Chris Beck, a member of IAM Architecture Workers United (AWU) and former employee at Bernheimer Architecture, has released his first book titled The Labor of Architecture: Creativity, Design, and the Possibility of a New Class Consciousness. Published by Monthly Review Press, the book examines how creativity, labor, and class identity intersect in the architecture industry and discusses the impact that unionization could have on the profession.
Beck played a key role in organizing Bernheimer Architecture to become the first private-sector architecture firm to unionize in over a century. He explained that his involvement with IAM Union shaped much of the content in his book. “A lot of it came out of the work with the IAM and organizing Bernheimer,” said Beck. “Part of the book recounts that story—how we started organizing, what we achieved in our collective bargaining agreement—but it also asks a bigger question: What took so long for architecture to get here? We have unionized teachers, nurses, engineers—so why not architects?”
In developing his perspective, Beck drew on experiences from teaching at The New School’s Parsons School of Design and studying philosophy, history, and economics there. These studies helped him connect architecture to broader social and labor movements.
“Architecture isn’t very good at thinking about labor and economics,” said Beck. “Taking those classes gave me a better way to talk about the relationship between creativity, class, and inequality and how we can build a more conscious and collective future for designers and architects.”
The Labor of Architecture challenges common perceptions about careers in architecture. According to Beck, architects are often viewed as privileged professionals but are actually part of the broader working class due to issues such as being underpaid or overworked.
“It’s not uncommon to graduate with a master’s degree and make $60,000 a year while working 50 or 60 hours a week,” Beck said. “There’s this idea of status and privilege that keeps people going—but that same mindset makes it harder to recognize that we’re workers, too.”
Beck remains active with AWU by consulting IAM Union organizers as they aim to bring unionization efforts to more firms nationwide. He highlights worker education as an area where he hopes his book will have an impact.
“Worker education is really where I want to focus,” Beck said. “I had the privilege to study and write about this, but most people don’t get that opportunity. We need more spaces for working people to step back, reflect, and connect what they do every day to the bigger picture.”
The Labor of Architecture is available through Monthly Review Press as well as independent bookstores. Beck will present his book at Red Emma’s Bookstore in Baltimore on November 6 alongside unionized artists from Maryland Institute College of Art.
