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When a development application or building permit for a new structure is submitted to a municipality, the architect listed in the associated documents may not be the main architect on the project. Rather, the firm listed on the permit is known as the architect of record. According to the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) in the United States, the architect of record is ultimately in control of the project and must ensure all safety requirements are adhered to during the course of construction.
On larger skyscraper projects, such as those we cover on SkyriseCities, foreign architecture firms are often engaged to create the building design. In doing so, they step outside their locality or field of expertise. International design competitions for example can yield submissions from architects all over the world. In these cases, a local architect is retained to provide a more knowledgable, practical, and comprehensive look at the project site. The local architect then becomes the architect of record, while the outside firm becomes the primary architectural team.
For example, Shanghai Tower's main architect is the internationally recognized firm Gensler, which is headquartered in San Francisco. Tongji Architectural Design Group served the architect of record role, providing local expertise on the project. On Toronto's Bay + Scollard development, Foster + Partners established a working relationship with local firm RAW Design. As globalization makes the world smaller and leading architecture companies compete for international attention, these partnerships should become more and more commonplace.
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