Creating great architecture and getting it built depends on the accurate exchange of information. Since the architect is seldom the builder, designs and specifications need to be communicated effectively to other members of the building team. A design may look great on paper, but when the drawing is to be built, it may not be compatible with tools or materials. Unfortunately, the original design may be compromised to accommodate practical methods of construction. Conversely, the architect's design is strengthened by the designer's knowledge and experience of construction. I believe that architecture's complex communications would be strengthened by the implementation of hands-on construction experience during the architectural internship.

Studying the interaction of architects and builders through history brings understanding on how to structure relationships today. In the years before the Renaissance, the architect was embodied in the master builder, a skilled craftsman continuously present on the building site who relied on direct verbal communication and full-scale mockups to communicate the knowledge required for construction. The master builder's predominance diminished during the Renaissance, in large part due to the concept that theory formed the essence of architecture, rather than practical technical knowledge or experience. Along with the theory, the development of perspective and improved orthographic drawing allowed the architect to design remotely. Thus, this evolution of drawing techniques, and the shift from direct verbal communication to communication through drawings, contributed to the growing barrier between designer and builder.

A drawing is a thought put on paper that can be translated to someone else; a means of communication. If a drawing is then a translation, or language, how do we ensure that the translation is understood the way we want it to be? First, we ourselves need to understand our intent. What does that CAD line on your monitor mean? Architects rely on interns to draft their designs, so naturally interns need to comprehend what they are drawing. Secondly, we should try to understand the person, or media, who will be trying to interpret the translation. There are countless times a drawing is revised on the building site due to a simpler means of construction or circumstances beyond the architect's control. The architect who brings the drawing, or translation, to another individual needs to be flexible. Therefore, the best way for intern architects to grasp the importance of the translation process is to experience the receiving end of the process.

Participation in the Intern Development Program prepares an individual for the Architectural Registration Examination, but satisfying the registration board's training requirements does not guarantee you will be a good designer. Likewise, the addition of construction experience during the internship does not predict design excellence. Yet it could yield clarity in how to better communicate design. In a world of evolving technology that increases specialization among design professionals, it is unlikely that the master builder will return. Unfortunately, intern architects will spend the bulk of their internships in front of computer screens, developing drafting skills. The internship needs to be pro-active to ensure that we are developing potential architects who understand the process and it's role in the service of creating great architecture. Expanding IDP training to include field experience would be invaluable in accelerating the learning curve. One intern may work at a window plant, while another spends time with masons or framers. The idea is to be exposed to the reality of the building process, because the sooner interns learn how materials are put together, the sooner interns will become truly fine architects.