Architects are being forced to prostitute themselves to cookie-cutter-style building templates as part of the federal government’s stimulus package, an industry professional has said.

“Money is being thrown into building templates for school developments that are completely inappropriate and bare no connection to their surroundings,” Farnan Findlay director, Joel Farnan, told Architecture & Design.

He claims that architects are being pushed to compromise to cater for time and money constraints, which results in poor quality buildings that are unsuitable and restrictive.

“Rushed design templates are completely off the pace and are designed in isolation before being thrown onto the site,” he said.

Farnan argues that the ‘cookie-cutter’ templates will produce buildings that do not cater for the needs of individual schools and are “only one step-up from demountable standards”.

“The opportunity to play with $2 million to improve facilities is a great opportunity that is being wasted in an irresponsible move from the government,” Farnan said.

Farnan points to the Department of Education for shortfalls in template design and says architects are not to blame.

“There is just no work out there, so architects have to put their hand up to any job available,” he said. “Architects are stuck between a rock and a hard place and are given no other option given the circumstances.”

He says the templates restrict creativity and design and will lessen the value of the stimulus package.

“The surroundings and needs of each individual school need to be considered so mistakes are not being made that will last 30 years,” he said.

“There is no need to waste millions of dollars to produce unnecessary buildings that are rushed and unwanted.”