Architecture must embed compliance from day one. Because ignoring compliance isn't just about risking fines, it's about exposing your business to legal actions, operational shutdowns, and brand damage that can take years to repair. At the core are data protection laws, like GDPR in Europe, PDPA in Singapore, and CCPA in California, each with their own rules on how personal data is handled. But it goes deeper. Industries have their own strict frameworks. Healthcare has HIPAA, payments must meet PCI DSS, and critical infrastructure falls under NIS2.