ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF ARCHITECTS IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Architects in construction plays an important role and they are responsible for visual appearance of the buildings and structures before final structural design. Architect is a person appointed by the client, who develops a facility as per the design concept and the requirements specified by the client. The architects develop design that are more creative in aesthetics. The architect makes use of vision and creative ideas to satisfy the client. But the design evolved by the architects have to satisfy with the building laws and the regulations of the state.
Role of Architects in Construction
An architect both artistic and functional mind for the design of structures. Once an architect is approached by a client or a sponsor, he calls a meeting to know the needs and the wants of the construction work or project. An edifice is designed by the architect that will satisfy the client. The architect brings more of creativity and artistic elements on the building. This creation of design will be repeated till both the parties i.e. the client and the designer are satisfied.
Once an architect is contacted by a client, a meeting is called to discuss the project needs and requirements. Several meetings may take place until both parties are satisfied with the conceptual design. However, designing an entire building is a huge task for a single person; architects work with civil and structural engineers to discuss technical issues and the structural integrity of a building.
Architects are not just involved in the building design phase. Their role is important in every stage of a project, and this article summarizes their responsibilities. Architects can also help improve energy efficiency, by designing buildings that maximize natural lighting and ventilation, while reducing the heating and cooling needs.
Duties or Responsibilities of Architects in Construction
The work carried out by the architect have to be properly organized. This demands to keep the records of different contracts, the details of the project, the cost and the budget details, the time limit and the day by day progress report. Most of the cases the architects have to work with the civil or structural engineers for communication and discussion relating the technical issues faced in the design and the implementation.
The key responsibilities of an architect in construction projects are mentioned below:
Project Discussion
An architect is hired by a client to create a detailed design of a concept or idea that a client wants to bring to life. Meetings and discussions with different team members and engineering professionals take place before the design approval. Some topics that must be discussed during those meetings are client requirements, expected budget, site characteristics, safety and local planning regulations.
Documentation and Drawings
Architects are responsible for creating detailed drawings and testing the project feasibility. Traditionally this was done by hand, but modern BIM and CAD software speed up the process significantly. During this stage, multiple revisions and redrawings take place to incorporate changes based on client needs, budget and regulations.
The final blueprints guide builders to deliver the desired structure, and this includes plans for all structural, mechanical and electrical systems. Other technical documents that must be created along with the plans are design instructions and technical specifications for contractors. Following the final design comes the contract proposal, which allows the creation of cost estimates and the timescale of the project.
Cost Estimation
Cost estimation at different stages of the project allows better control over the budget. Architects visualize the whole building structure, bringing creative designs and ideas to the construction industry, but these also require an underlying structural design and MEP installations.
Architects and engineers must be careful not to underestimate the cost of materials and construction time, since this helps provide effective cost estimations. The amounts of details presented by architects in their cost estimations depend on their extent of work: they can be in charge of presenting a complete construction estimation, or just a part such as landscaping.
Contracts
Architects can help during the contract negotiation phase, and they may suggest and choose the contractors for different activities. Once all tenders are received, the architect carries out analysis reports, and results are compared with the client’s expectations and budget.
Construction Stage
Once construction begins, architect will perform site visits and meetings, negotiations with contracts and dealing with and resolving any problems that may occur. Some of the documentation that takes place during construction phases will require architect’s signature and approval.
