Division of the State Architect
Encyclopedia
Many national governments and U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

s have a public official titled the state architect. The specific duties and areas of responsibility of state architects vary, but they generally involve responsibility for the design and/or construction of public building
Building
In architecture, construction, engineering, real estate development and technology the word building may refer to one of the following:...

s in the state. The state architect and subordinates typically form an organizational unit variously named the Division of the State Architect, Office of the State Architect, or similar.

Functions

Specific functions vary from state to state, but may include:
  • Preparing designs and specifications for small and moderate-sized state-owned building
    Building
    In architecture, construction, engineering, real estate development and technology the word building may refer to one of the following:...

     or renovation
    Renovation
    Renovation is the process of improving a structure. Two prominent types of renovations are commercial and residential.-Process:The process of a renovation, however complex, can usually be broken down into several processes...

     projects
  • Selecting and overseeing the work of architectural firm
    Architectural firm
    An architectural firm is a company which employs one or more licensed architects and practices the profession of architecture.- History :Architects have existed since early in recorded history. The earliest recorded architects include Imhotep and Senemut . No writings exist to describe how these...

    s contracted by the state to prepare designs and specifications for larger state-owned building projects
  • Reviewing and approving designs prepared by private-sector architects for "critical" buildings owned by political subdivisions of the state such as schools, police stations, fire stations, and/or hospital
    Hospital
    A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....

    s
  • Participating in the development of state building codes and regulations
  • Developing and managing capital budgets for state building construction
    Construction
    In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...

     programs
  • Providing or coordinating inspection
    Inspection
    An inspection is, most generally, an organized examination or formal evaluation exercise. In engineering activities inspection involves the measurements, tests, and gauges applied to certain characteristics in regard to an object or activity...

     programs for state building projects


The Division of the State Architect is typically separate from the licensing board that examines and licenses practicing architects in the state.

History

Isaac G. Perry
Isaac G. Perry
Isaac Gale Perry , was a prolific New York State architect and builder. His works include New York State Inebriate Asylum, Monday Afternoon Club, Phelps Mansion and the First National Bank of Oxford.- Life and career :...

 is considered to have been the first state architect in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

. In 1883, governor Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...

 appointed Perry to oversee construction activities at the state capitol. Although his official title was "Capitol Commissioner", by the mid- to late 1880s Perry had oversight responsibility for all state government building programs and he was commonly referred to as the "State Architect". The state legislature officially created the Office of the State Architect in 1899, and after Perry retired that same year, governor Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...

 appointed George L. Heins to fill the position. Heins served until his death in 1907, and was succeeded by Franklin B. Ware
Franklin B. Ware
Franklin B. Ware was an American architect, best known for serving as the State architect of New York from 1907 to 1912....

. Ware held the position until 1912, when he was removed from office and replaced by Herman Hoefer. Lewis Pilcher was appointed to replace Hoefer in 1913, and held the position until 1923. New York created an official Department of Architecture in 1914, during Pilcher's service.

In California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

, the Office of the State Architect (now Division of the State Architect) was created by the Field Act
Field Act
The Field Act was one of the first pieces of legislation that mandated earthquake resistant construction in the United States...

, which authorized the new office to develop design standards and quality control procedures for architectural work.

Requirements

Requirements vary from state to state, but usually state architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...

s are required to be licensed to practice the profession of architecture in the state in question and to be a legal resident of that state. Because the job often involves managing large staffs, projects, and budget
Budget
A budget is a financial plan and a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving, borrowing and spending. A budget is an important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods...

s, state architects are usually senior members of the architectural profession.

See also

  • Guðjón Samúelsson
    Guðjón Samúelsson
    Guðjón Samúelsson was a State Architect of Iceland.Notable designs include main building of the University of Iceland, the National Theatre of Iceland, the Landakot Roman Catholic Cathedral in Reykjavík and the Church of Akureyri; however his final and most recognized work is the Hallgrímskirkja...

     (a state architect of Iceland
    Iceland
    Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...

    )
  • State Architects of Ohio
    State Architects of Ohio
    The Office of the State Architect and Engineer, also known in recent years informally as the State Architect's Office , is created by Section 121.04 of the Ohio Revised Code. SAO has a time honored tradition of public service in the design and construction of public projects...


External links

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