Leading Philadelphia Architecture Firm Follows International Quality Management Standards
[Philadelphia PA - April 27, 2006] - KieranTimberlake, an internationally acclaimed Philadelphia architecture firm, has been approved by Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance for ISO 9001:2000 certification for the research, management and delivery of architectural services. The prestigious ISO 9001:2000 certification is a standard established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to define the requirements of effective quality management within an organization. The standards are designed to help all types of organizations achieve levels of quality that are recognized and respected internationally, and are typically used by business which demand a high level of precision, such as automobile and aerospace industries. KieranTimberlake is honored to become one of the few architectural firms in the United States to be certified. The firm's move toward ISO 9000:2001 practices grew out of Stephen Kieran and James Timberlake's research for the book refabricating Architecture, published in 2004 by McGraw Hill, which examines how manufacturing methodologies are poised to transform building construction.
As a first step toward attaining ISO 9000:2001 certification, the firm drafted a comprehensive quality policy, and then developed a quality management system (KTMS) by defining and mapping current work processes. Once on paper, the processes were analyzed and coordinated to form the core of KTMS, which is used as a guide and a basis for making improvements to the design work and business practices of the office. "When problems arise, we use the KTMS to help us identify the root causes rather than the symptoms. The search for a solution then becomes a constructive process in itself," says Associate Chris Macneal.
In addition to improved planning and productivity, ISO 9000:2001 standards help promote collective intelligence within the firm by involving all employees in developing, evaluating and updating management processes. "This means that everyone participates in the process of improvement," says James Timberlake, "we all benefit from shared intelligence that is documented and codified."
KieranTimberlake worked toward certification over a period of ten months. "It's a significant achievement," says Stephen Kieran. "We want our clients to know that we have an organized and intelligent process in approaching the design of their buildings."
Founded in 1984, KieranTimberlake is an award-winning and internationally published architecture firm noted for its research, innovation and inventive design and planning services. KieranTimberlake' projects include the programming, planning and design of new buildings and the renovation, reuse and conservation of existing structures. Recent commissions include buildings for Yale University, Cornell University, the Philadelphia Theatre Company and the General Services Administration Design for Excellence Program.
© 2008 KieranTimberlake
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