Should an Architect involve in Construction?

“At our company, our Design and Construction Consulting Service Team not only helps eliminate the risks inherent in the construction process, they typically save our clients 5% - 10% on overall construction costs. They also help make sure projects come in on time.”  - Roger Staubach 

Typically, an Architect’s level of engagement in the construction of a building is limited. As per current practice, once the Design is ready, the Principal Contractor assumes complete ownership of construction while the Architect’s responsibility trims down to just a periodical supervision of the site; with the sole objective of juxtaposing construction outcome with the original design and ensuring that the two are aligned. 

It requires a team of three to make a building; and each of them plays a distinct role, synergistically complementing each other during the process of construction.

• Owner as the Developer

• Architect as the Designer

• Principal Contractor as the Builder

The Architectural firm acts like an employee of the client. The firm is not just accountable for the Design but is expected to assume certain judiciary duties to ensure overall construction quality and is held accountable for any consequential legal obligations. Unfortunately, as we have discussed the firm has hardly any control over the construction phase; in fact the firm’s engagement during construction is quite circumscribed.  Often Architects are blamed for poor construction quality, however exceptional their design may be.

So, my question to you is - Should an Architect be engaged in Construction?, Is it possible to manage the design without being engaged in implementation? 

“If quality is to be achieved in construction, a simpler model with fewer links in the chain is required: a model that relies on close co- operation between client, architect and tradesmen.”  Stephen Emmitt

Our traditional Art-oriented education primarily conditions us to be a Designer and not to be a Builder. Now, Architects have realized the need to excogitate new ways to control and manage quality of Design and Construction both. Today, many Architects are practicing as an Architect cum Builder i.e. Master Builder. We are one of them; we have been practicing as a Design - Build firm and in many cases we have designed, built and sold the buildings.

In this neo-era, Architects might need to offer all building services under one roof!

Are you ready? 

I would love to deep-dive into below topics in my upcoming blogs, based on our collective experience as a Master Builder/Multidisciplinary firm.

• Architect as a Construction manager

• All services under one roof

• Risk factor

• Conflict of interests

• Site management

• Managing quality of design as well as construction

• Financial control

• Communication strategy

• Maintenance and Post construction services

We would love to hear your comments, questions – let us know what you think!
Till then, say "Yes 2 Architectural Management!" !