Contractors and architects doomed

A leading developer has predicted that large firms of architects, contractors and property agents are doomed.

"They will not exist in 15 years because buildings will no longer be provided the same way," said Stanhope director Ron German at the British Council for Offices' annual conference in Birmingham last week.

German said buildings in future will be designed by computer from standardised components, manufactured in factories, shipped to warehouses and then plugged together on site. "This may sound wild, but it is what the car industry already does," said German, who is involved in a £500,000 project investigating how the construction industry can emulate these methods.

He predicted that buildings will be delivered in six months - a third of the time involved today - while designers will be restricted to "tweaking" components.

"Making things special may be important for architects, but it does not make much difference to occupiers. Standardisation will be vital," he said.

Designers will factor in timescales and supply schedules. They will then pass on the work, which could be done anywhere in the world. Procurement will be done online. "Contractors will not exist," said the Stanhope director.

German's views were backed by leading architect Michael Auckett, who said the new methodology would remove the need for larger firms.These would need to find niches in order to survive.

Auckett said the mould had already been broken. A standard design using a 3D toolkit could save enough money to provide one free building for every four ordered. Occupiers could then use their bulk-buying strength and produce cheap space without involving architects, agents or quantity surveyors.

"This is going to happen seriously and soon," Auckett warned.