Escape Metropolis: Bridging the Divide Between Developers and Architects

n the 1927 film Metropolis, Planners decide to build a monument to mankind's greatness, but they can't construct it themselves. The film moves from a utopian environment where the planning of the monument takes place to a dystopian one where armies of Workers are led to the building site for the construction. The film plays out the story of these two groups and their mutual mistrust: the Planners see the Workers as lacking vision, and the Workers view the Planners as people who don't know the realities of construction.

Metropolis can serve as a metaphor for the divide that can emerge between architects and developers.

Sound vaguely familiar? Having been both a developer and an architect during my 15-year career in the software field, I believe Metropolis can serve as a metaphor for the divide that can emerge between architects and developers—Planners and Workers—in our own industry. Many developers mistrust architects, particularly non-technical architects who don't have extensive development experience. Worse, I've met a number of architects who mistrust developers, considering delivery teams lacking in the breadth and vision to capitalize on opportunities for architectural innovation.