Architectural firms have been forced to work from home for a week now. How are they doing? Will they continue with their work? Henk Hartzema expects an unprecedented slowdown in the coming weeks.
Studio Hartzema worked with three people in the office last week, the other eight employees already did so from home. All in all, that is quite clear, says director Henk Hartzema, but mutual communication does take time. He noticed that his people are getting closer together. His expectation is that if they get through this phase well, this will stick. Every change increases the state of alertness, according to Hartzema. If you turn up the lighting, productivity goes up. But vice versa too.
Unprecedented slowdown
While the excitement was still great at the beginning of the week, the awareness of the new reality is now also starting to sink in with Hartzema. As far as he is concerned, the biggest concern is not in maintaining production, but in managing the drop in demand. The first deadlines are already being postponed and communication via conference calls does not appear to be a solution for everything. Hartzema does not expect a lockdown for the time being, but an unprecedented slowdown.
Standing still
Everything tends to slow down and postpone. In this situation, you cannot be decisive, according to Hartzema. He attributes this to the fact that in urban planning and large-scale developments, the urgency is simply less high. Decisions that need to be made about, for example, a landscape design, can still be made next month. Clients of these kinds of processes are taking a step back.
Postponement of tenders
Tenders are also being postponed and postponed. Studio Hartzema is in the second round of two tenders, but both have been postponed indefinitely. The kick-offs for new projects will also not take place for the time being. They are waiting for better times. Unlike in urban planning, the deadlines are still being met in architecture. Nevertheless, Hartzema expects delays here as well. He already sees the first hiccups occurring in building and housing supervision.
Reduction
The uncertainty is great, that much is certain. According to Hartzema, you cannot avoid applying for a reduction in working hours. After all, no one knows how this will continue. Hartzema: “You have no choice because if this lasts six months, you won’t keep it dry. You can only manage for three months at most, but after that you need support.
Death blow for the agency
After the previous crisis in 2008, budgets were reduced and have remained at this level ever since. This has put a lot of pressure on the profession. The current crisis may well be the death blow for many agencies. Conversely, Hartzema also sees hopeful things arising from this crisis. People have more patience with each other and have become more solidary. Everyone knows that we are in the same boat.
Conductor without orchestra
What Hartzema fears most is the coming under-performance. He feels like someone who is conducting, while the orchestra is in the process of leaving the stage. In his view, urban planning is a team sport par excellence. In addition to knowledge sharing and decision-making, motivating each other is also essential. Hartzema: “You can’t conduct from a distance. The human aspect remains as important as ever. Only when you are together does the best in people come out.”
Layers of truth
Hartzema thinks that you cannot overcome this via video connections. When you design, you put layers of truth on top of each other, until a new reality emerges. According to him, this is an interactive process that will not work via screens. Hartzema: “I design at a standing table, with pencils, sketch rolls and especially models on the table. I have to see things as they are. That is pre-eminently physical labor. If that is no longer possible, my way of designing will be in trouble.”
After the crisis
The corona crisis came unexpectedly for Hartzema. When asked about the reality after this crisis, he responds uncomfortably. He thinks that question comes much too soon, now that the hurricane is just a breeze. He also believes that, unlike in the previous crisis, there is no identifiable culprit and that it is us. This makes this crisis more fundamental.
Thinking bigger
Hartzema suspects that everyone will soon prefer to go back to business as usual. He therefore does not expect to have to change his working methods. His hope is that everyone will soon be able to think bigger. “I hope that people will see more connections, take more responsibility and accept more guidance from the government.
Harm Tilman, De Architect, 23 March 2020
