In recent years, architectural crowd-sourcing platforms have been gaining tremendous hype in the architecture world. This popularity stems from the growing realization of the practicality and necessity of these platforms in a more digitized society. Here are some of the key facts shaping this solution:
The gap between architects and clients has never been smaller:
What was once considered a service rendered for a select few, architecture and interior design is now more accessible to the wider public. This growing demand requires an infrastructure to facilitate this interaction.
Design submissions from certain parts of the world are totally worth it:
It's always nice to have an extra income along with your regular job, and that's what most designers working on crowdsourcing platforms are aiming for. However, for some designers living in certain parts of the world where both the income and the cost of living are low, winning an award the amount of $25 is the equivalent of 2-3 days of work. When you think about it, that's a huge motivation for those designers to keep submitting more designs, and thus increase their chance of winning rewarding prizes every time.
New designers have the opportunity to showcase their skills:
The platforms are a great start for new designers. They allow them to participate in contests to build their experience and gain skills. Some of these platforms build communities of designers allowing feedback and inspiration from expert designers.
Clients have more options to choose from and tighter deadlines:
It is now possible to work with some of the most talented designers internationally. Although local designers are great, it's always enriching to get a fresh perspective from talent based in other countries. Also, by setting deadlines, clients no longer have to wait weeks to see the initial drafts of the proposal.
We see those platforms as the future of architecture freelancing and the perfect tool for building collaborative design communities.
What architectural crowd-sourcing platforms have you tried? Tell us about your experience, or try for yourself on DezynCle!