Building the Concept

1
Building the Concept

• Architectural Realization

2
Getting Work as an Architect

• Competitions
• Design Competitions
• Ideas Competitions
• Limited Entry Competitions
• Constrained Competitions
• Private Clients / Return Clients
• Social Events / Networking
• Published work / Portfolio
• Advertising / Website
• Return Clients
• Referrals
• Request for Proposal RFPs

3
Request For Proposal

• The Proposal document includes
• Design Team / Consultants
• Firm / Team History
• Completed Relevant Projects
• Organization Charts
• Schemes for Addressing major constraints of
  project

• Consultants
• Members of design team which address particular
  facets of the Project
• As the Project Architect it is your
  responsibility to co-ordinate their activity and
  communication
• Consultants Include

4
Architectural Clients by type

• Architectural Record Feb. 2004 McGraw Hill
  Publications

5
Contracts

• Stipulated Price Contract
• The Stipulated Price Contract is the traditional
  construction model
• Also referred to as Competitive Building
  Contract, or Design/Tender/Bid Contract
• Canadian Construction Documents Committee (CCDC)
  form 2
• This Contract involves a Client hiring an
  Architect and a General Contractor, with a total
  Hard Cost Budget in Place
• The project proceeds with a full set of working
  drawings which go to tender
• Sub-Trades bid on various components of the
  project which are submitted by the G.C.
• Bids return, and the G.C. is selected (no
  requirement to select lowest bidder)
• Construction begins and Architect assumes role as
  mediator between Contractor and Client
• Disadvantages to the Stipulated Price Contract
• Because the process requires thorough
  documentation, this method can be slow and
  inadaptable to design changes.

6
Stipulated Price Model

• Client individually hires Architect and General
  Contractor
• Architect is in direct consultation with the
  client
• Client is responsible for payment of both the
  Architect and the General Contractor
• Architect hires consultants

7
Contracts

• Cost Plus Contract
• A Cost Plus Contract is typically used when the
  scope of services for the project is not clearly
  defined, or the project requires a short
  construction period.
• Also referred to as Design/Build Contract
• Canadian Construction Documents Committee (CCDC)
  form 3
• This Contract involves a Client hiring a Builder
  or General Contractor, who in turn hires an
  Architect
• Builder bills the client on a regular basis for
  construction materials and labor
• The project can be constructed much more quickly
  as drawings are prepared as needed
• Sub-Trades are hired directly by Builder, which
  speeds up bidding process
• Client can isolate party responsible for project
  directly
• Open books in terms of accounting, so all costs
  are made open (10 10) where price of materials
  is added to by 10 for overhead, and an
  additional 10 profit margin
• Disadvantages to the Cost Plus Contract
• Because the builder is in direct contact with the
  client, the Architect can lose design control
• Larger cost over-run possible because scope of
  work not clearly defined

8
Cost Plus Model

• General Contractor/builder hired by client
• General Contractor hires Architect and
  Consultants
• General Contractor is responsible for the payment
  of the parties involved
• Communication between Architect and Client can be
  severed

9
Contracts

• Project Management Contract
• Typically used in large scale or complex projects
  the Project Management Contract introduces a
  third party strictly to manage the construction
  of a project. Typical scheme used in Public
  Works government projects
• Also referred to as Construction Management
  Contract
• Canadian Construction Association (CCA) form 5
• This Contract involves a Client hiring a
  representative or Construction Manager to oversee
  and communicate with the General Contractor
• The Architect is hired by the Construction
  Manager to produce a concise set of construction
  documents in order to clearly define the scope of
  construction
• This contract can be used without a General
  Contractor, where the Construction Manager would
  take the role of the General Contractor as well
• Incentives can be provided by the Construction
  Manager to the GC for early completion or lowered
  construction costs
• Disadvantages to the Project Management Contract
• Expensive to administer as there is an additional
  party to pay
• Construction manager has relatively little legal
  responsibility

10
Project Management Model

• Construction manager is hired by the client and
  acts as a representative who is in charge of
  coordinating and assigning tasks to the Architect
  and General Contractor
• All communication is done through the
  construction manager, and the construction
  manager places emphasis on project efficiency
• Architect becomes removed from the client, and
  the Construction manager can be at conflict

11
Contracts

• Development Proposal Contract
• This Contract is based on a format where a plot
  of vacant or unused land will be developed in
  order to increase the use of value of the
  property and encourage investors
• Also referred to as Build-to-Suit or Turn Key
  Contract
• Canadian Construction Association (CCA) form 14
• Typically a developer will obtain land and
  implement a design desired by potential tenants
  or investors, though this could also be done by
  an Architect This can also be done by an
  Entrepreneur Architect who doesnt want to be
  their own developer or take the risk of a
  development project
• The Architect is hired by the Developer to
  produce a single or multiple sets of construction
  documents at the direction of the developer
• A client will lease or purchase directly from the
  developer before or upon project completion
• Efficient cost determined construction process
  with little design related delays
• Disadvantages to the Development Proposal
  Contract
• Standard architectural implementation with little
  incentive towards innovative building materials
  or construction

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Development Proposal Model

• The developer is hired by the client
• The developer is responsible for the hire and
  payment of parties involved
• Though the Architect is in direct contact, the
  developer often has control over the design
• Projects will tend to be biased towards timely
  completion rather than Architectural merit

13
Billing Type Trends
14
Design Stages

• Concept Schematic Design
• Needs of Client Discussed
• Programming of Project Finalized
• Initial massing for building Proposed
• Design Development
• Project developed to an initial level enough for
  client visualization, development publication
• Project initially reviewed by consultants
• Initial Project Estimation done by Cost
  Consultants
• Deficiencies are reviewed and design is altered
• Pragmatic issues are addressed
• Project is prepared for Permit

15
Permits

• Site Plan Control Approval
• Organizations involved
• National Capital Commission
• City of Ottawa
• Heritage Committee
• Rideau Valley Conservation Authority
• Issues Concerning the Official Plan
• Zoning
• Variances
• Set-Backs/Easements
• Other Issues Concerning
• Massing of Proposal
• Utilities / Service Connections
• Landscaping / Parking
• Waste Removal

• An Example of Code/Approval Dispute
• An instance arose where the interpretation of the
  building code came into question. A Registered
  Code Agent was brought in by the developing party
  in an effort to properly understand the code,
  regarding Fire-Hydrants in rural environment.
  According to the RCA, the hydrant required being
  placed no nearer than 30m to the proposed
  structure due to the way fires are fought in
  rural settings. The City Official refused the
  RCAs findings, requiring that the hydrant be
  within 30m of the building. This created a
  dilemma, because this hydrant location would
  become useless in the event of a fire, so an
  additional hydrant was added at great cost to the
  developer. This dispute endured for years,
  without progressive resolution.

16
Permits

• Building Permit
• Assembled Drawing Package Including
• Architectural, Structural, Mechanical, and
  Electrical drawings
• Numerous sets given to City for Review
• Must meet Ontario Building Code 1997 Standards
• OBC has precedence over National Building Code
• Can be superseded by Barrier Free Regulations
• Issues of uncertainty will result in a process of
  clarification and re-submittal
• Permits are Costly
• 13.50 for every 1000 of construction costs
  including the cost of all work regulated by the
  Permit including the cost of all material, labor,
  equipment, overhead and professional services
• 10 M Project 135,000 Building Permit
• Development Costs
• Imposed as a fee to aid in municipal
  infrastructure development, they can be as much
  as 20 of a proposed construction budget

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Project Requirements

• Tender/Bid/Build Method
• Working Drawings
• Thorough set of drawings which are oriented
  towards the actual construction of the project
• Wall Sections / Details / Millwork / Spec /
  Schedules
• Call for Tender
• Contractors are invited to bid on project based
  on drawings and outline spec
• Clarifications to drawings are issued at this
  point via Addenda
• Bids are submitted and contract is awarded
• Shop Drawings
• Detail drawings from specific trades misc.
  metals, millwork, etc.
• Shop drawings contain minor changes based on shop
  practices which are to be approved by architect

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Project Requirements

• Reduced Schedule Method
• Working Drawings
• Developed at the requirement of the Party in
  Charge
• Depending on the context, degree of resolution
  can be quite low
• Still requires co-ordination with consultants
• Call for Tender
• Generally a minimal amount of architect
  involvement
• Occasionally required for introductory site visit
  to introduce the project
• Required bids are submitted and lowest bid is
  usually accepted
• Shop Drawings
• Amount of shop drawings is usually lessened due
  to initial involvement with trades
• Detail design is usually constrained as custom
  detailing is time consuming

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Architects Role During Construction

• Site Visits
• Plays the Role of Observer
• Responsible for acting as the representative of
  the client
• Observes progress and quality of construction,
  but does not instruct
• Errors and omissions are noted for discussion
• Payment Certificates
• Validates the quality of construction done to
  date its authenticity to the construction
  documents
• Notes the extent of the construction completed,
  progress noted is legally binding
• In Project Management Contracts, this is usually
  the responsibility of the Project Manager
• Substantial Completion
• Also referred to as 95 completion, this
  developed stage of construction is generally
  authorized by the project Architect and is the
  start of product warranty period, the release of
  holdbacks as well having many insurance clause
  implications
• Allows for occupancy certificate which is
  required by the City

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Architects Role During Construction

• Mediator
• At different phases of the project the Architect
  will be confronted with conflicts which will
  require careful mediation and ethical decisions
• In the design stage the Architect will have to
  evaluate the viability of the clients proposal.
  In the same respect, the Architect is expected to
  design within the clients requirements
• In tender stage - the Architect must remain loyal
  to design decisions and not allow the project to
  be altered dramatically by the general contractor
• In the construction stage the Architect will
  usually face a situation where there is a dispute
  between the contractor and the client. The
  Architect has a legal, ethical obligation to side
  with the correct party, not necessarily the
  client.

21
Architects Role During Construction

• Change Orders
• Occurs when a change is required on site due to
  unforeseen issues
• Mechanical System interferes with Architectural
  element
• Product Spec is no longer available
• Price of material changes after tender
• Design change by Client

• System of Approvals
• Before a Change Order CO is issued it must be
  approved
• The General Contractor will ask for clarification
  Request For Information RFI
• The RFI will be answered by the appropriate
  consultant via Contemplated Change Notice, or
  ASK, ASI, MSK, ESK, SSK
• Once the cost implications are examined by the
  client, a CO will be issued
• COs are expensive, and should be avoided.
• RESOLVED WORKING DRAWINGS ARE CRITICALLY
  IMPORTANT

22
Contract Documents

• As-Built Drawings
• Contractor Mark-ups Set
• Contractors drawing set which noted all changes
  made to the original Tender Set issued
• Changes are noted in pen with relevant CCN, ASI,
  etc.
• Responsibility of the General Contractor to keep
  these Mark-ups up to date
• AS-BUILTS
• Complete drawing set which incorporates all
  changes issued during the project
• Complied using Contractor mark-ups, and cross
  referenced with Architects copy of all
  Clarification documents CCN, ASK, ASI, etc.
• Any conflicts in documentation are resolved with
  the appropriate parties
• Drawings are sent to consultants for updating
  each discipline is handled separately, but the
  Architect is responsible for the co-ordination of
  these documents
• Outline spec is updated, and As-Built is
  submitted to Client
• As-Builts are generally a project requirement of
  the Architect regardless of contract type

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Concluding

• Completed Project
• Referral
• At the completion of a project it is expected
  that you attend the opening of the project
• Obtain a letter of reference from your client for
  use in next proposal
• Liability
• The Architect never escapes liability. An
  Architect is a professional and as such is held
  to a higher standard of accountability than a
  contractor.
• Because you could potentially be sued at anytime
  it is important to incorporate your practice to
  keep litigation directed at you professionally
  and protect your personal liability
• The Architect must be very diligent about the
  drawings that come from his office