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| Image Courtesy - Urban Development Group |
“In the late 1970, the rise of
construction managers paralleled the unwillingness of architects to take on
responsibility for construction. This led to a loss of perceived value and a
loss of potential compensation. Owners still had to pay to ensure buildings
were constructed properly, But increasingly they were not paying architects for
this. Only in recent years has the architectural profession begun to learn to
benefit from risk instead of running from it.” - AIA Project
Delivery Think Tank, July 1999
Construction
Management – not a big deal!
As
per current Architectural practices, though Architects are not directly engaged
in the Construction phase such as in day to day Construction and Financial
matters; practically they do everything to help and guide the Contractor with
proper directions. Many Architects later realized that with their experience,
skill-sets and aptitude; Construction Management is not a big deal!
The
concept of ‘Design cum Build’ introduced a new practice area much more powerful
and meaningful; the Design-Build firm. Today, thousands of architects are
embracing ‘Design-Build’ practice as it is a much more powerful “enabler” than
other traditional practices for many reasons like below.
•
Design-Build firm enables you to effectively manage the entire process of
Building development; right from Inception to Construction.
•
The project can be started much earlier and delivered on time, within the given
budget.
•
The scope of innovation in Design and Building techniques are much higher.
A
related survey by the National Study of Project Delivery Methods, sponsored by the
Construction Industry Institute supports all the above by proving that a
Design-Build firm is:
•
12% faster for Construction than Design
•
33% faster for Delivery of Design & Construction process
•
5% less in Project’s “cost of growth” despite change orders
However,
a large number of Architects are still hesitant to take up additional
responsibilities as this demand a huge Capital investment, Risk Management
capabilities, Ability to acquire new skills and knowledge along with an Ability
to manage it; which could potentially distract them from focusing on their core
strengths. Eventually, a fiercely competitive market would push Architects to
embrace the Design-Build practice; which is much more challenging, which is
also why it is highly rewarding!
Bringing
all Services under one roof!
There
are many Building types; that bring forth myriad Design problems. Varying from
one project to another; professional Consultants offer a gamut of professional
services. So, in reality it is extremely difficult for a client to pick and
chose services, effectively manage the output of these services and integrate
them onto a single platform. With the Design-Build practice all services are
offered under one roof - very well integrated and seamless, that for a client,
it is highly convenient and hassle-free compared to dealing with a bunch of
services that are disjointed.
Such
a practice demands a highly collaborative team environment, high level of
synergy between team members, management skills and a multidisciplinary set up.
Risk
factor
Business
rides on one little mantra that is “High risk - High returns”. Any firm
no matter whether it performs or not, needs to review and re-consider its
market position periodically; which is driven by the Director’s vision to
expand or diversify services. Any practice, whether it’s a Design or a
Design-Build or a Specialist firm; inherently comes with its own set of risks
and problems. At the end of the day, everything depends on the risk management
capabilities of the firm.
Keep
reading for more tips on Construction Management!
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