Professional Practice I Lecture I PDF

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE I THE ARCHITECT AS A PROFESSIONAL  INTRODUCTION Membership in any profession, whether law, medicine, teaching, journalism, accounting, or architecture, entails not only the mastery of a body of knowledge and skills but at its best the hono...

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE I THE ARCHITECT AS A PROFESSIONAL  INTRODUCTION Membership in any profession, whether law, medicine, teaching, journalism, accounting, or architecture, entails not only the mastery of a body of knowledge and skills but at its best the honoring of a social contract to advance basic human values. (Boyer and Mitgang)  DEFINITION Architect: A person or entity - registered, - licensed or otherwise authorized exclusively to use the title “architect” and to practice architecture in a province or territory.  PRACTICE OF ARCHITECTURE Consists of the provision of professional services in connection with town planning - Design, - Construction, - Enlargement, - Conservation, - Restoration or - Alteration of a building or group of buildings.  CONT… Planning and land-use planning; urban design; - Provision of preliminary studies, - Design, - Models, - Drawings, - Specifications, and - Technical documentation  CONT… Coordination of technical documentation prepared as appropriate - Construction economics; - Contract administration; - Monitoring of construction ( supervision ); - Project management.  PROFESSIONALISM Profession: A vocation or calling, especially one that involves some branch of advanced learning or science. Historically, the professions were the scholarly endeavors and practices of theology, law, and medicine, which had certain principles and characteristics distinct from other vocations.  PRINCIPLES 0F PROFESSIONALISM All professionals are required to adhere to the following four principles: Expertise; Autonomy; Commitment; Accountability.  EXPERTISE Professionals possess a systematic body of - Knowledge, - Skills, and - Theory developed through education and experience.  AUTONOMY Professional practitioners provide - Expert advice to their clients, Independent of any self-interest, - Uncompromised professional judgment and liberal to exercise discretion ( tact ), - Accept responsibility for their actions.  COMMITMENT Professionals bring - Selfless dedication - Serve their clients in a competent and professional manner, and - To exercise unprejudiced and impartial judgment on their behalf.  ACCOUNTABILITY Professionals are aware of their responsibility - To provide independent and critical advice to their clients and - For the effects of their work on society and the environment.  CHARACTERISTICS OF PROFESSIONALS Professionals consistently act with integrity and competence by adhering to the principles of professionalism. Moreover, professionals:  Are organized through a membership registration process for the purpose of setting standards for admission, ethics, and practice. An oath of service to the public interest is frequently required as a condition of entry to the profession;  Set protocols for disciplining members whose conduct does not meet professional standards or a prescribed code of conduct;  Often earn respect in the community;  share knowledge within their profession and engage in lifelong learning;  develop specializations, and often become expert in particular fields;  have a strong personal identification with the profession and altruistic concerns for society;  Are usually highly creative and innovative in their research, academic pursuits, and practice, valuing discovery, invention, and expression;  Test, challenge, and push all boundaries and parameters of the profession in order to advance the profession’s scholarly and  Technical capabilities. THANK YOU  ARCHITECTURE AS APROFESSION Described As A Social Art ( An Artful Science )  Is the sole profession, whose members are qualified to design and to provide advice, including technical and aesthetic judgment of the built environment.  The public expects the profession to provide services and solutions with technical competence and aesthetic sensitivity suitable to the physical, social, cultural, and economic environment, thereby inspiring the community and its citizens.  Cont…  In matters of public health and safety, architects are obliged to serve the public interest and respond to the public need.  cont… Healthy and encourages divergences that are reality and limitations of licensure and regulation faced by practitioners.  Pushing both practical and scholastic architectural limits;  Opening new opportunities;  Discovering unrecognized public  The Role of the Architect The Architect in Society  Architects have been:  Powerful confidants to the pharaohs in ancient Egypt;  Philosophers/planners in ancient Greece and Rome;  Artisans and craftsmen in medieval times;  “Master builders” throughout the Renaissance.  The Architect as a Generalist General knowledge of the many disciplines involved in the  design,  construction,  maintenance, and  alteration of buildings  cont… Skills necessary to synthesize and coordinate various parts of a project into a composite whole to satisfy  functional requirements,  orderly,  visually-pleasing, and  sustainable environment. NB : The individual architect may become an expert in particular aspects of design, production or management, or become an expert in a specific building type.  cont… The practice of architecture is interrelated with many other design disciplines, from various types of  engineering to landscape design,  to sociological and  planning studies. In the complex task of coordinating the many specialists involved in a project, the architect develops a unique role and set of skills.  Professional Responsibility  Extends beyond the client to - fellow professionals, - the profession, and - society as a whole.  An architect is prepared to accept will determine how he or she practices architecture.  The employed (salaried) architect has little direct responsibility to his employer’s client.  Cont… Architects in partnership share the responsibility. NB : The architect’s responsibility varies depending on the architect’s role in society.  Architects in Private Practice **The general public traditionally views the architect as a private practitioner.** Architects in private practice may be:  Self-employed;  Employed (salaried) architects working for other professionals;  Independent contractors providing services to other architects;  Specialist consultants in various fields, such as project management, building codes, conservation, and specifications.  Cont… Self-employed architects may be:  Sole proprietors;  In partnership with other architects or engineers;  Directors or shareholders of an architectural corporation.  Cont… Self-employed architects in private practice must maintain expertise in two distinct areas:  The performance of architectural services;  The operation and management of a practice, including staff. Institutional and Corporate Architects **Many institutions and corporations — that do not practice architecture — employ architects as members of their staff. ** Institutional or corporate architects provide services in:  Site selection;  Project planning;  Programming;  Consultant selection;  Contract negotiations;  Construction contract administration;  Facilities management.  Architects in Government  The architect can also serve society as a public service worker, that is, as an employee of the government, - federal, - provincial/territorial or - municipal level.  Cont… Architects in government can : - Exert influence and - Develop policies related to the built environment. Governmental positions at - A technical, - Managerial or policy level. Must be tactful and diplomatic in order to facilitate communication with the: - General public, - Officials, - Other architects, - Developers, and - Contractors.  Cont… Many decisions regarding the built environment are made in the political arena, some architects choose to run for office for: - Various levels of government; - School boards; - Professional or business associations. Architects in Education and Research  Architects may pursue a career in academia as faculty members at the university schools of architecture or as researchers in a variety of settings.  Some architects who teach also practice the profession or undertake research.  Many architects also teach at the various community colleges, technical institutions, which train architectural technicians, technologists, and other students who study design and the construction industry.  Architects in Construction and Development Increasingly, architects are selecting careers directly in the construction industry or real estate development. As designers, planners, and managers, they can contribute significant skills to this sector of the economy. Typical careers include: - Developer; - Construction manager; - Contractor; - Design-Builder; - Real estate agent.  Cont… Many developers have their own in-house staff to plan and coordinate the provision of design services for projects, and many building contractors are involved in “Design-Build” work, employing architects directly. The following skill sets can be especially marketable to builders and developers: - Marketing; - Economic feasibility studies; - Conceptual problem-solving; - Design; - Construction planning; - Estimating; - Construction administration.  Other Roles for Architects An architectural education is often valuable for other fields of endeavor. Architects look beyond architecture for careers related to design, planning, and construction, and as specialist consultants. New career opportunities are also available to architects willing to pursue studies in related professions and become specialists with a multi-disciplined background. Some examples include:  Expert witness;  Architect/engineer;  Architect/planner/urban designer;  Architect/lawyer;  Architect/business administrator;  Architect/facilities planner;  Designer of virtual environments for computers;  Mediator/arbitrator;  Forensic investigator. Organization of an Architectural Practice Introduction Architects decide to set up their own practices for many different reasons. Some of these include:  The desire to control one’s own professional destiny;  The wish to specialize in a certain field of architecture or market niche;  An offer to form a partnership or to purchase shares from an established firm or colleague;  The award of a significant commission, either through a competition or from a business associate;  Layoff from an architectural firm;  The desire to exercise leadership;  The desire to increase income.  Establishing and maintaining an architectural practice demands certain skills One must be able to:  Market one’s services and get work;  Negotiate terms and compensation in client-architect agreements;  Hire and manage qualified staff;  Perform the full range of architectural services efficiently and effectively;  Work with engineers and other consultants;  Work with the construction industry and administer contracts;  Operate profitably and provide stability to the practice.  Strategic planning A strategic plan is a document that charts a course for the development of an architectural practice in clear, simple terms. It should identify the following:  The architectural practice’s unique offerings in the marketplace;  A vision for the future of the practice;  Measurable goals or milestones.  Cont… Typically, a strategic plan would encompass a time frame of five years. The plan should address the following issues:  The goals of the architectural practice;  A service plan for providing architectural services to clients;  A financial or business plan;  A human resources plan for staff and principals;  A public relations and marketing plan;  A succession plan.  Cont… Strategic Planning is a process which should be updated annually. Strategic plans usually assess:  Strengths;  Weaknesses;  Opportunities;  Threats. Styles of Architectural Practices  Design  Innovation  Production  Service to the Client  Construction Administration Service  Client Base  Cont…  Design - Emphasize design, or design excellence, or their own unique design style. - Architects are particularly well- trained for this kind of practice.  Innovation - Specialize in or emphasize innovation. _ in aesthetics or _ in scientific or technical solutions.  Cont…  Production (some large firms) - Rapid and efficient production of construction documents and - The ability to process large projects.  Service to the Client - They stress the importance of working closely with the client, - Responding to the client’s business agenda, and - Managing information in support of the client.  Cont…  Construction Administration Services - provide full construction management or - project management services.  Client Base (can attract…) - Specializing in a field of expertise or in a particular building type; - Developing new markets; - Providing pre-design or post-construction services to encompass the life of a facility; - Expanding the geographic base of the practice.  Types of Ownership of an Architectural Practice Agreements All business relationships should be based on a written agreement.  Sole Proprietorships  Partnerships  Corporations  Partnership of Corporations  Joint Ventures  Multi-disciplinary Firms  Foreign Firms  Cont…  Sole Proprietorships - A single, - Unincorporated owner of an architectural practice. - Has full personal control over all aspects of the practice. - Can range from someone with a small, home-based office practice to an architect who employs many professionals and Para-professionals.  Cont…  Partnerships - Comprised of two or more partners  Corporations - A legal, collective entity authorized by statute to act as an individual business unit. - Incorporating a practice is done for a variety of reasons. - The issues should be reviewed with a lawyer and an accountant before forming a corporation and entering into a shareholders’ agreement.  Cont…  Partnership of Corporations - Enables individual architects who are incorporated for business or tax reasons to practice with both the advantages of a partnership and the advantages of their corporation; - Allows two or more corporate practices to retain separate identities for certain types of projects but join forces for other types of projects; - Allows the bringing together of complementary but differing interests and ownership For example, one corporation may focus on architectural services, while the other is a corporation providing support through drafting services, equipment, and real estate and other chattels.  Cont…  Joint Ventures - Usually formed to create one architectural entity for the purpose of a single specific project. - Frequently, a joint venture is set up to provide complementary services for a particular project. For example, a practice specializing in hospital work may need to team up with a firm located near the project site to provide contract administration services, especially field review.  Cont…  Multi-disciplinary Firms - Professional companies which include architects and other professionals, usually engineers. - Such firms may also include urban planners, landscape architects, interior designers, and other consultants.  Cont…  Foreign Firms - Recently, certain architectural firms from a nation have established branch offices in another nation. - The structure of the foreign firm and its ownership must nevertheless comply with the requirements of the provincial association of architects.  Internal Structure of an Architectural Practice  Design Team or In-house Studios Cont…  Cont…  Departments  Other Professional Services Several professional services are required to support an architectural practice. These include:  Legal;  Accounting and tax planning;  Investment and retirement planning;  Insurance.  Architectural Services and Fees The Architect’s Traditional Services Basic and Additional Services Traditionally, architectural services were limited to the design and construction of buildings, a fact reflected in the following five sequential phases of a project: - Schematic Design; - Design Development; - Construction Documents; - Bidding and Negotiation; - Construction Phase (Contract Administration).  Cont…  Basic Services are those services the client and the architect have agreed are necessary for the implementation of the project, using “Design-Bid-Build.” Basic services are deemed by the profession, to be, with few exceptions, the minimum level of services.  Cont…  Additional Services are those services for which the degree of the architect’s involvement with regard to input and time cannot be clearly defined or estimated, or the need for which is not determined at the time of signing the agreement. Fees for additional services are frequently invoiced on the basis of agreed hourly rates. Understanding the value of additional services significantly broadens the potential scope of practice, and creates markets for new services that can benefit the practice and, in many cases, the client. Practices should prepare a briefing document that can be supplied to prospective clients. This document should: - Outline the types of services for which the firm has expertise; - Clarify the distinction between basic architectural services and other services that the firm might provide.  Cont…  Identification of Services The success of a project depends on the proper identification of services. At the outset, the architect — together with the client — must determine the professional services required for the project. Once this is done, the architect can prepare an estimate of the professional fee and negotiate an agreement with the client. To identify required services, prepare a list of tasks to be performed and a time frame for each. The process also involves identifying and selecting engineers and other consultants necessary for the project. The services outlined in the standard forms of agreement can serve as a checklist or “menu” for selecting the appropriate services.  Cont… The Architect’s Fee Methods of Compensation  Percentage (of the construction cost);  Time basis (per diem or hourly rates);  Lump sum (or fixed fee); or  Any combination of the above.  Cont…  Fee Calculation When calculating the distribution of the fee over the traditional five phases of a project, the following breakdown is typical:  Cont…  Percentage of the Construction Cost Percentage fees are contingent on the size and type of project as well as the scope of services required. For example, the schedules recommend: - Lower percentages for simple buildings or buildings with a higher construction cost; - Higher percentages for buildings which are more complex or have a lower construction cost.  Cont… The recommended percentage fees anticipate the following project conditions:  The architect is providing full, basic services (traditional approach);  The project is a unique, “one-off” design for a single client;  The project will be tendered once, as a single, coordinated package of construction documents;  The method of project delivery is the use of a Stipulated Sum Contract The project size is not extreme (neither very large nor very small);  There are no delays, or the progress of the project is not intermittent (thereby incurring repetitive “start-up” costs);  The percentage fee is calculated at each phase as a percentage of the construction cost as defined in the agreement.  Cont..  Time Basis (per diem or hourly rates) Some other situations when this approach would be appropriate include: - Pre-approved work being changed; - Small projects; - Pre-design or other types of feasibility studies; - Intermittent work or services.  Cont… Per Diem or hourly rates are usually determined by the following: - A multiplier of direct personnel expense [payroll cost (+) payroll burden(x) A multiplier (usually 2.5)]; - Provincial association-recommended minimums for per diem or hourly rates; - Existing market conditions. Per Diem rates are usually calculated as hourly rates ($/hour) x 7.5 hours (a typical day).  Cont…  Lump Sum or Fixed Fee When preparing a fixed fee quotation, include the following: - All direct and indirect labor costs; - All expenses, including materials; - Overhead and profit; - Risk factors involved with this client and this project; - Consultant costs; - Costs for coordination of consultants; - Marketing costs; - A contingency.  Cont… Double-check the price proposal and do a “reality check” based on market conditions by: - Determining fees as though they were based on a percentage of anticipated construction costs; - Re-calculating the costs to provide the fees very conservatively, using a worst-case scenario; - Checking the staff utilization rates and profit history of similar projects; - Ensuring that staff or partners double-check or independently verify the fee calculation.  Cont… Verify that all agreements include provision for determining the fee for: - Changes in scope; - Preparation of Change Orders; - Time delays (caused by the owner or contractor).  Client-Architect Agreements  Regardless of the type of project, the architect should prepare and execute a written agreement with the client after identifying the full scope of services and negotiating a fee.  It may be advisable to use an interim agreement or “binder” in order to start work while a full agreement is being prepared. THANK YOU!