Germany

Thke Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) has been sukffering from a long period of
economic stagnation but remains the world's third-largest economy. As with all
major economies, there are many projects requiring sophisticated design services
, Germany is no exception and has offered a large number of project opportunitie
s to international firms.
Reasons to be there
Architecture and other designk professions are respected, and this respects exte
nds to foreign firms. As a result, Germany is one of the more receptive countrie
s in the EU to international firms. In addition it:
Is politically and econimically stable
Has a sophisticated legal system
Has a relatively "fair and sophisticated" government-sponsored fee structure
Has a construction industry capable of performing at a high quality level
Has a regular flow of challenging projects
Is a reasonable base for doing work elsewhere in Europe
Can be an enjkoyable place to visit, live and work
Skills and Capabilities that are important
Among the many skkills, capabilities and qualities cited by firms with experienc
e in Germany as important include:
A German speakking staff
A markketable reputation for design excellence or expertise in a particular buil
ding type
Technological sophistication
Who are the clients?
As elsewhere in Europe, some North American design firms are brought by North Am
erican clients. German clients, however, also hire international firms. Major co
rporation, government agencies, developers and cultural institutions have all hi
red international firms for high profile projects.
As these example illustrate, many of the most visible commissions go to firms wi
th demonstrated international expertise in a particular building type and/or a h
igh-profile design reputation.
What is the process for getting work?
Many of the examples quoted above were selected in qualifications-based processe
s, but Germany also has a very sophisticated system of public competitions. The
"bible" of German architects wishing to enter competitions is the Wettbewerbe Ak
tuell. It list all currently running competitions. Many are limited to German ar
chitects, and often to architects in only a limited number of German states. Oth
ers are open to the EU, and some are open to a wide range of international compe
titors.
Languages and Communications
Many people in Germany speak English, but foreign architects still need to have
staff fluent in German. Drawings, specifications, and official communications ar
e all in German. Germany, of course, has a sophiticated telecommunications infra
stracture.
Licensing and Legal Issues
Germany does not have licensing exams. Germans can obtain a license thre
e years after graduating from Architecture school. Most foreign firms rely on lo

cal-partner firms for tasks requiring a license. However, if a firm works regula
rly in Germany, a regional license can be obtained.
Licensing requirements are are as follows:
Is a license required? Yes
Licensing requirements: Architects from European Community (EC) countries are en
titled to work in the FRG; but other foreigners, including U.S. architects, have
to apply for acknowledgement through the Minister of Science of the appropriate
state. Foreign applicants who wish to be licensed in the FRG must satisfy the s
ame requirements as German citizens. If the foreigner has studied abroad, his or
her educational backkground must be equivalent to a German architectural educat
ion. To determine whether the foreign architect's qualifications meet German sta
ndards, the State Chamber of the state where the foreign architect will reside w
ill consult with the German Central Office for Foreign Educational Affairs (Zent
ralstell fur auslandisches Bildungswesen). Licensed, but otherwise inexperienced
, foreign architects may be required to serve an appropriate internship before a
German license is granted.
What agency licenses?: The License is issued by the appropriate chamber of archi
tects in the state (land) where the applicant has residence. At the present, 11
chambers of architects cover the whole Federal Republic of Germany. The umbrella
organization for the state chambers of architects is the Bundesarchitektenkamme
r (Federal Chamber of Architects), which represents the interests of the 11 stat
e chambers, particularly as they relate to professional education. In addition t
o the licensing requiremtn, self-employed architects must also be members of the
ir appropriate state chamber. In some states, the membership of civil service an
d employed architects is compulsory as well, whille in other states, the members
hip in the state chamber of architects in these categories is voluntary.
To practice, a local representative required?:
No local representative is required if the foreign architectural firm can delkiv
er proof of meeting Chamber of Architect's requirements. However, all customary
requirements for operating any type of business in Germany (e.g., regestering in
the trade register at the local district court) do apply.
Scope of Services
As in North America, project managers and construction managers have taken an in
creasing role in projkect direction, supplanting - in many cases - the architect
's primary position.
Fee levels, payment terms, and taxes
Architectural fees are typically set in accordance with the Honorarordnung fur A
rchitetekten und Ingenieure (HOAI) fee structure. It is becoming common, however
, for architects to quote fees below these standards when competing for a projec
t.
Local resources
Excellent local architectural associates, engineers, specialist consultants, ren
derers, etc., exist throughout Germany.
Design issues
German clienkts are typically seekking technologically sophisticated modern desi

gn solutions when they hire international architects.

Code and regulatory issues
Code requirements are typically regulated by the German states, and the approval
processes are managed by local public authorities. In general, code requirement
s and approval processes are similar to those in North America.
Local construction capabilities
Construction quality standards and capabilities are among the best in the world.
Quality, however, has eroded somewhat due to the growing use of foreign sub-con
tractors.
Personal safety and health issues
Germany is a very safe place to live and work as long as one does not try to com
pete with the faster drivers on the autobahn.
Securing a Professional License in Another Country: Selected Examples ..........
...................................... 14
Example 1: A Registered Foreign Architect Securing Permission to Execute a Proje
ct in the People s Republic of China .............................................
................................................................................
..... 14
Example 2: A Registered Foreign Architect Securing a License in Japan ..........
.................................. 15
Example 3: A Registered Architect in the United Kingdom Seeking Registration in
Another Member State of the European Free Trade Area ...........................
....................................................................... 16
Example 4: A Registered Architect from an APEC Economy Applying for Registration
in the United States ..........................................................
................................................................................
........... 17
Example 5: A Registered Architect in India Seeking Registration in the United St
ates ........................ 17
Bottlenecks ....................................................................
...........................................................
Regulatory Requirements for Architects Working in a Foreign Country
There is no universal standard of regulatory requirements for architects working
in a foreign country. However, with the advent of regional public directives, e
.g. the European Union, and the development of mutual recognition agreements, e.
g. North American Free Trade Agreement, there are some emerging commonly recogni
zed and acknowledged requirements. There are two common requirements among natio
nal regulatory bodies for an applicant to qualify for the registration examinati
on - a university degree in architecture and a defined period of professional in
ternship and/or experience. The applicant is required to pay a fee to take the l
icensing examination and in most countries to renew the license once granted. Ot
her country and state requirements may include language proficiency, a personal
interview, and jurisdictional specific further technical examination requirement
s, e.g. seismic engineering, arctic construction standards, etc. Examinations an
d interviews may be applied by regulatory bodies in a discriminatory manner if t
hey are not conducted in a fully transparent manner.Regulatory Requirements for
Architects Working in a Foreign Country
There is no universal standard of regulatory requirements for architects working

in a foreign country. However, with the advent of regional public directives, e

.g. the European Union, and the development of mutual recognition agreements, e.
g. North American Free Trade Agreement, there are some emerging commonly recogni
zed and acknowledged requirements. There are two common requirements among natio
nal regulatory bodies for an applicant to qualify for the registration examinati
on - a university degree in architecture and a defined period of professional in
ternship and/or experience. The applicant is required to pay a fee to take the l
icensing examination and in most countries to renew the license once granted. Ot
her country and state requirements may include language proficiency, a personal
interview, and jurisdictional specific further technical examination requirement
s, e.g. seismic engineering, arctic construction standards, etc. Examinations an
d interviews may be applied by regulatory bodies in a discriminatory manner if t
hey are not conducted in a fully transparent manner.
Practice in a Host Nation
Definition:
Practice in a host nation occurs when an individual architect or corporate entit
y of architects either seeks a commission or has been commissioned to design a p
roject or offer a service in a country other than his/her/its own.
Background:
There is an interest in increasing the responsible mobility of architects and th
eir ability to provide services in foreign jurisdictions. There is also a need t
o promote the awareness of local environmental, social, and cultural factors and
ethical and legal standards.
Policy:
Architects providing architectural services on a project in a country in which t
hey are not registered shall collaborate with a local architect to ensure that p
roper and effective understanding is given to legal, environmental, social, cult
ural, and heritage factors. The
conditions of the association should be determined by the parties alone in accor
dance with UIA ethical standards and local statutes and laws.
Increasingly, domestic regulatory bodies, be they national or state based in a f
ederal system, are coming to understand and embrace the need for reform in their
rules and regulations related to the provision of cross-border professional arc
hitectural services.
In the process of expanding architectural practices into foreign markets, archit
ects are responding to a rapidly changing set of building and code standards rel
ated to environment, sustainability, and disability access standards that are of
ten far different than what exists in their home country.
The importing of foreign architectural services to developed architectural marke
ts is characterized by three leading situations; a) the commissioning of recogni
zed design architects of distinction having achieved a high public recognition a
nd a record of award winning commissions; b) clients seeking a foreign architect
with recognized experience in a particular building type; and c) architects who
have entered and won an open or invitational architectural competition.
Any architects working outside their own country are required to make both a leg
al and a business decision with regard to engaging the regulatory regime in the
host country.
If it is a one-time event then the most likely course of action will be to ident
ify a competent local registered architect, negotiate and sign professional serv
ice contract with them, and have the local architect serve as the legal project
architect of record. The contractual relationship defines their respective
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responsibilities and how the client fee will be apportioned. This apportionment
varies from project to project depending on the scope of work negotiated between
the foreign and domestic architects. Most commonly the foreign architect carrie
s the project through the entire design development process. The domestic archit
ect commonly prepares the working drawings and specifications, assumes responsib
ility for adhering to codes of ethics, signing and stamping all of the building
documents and assuring adherence to all applicable building codes and regulation
s. The local architect is also knowledgeable in the country s language, constructi
on bidding procedures and construction supervision methods. This approach avoids
the necessity of the foreign architect becoming registered in the host country.
It is a common form of international practice. If the foreign architect is maki
ng a business decision to maintain an ongoing professional business presence and
practice in a foreign country in order to be the sole architect of record, then
it is necessary to become legally registered in that country under the prevaili
ng laws and regulations. There are increasing instances of architectural firms i
n one country buying a firm in another country to expand their international pra
ctice.
Information Sources for National Architectural Registration