Architect's Guide to Developing and Managing an International Practice

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.

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