What is a Technical Architect

Technical architects are relatively rare in the construction market and they are highly sought after. The job involves handling all deeper technical aspects of a construction project, coordinating different contractors and ensuring that the project complies with all relevant standards before it passes its final inspection.

What does a technical architect do?

The main difference between a technical architect and a RIBA architect is that technical architects have a deeper specialisation in specific fields of construction and architecture, while RIBA architects perform more general architectural tasks and are members of RIBA.

A technical architect works with design concepts that are still in an early phase of their development. They identify the most critical requirements of a project and ensure that enough specialists are allocated to different parts of the job that require additional expertise.

In addition, a technical architect usually coordinates the work of many different contractors, especially in cases of disagreements on technical points like the choice of materials, the way those materials are being utilised, and any long-term implications of the construction project.

How to become a technical architect?

Technical architects most commonly branch out from general architectural work and choose to specialise in the more technical aspects of construction. They would usually strive to deepen their knowledge in fields like material science, but also develop a good understanding of modern technological solutions and the role they play in large-scale projects.

What types of tasks does a technical architect handle?

A technical architect may be tasked with a variety of problems, including:

1. Identifying critical project requirements
2. Resolving issues related to materials and constraints
3. Facilitating communication between different teams and team members

Technical architects are always in high demand, especially today with so many projects requiring in-depth knowledge of complex systems and processes. The job requires a good balance between knowledge of certain fields and the ability to understand new approaches intuitively. 

Good technical architects tend to develop long-term professional relationships with the architectural firms they work with.

Technical Architect	RIBA Architect
Works on the technical aspects of a project	General architect who is a member of RIBA
Streamlines communication between team members of different expertise levels	Works on general architectural tasks
Analyses technical constraints	May work with technical architects or direct them

So a Technical Architect is a professional responsible for the technical design and overall technical direction of a construction project. They play a critical role in shaping the project's technical infrastructure and systems and ensure that they align with the project's overall goals and objectives. The architect works closely with the project's other stakeholders, such as the client, the project manager, and the design team, to determine the technical requirements for the project and to develop a detailed technical design that meets those requirements.