BHA ARCHITECTURAL MANUAL _ PART 1 _ INTRODUCTION

PREFACE

This ARCHITECTURAL MANUAL has been prepared for the exclusive use of the architectural team at BADRUL HISHAM ARCHITECT and its associates.

The objective of this manual is to get everyone in the office to familiarise himself or herself with the basic techniques and standards used in the office, in particular, and the industry in general.

It is our wish that by understanding the tasks clearly, the team will find the work more challenging, interesting and rewarding.

Further, we hope that with the familiarisation and understanding of the tasks at hand, the team will be able to perform their duties more effectively, i.e. saving time, costs and other resources, and thus improve on the office’s efficiency.

The ARCHITECTURAL MANUAL is divided into Three [3] Main Segments which are:

[1] Schematic Design and Design Development,

[2] Contract and Construction Documentation and,

[3] Contract Administration.  

We have made every effort to cover from the beginning to the end of the architectural stages and processes.   This is to enable the team to understand and then execute the steps from inception of the architectural idea to the last stage of the work when there will be users of the architecture that the team have helped to create.

The ARCHITECTURAL MANUAL is also meant to be revised and improved from time to time to make it relevant for this ever improving office.

The manual is being shared here just in case it may be useful for budding architects in the web.

 

.1.0    INTRODUCTION

Architecture is unique because it relates not only to the built but also the social environments.   Architects and everyone in this industry have the privilege to shape our environments for the rest of the world to live in.   However, the privilege also comes with great responsibilities.

Architecture relates not only to the buildings that we helped to design and build but also the landscape and spaces in between these built environments.   And, our buildings may also have an impact on a much larger area, i.e. not necessarily only to the areas adjacent the built environment we created, but may also affect the township where the buildings are located.   This is when the initial architectural education from the universities, the post-graduation experience and the continuing professional development courses blended to give the architect a well-rounded view and understanding of architecture which can be applied in designs.

Looking farther, architecture also defines or at least affects the social behaviours of the users and those who are in contact with these built environments. 

Architecture also affects the world’s resources, especially the non-renewable ones such as space, fossil fuels, water and building materials.   Following Green Movements such as the Malaysian Green Building Confederation, which promotes the Green Building Index for the local buildings, will help architects and designers understand the world’s concerns with what architecture should be contributing to the conservation of the finite resources.

Thus, it is very important, if not crucial, that architecture is approached with the abovementioned elements.   We should approach architectural design and construction with this understanding.

In addition, the real design and the eventual construction work will have to deal with certain rules, laws and legislations.   These are set to regulate the built environment for social, safety and political purposes.   These rules, laws and legislations will come in the forms such as the Uniformed Building By-Laws as a sub-law from the Street, Drainage and Building Act, for instance and; the local authorities rules and requirements as an adjunct to the abovementioned Act.   There are Malaysian Standards for amenities and facilities of the Handicapped Persons to be incorporated in the architectural designs.   And, there are rules of the government of the day with regard to the use of Industrialised Building Systems on certain projects.   For the contract administration phase during construction, there are Contracts and procedures to be followed and adhered to.

This Architectural Manuals will touch on the abovementioned areas with the hope that by following the guides set up in this book, technical staff of the office will be able to perform their duties with effectiveness and improve the office’s efficiency while achieving the satisfaction of getting work done well.