Provisions 419 Index 427

About the Author :
Bradford Perkins, FAIA, is Co-founder and Chairman of Perkins Eastman Architects, a New York City-based architecture, planning, design, and consulting firm. In his 50-year career, he has directed several hundred projects across a dozen building types in more than 30 countries. Perkins is the author of eight textbooks and more than 100 published articles and book chapters on architectural and planning, is a faculty member the Cornell University College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, and is the recipient of dozens of awards for planning and design excellence.