At Komatsu, we recently examined what it means to be an architectural firm in today’s workplace. We share, along with our clients, the anxieties of meeting quicker deadlines, following stricter budgets, and increasing product quality. We have come to the conclusion that none of us will meet these challenges alone. Our changing world requires that we rely on each other. We must acknowledge that it is only through the cooperation of many areas of expertise that complex problems will be solved. Architects were originally called to be “master builders.” Now we are called to be master orchestrators and master communicators. In this spirit, we have renewed our commitment to listen to our clients, learn new processes, and create new strategies.

Integral to the idea of cooperative problem solving is the ability to form teams. The best solution depends on customizing the process to fit the project. We have made a conscious effort to remain flexible in the structure of our own office as well as in our willingness to involve other entities as required. Clients enjoy the benefits of single point coordination, specialized expertise, and focused energies. It is our sincere belief that this approach provides the most objective, highest quality, and most efficient process. We continue to re-examine our own ways of doing things and to discard the routine if it has become cumbersome or ineffective.