“If I was down to my last dollar, I would spend it on PR”, is a quote of mythical and legendary status, credited to Bill Gates... maybe. No one really knows for sure, but I find that to be oddly reflective of successful PR - to create a narrative so sticky and embedded in popular culture and the hive mind, without being too obvious.

3 months ago, I had not a clue what PR is, what it involves, and what PR people do. The abstract idea in my mind was that it involved a good command of language, that it was an art of persuassion and storytelling, and that it was about creating and upkeeping a brand’s image and reputation. I also had an inkling that PR itself had a PR problem. That it is often labelled as the dark side, opposed to the light side, which is journalism. Journalists work for the public, providing truth, fair and balanced stories that seek to enlighten readers. PR is seen as fluff, manicure, brainwash - an endeavour with explicit intentions to win new business. PR is full of superlatives: “a world first, the greenest, most sustainable, first of its kind” anything. To counter the mythical Gates quote, another mythical quote, this time credited to George Orwell, “Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed: everything else is public relations.”

In the business of architecture, I knew PR was about getting eyes on your website, projects and to get spreads in sleek design magazines. But how does it work - and why should architects do it?

“How to Win Work” was written for people like me. The title is great and will perk up many architect’s ears. The subtitle, “the architect’s guide to business development and marketing” however, might deter some , who are allergic to the words and notions of marketing their work and services. Reality is, architecture is still a service business, and architects need to be hungry for work in order to be able to continue practicing. The book is concise as a guide, split into two distinct parts on Public Relations and Business Development, with commentary and practical tips that draw on the author’s experience in developing strategies for influential architecture practices.

What comes to mind when you think of OMA, or MVRDV? If you don’t have an architecture background, that might just look like a cat walked over my keyboard - but if you do, then I’m sure a certain project, aesthetic, or the look of their website came to mind. The author, Jan Knikker played a big role in that. Trained as a journalist, he was hired by Rem Koolhaas (who also started as a journalist), and was put in charge of communications for the relatively nascent OMA. After a decade there, he moved on to MVRDV where he is now a Partner for Strategy and Development - the only non-architect Partner.

The book was born out of Knikker’s experience of being consistently asked the same questions on PR and communications by different architects - he realised that a book would be the best way to share his knowledge. Published in early 2021 by the RIBA, it is timely as the industry is shifting, with more architects having to pivot and break away from traditional ways to practice. The proliferation of social media and the climate crisis are just two reasons why the built environment is being talked about more and more by people outside of the industry. To survive, architects must be nimble and engage in the wider conversation. Architects have always been aware that the work they do is noble and important - but now everyone else is taking notice and holding them accountable.

Architects are trained in creative problem solving and design, but often make notoriously bad business managers. They are comfortable in speaking to their own kind, but are not savvy in communicating to a wider, more colorful crowd. Starting in architecture school, many are subconsciously taught to be cautious and stay clear of “commercial” architecture. As a fresh graduate, you shy away from declaring that you’ve accepted a job at a large, global firm - the Foster’s, KPFs and Genslers of the world. Working at a small to medium firm offers you more credibility to your integrity as an architect. It’s strange, but I digress.

The point is, architects celebrate winning work, unless you do it too well, then you’re seen as a sellout. Many architects, perhaps like artists, feel like good work should be able to stand its ground and speak for itself - but that is not often the case. Remember as a kid, your teacher telling you that failing to plan, is planning to fail? Well, it’s the same with business. To engage in PR is to create a plan for your business.

PR is the long-term structuring of a practice’s reputation requiring long-term investment. The result is often objectively and directly intangible, but that in no way diminishes its importance. PR is complimented by Business Development (BD), which is the short-term acquisition of projects, via tenders or direct contact with clients. PR builds the reputation and BD yields the projects. They work together to make up the marketing machine of a practice, and ultimately feeds the business, allowing it to sustain or grow. That is Knikker’s succinct explanation of “How to Win Work”.

In short (although in fairness, PR is a seemingly endless field), PR is about engaging with media. This can be print, online, social media, TV, vlogs and podcasts. It’s also about communications, letting the world know what you’re up to, what you stand for, and managing the conversation in times of crisis.

I found that I was familiar with many of the concepts Knikker presents, although I am definitely out of practice. Many of what was familiar came from my short yet intense stint in the start-up world - where days were spent on defining visions and missions, and filling in the business model canvas. However, although I had been using the term “communications” in the recent iterations of my CV, I was naive to the idea that “communications” was a professional practice in its own right - that it can be a vocation, and that it requires a high level of skill and competency. I wrote in my CV that I can “communicate” because I enjoyed words, branding and visuals - but corporate communications is much more complex and comprehensive than that.

Having practiced in an architecture firm, I appreciate the tips but also empathise that many architects suffer from time poverty. The practice of PR requires commitment, dedication and patience. Architects are often overwhelmed and stretched to the limits when delivering projects - constantly having to balance thinking of aesthetics, quality, attention to detail, proportion, and also completing the work on time, under budget, whilst handling the politics of stakeholders. It’s understandable then that architects focus on completing a project to perfection and hope that the completed work speaks for itself. They don’t have time for anything else. Of course I’m bias, but that’s where PR agencies/consultancies come in.

The book is aimed for architects who run a small to medium size practice, and is focused more towards establishing in-house PR & communications - but if you don’t have time, it may make more sense to hire a PR consultancy on retainer. I now work in an agency/consultancy, where we are external to the organisation and provide advise and strategies but often separate to the execution efforts. The practical tips Knikker presents are still useful, and in fact, working at an agency would allow you to put more of them into practice in a shorter time. In an agency, you work on multiple clients, at different stages and scales, with varying briefs.

The book is easy to read and packed with practical tips that draw on Knikker’s longstanding experience in the field. It’s useful to read from someone not trained in architecture, but who is clearly invested and has a passion for it.

<aside> 🖊️ written on 6th February 2022

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