Ifo Architects Survey: Largest Order Volume in Five Years

Ifo's survey of freelance architects showed a clear improvement in the first quarter of 2006. The assessments of the current situation are definitely not as poor as they were in the previous quarter. Every sixth survey participant was satisfied with the current business situation, a level last reached four and a half years ago. Scepticism concerning future business has weakened noticeably: on balance, the architects assess their six-month business outlook more favourably than they have in the past five years. In the fourth quarter of 2005, 54% of the survey participants reported new contract conclusions, a level last achieved in the first quarter of 1999. Order reserves at the end of 2005 stood at 4.9 months; a comparable order cushion was last reported by the architects at the end of 2000.