This is one of a series of projects that aim to analyse bilateral communication in the construction industry. These projects are initiated and managed by the Dutch research foundation JANUS.
This project is the first one in this series. Its objective is to first enlighten the relationship between the two disciplines that are traditionally somewhat suspicious about each other. Then, we analyse why communication is not functioning optimally, trying to answer questions like:

  • do architects and contractors trust each other?
  • what are their mutual beliefs about characters and intentions?
  • what information is currently communicated?
  • what is the quality of that communication?
  • what communication is actually needed?
  • how can the communication be improved?
  • and eventually: what ICT means (models, tools, standards) would be needed?

Much research has been done attempting to answer the last question. We believe that it is essential to answer the other questions first, together with practicing professionals, through enquiries, brainstorm sessions, case-studies, and interviews with professionals and communication experts.

Construction Dialogues: The Architect and the Contractor