Why you need a registered architect

THE design and construction of a building is often approached with a lack of appreciation of the complexity involved. To the layman, it can often be a stressful exercise, leaving one dejected and exasperated. The following scenarios have been experienced by many in the pursuit of the dream house or business expansion.

With the vision to build a dream house, a potential home owner buys a stand and gets a guy to “draw” plans promising a unique structure.

One goes through the laborious task of spending one’s hard-earned monies on paying the builders and buying expensive materials (in some instances even importing expensive finishes and fittings). When the building is finally completed, after several months or years depending on cash flow, suddenly one realises, this is NOT the house they envisaged.

It is a building alright, but somehow there is something wrong with it that you just can’t put a finger on. The room sizes are not right (some are unnecessarily big while some are too small to be utilised effectively for the intended purpose).

The building maybe facing the wrong way and even the windows and doors just seem to be either not the right size to allow enough light and ventilation into the spaces or too big and seem to allow for intrusion into your privacy, not to mention the leaking roof and the paint that is already peeling off, how come no one picked up on all this? What went wrong?

Another scenario. The company’s new head office is about to be opened. However, when top management and the production team came to view it for a final inspection before the pomp and fanfare of the ribbon cutting, so many questions are raised about the newly designed facility.

The design team did not deliver on the design brief leaving the head of the project looking incompetent. It is difficult to figure out how, after spending several millions of the company’s hard earned money, the final product has less office space than is needed for core staff, a boardroom that can barely fit 10 people out of the 20 that are supposed to be working at the new premises.

Questions as to why anyone did not mention the need for a separate fire escape staircase which is now delaying the issuance of the Occupation Certificate by City Council Health, or the need to include Universal access ramps and conveniences begin to arise. The project only gets to finish now, 6 months behind target completion date and at twice the initial budget. What went wrong?

The above and many other related scenarios are common occurrences that plague those who have or are in the process of investing in or implementing building projects, whether privately or at commercial scale under their own companies or employers. It has severe consequences and repercussions that can lead to personal strain and financial losses, loss of reputation, or loss of employment on grounds of negligence for those responsible for the handling of the company’s investment.

Such experiences lead most clients to the realisation that maybe, they needed someone with the skill and professional training to be able to turn their building aspirations into reality.

Maybe right at the genesis of the idea of starting a building project, there is need for someone to guide you through the design, planning and construction process of the building, be it a new building or when adapting an existing property to new requirements. Someone who is legally bound to uphold certain standards of quality & accountability by regulations with regards to building projects.

The person you need to engage is an Architects Council of Zim- babwe, Registered Pro- fessional Architect.

Architects apply impartial and creative thinking to projects, large and small. They add value, whether from maximising light and space, adding functionality, or achieving the best return on your investment on your project.

According to Kevin McCloud of Grand Designs, “A good architect actually pays for themselves — more than once. You will reap the reward and the building will be hugely better and deliver much better value for it.”

Architects work to help you identify the priorities for a space, develop its look and feel, and incorporate best practices of design into your project. More than designing four walls and a roof, architects help you see the big picture and make a lasting impression for those that interact with your building.

They can also keep your project on budget by presenting design solutions catered to your specific needs and investment targets. Throughout the ages, Architects have offered their service to individuals, private companies, investors, religious organisations and governments in the design and implementation of private and public buildings of various scale.

From Imhotep the Grand Architect to the Pharaoh on the Great Pyramid of Egypt, the Temples & Coliseums that embellished the cities of the Greek & Romans Empires, to the grand romantic expression of the Taj Mahal (an immense mausoleum of white marble, built in Agra between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife Mumtaz Mahal), to the building futuristic aspirations of modern Shanghai & Dubai.

One can experience the work of Architects every day in their visual and physical interactions with it, whether in an office at a Mine in Hwange or sitting at a shopping mall in Harare. When done well, that experience is enriching and speaks to higher human aspirations that build our cities.

In Zimbabwe, the Name and Profession of Architecture is protected by law under the Architects Act of 1976, and for a person to practice as an Architect they undergo at least 9 years of both academic and practical training so that they become Registered.

The professional body which Registers and Regulates the conduct and activities of Architects is the Architects Council of Zimbabwe (ACZ), located at No. 3 Dorking House, 115 Chinamano Ave, Harare. The ACZ and the IAZ are ever willing to provide clients who need an Architects services with the list and contact details of their members which is also available on www.zimarchitects.com.

Hiring an architect who is a fully registered member of the ACZ guarantees one of getting an accredited and accountable professional, who is fully committed to quality assurance & design excellence in the delivery of the service of architectural design.

They have the knowledge and skills to provide guidance on various critical aspects of a project which include but are not limited to, selection of the appropriate site, definition of your design brief (project goals, needs, aims, budget, etc.), maximising on ROI through design, ensuring that the project meets local & international building laws, coordinating the construction process with quality control supervision and advising on the best course of action when contractual challenges arise during the project.

Designing a new building can feel like a complex puzzle of choices and uncertainty. It is a process filled with decision making, limited time, and limited budgets. All of this can create stress for a project owner.

As a professional familiar with the in’s and outs of construction, a quality architect is able to walk you step-by-step through a time filled with unfamiliarity and help you arrive on the other side having met your initial construction vision and goals. An architect is needed on a building project as much as a lawyer in court or a doctor in the emergency room.

Flint Mangurenje Svunurai is a registered architect with the Architects Council of Zimbabwe and a member of the Architects Institute of Zimbabwe. He is a Design Studio & Construction Technology Lecturer at the Department of Architecture, Faculty of the Built Environment, He has also developed and delivers the Elective Module on Construction Industry Regulation at Masters of Architecture level at NUST. He writes in his own personal capacity. Contact details: Cell: 0774 320 564. Email: flintmsvinurai@gmail.com or flintassociate@gmail.com.