BHA ARCHITECTURAL MANUAL _ PART 2 _ OVERVIEW OF ARCHITECT'S WORK

 2.0    OVERVIEW OF ARCHITECTURAL WORK 

 2.1    DUTIES OF ARCHITECTS

Architectural work covers a number tasks.   A short list of work to be done by architects [based on Lembaga Arkitek Malaysia | LAM Basic Services] are:

1.   .SD   SCHEMATIC DESIGN

• Discuss with Client and stakeholders [all involved in the project] to determine the project’s development objectives and requirements,
• Prepare a preliminary design proposal to interpret and/or formulate the project’s brief/terms of reference based on information from the Client,
• Lead the coordination with consultant Mechanical & Electrical and Civil & Structural Engineers, Quantity Surveyors, and associated professionals such as Property Consultants, Land Surveyors and Town Planners, to ensure the preliminary design proposal meet the Client’s requirements and,
• Upon the Client’s approval of the preliminary design proposal and instruction, to prepare and submit schematic design drawings to the local authority for planning approval [Kebenaran Merancang or equivalent] based on the specific Local Authorities requirements. 
• If any kind of appeal is required for the planning approval, then to check with the Local Authorities on the possibilities of the appeal to be approved before submission. Pre-council or pre-submission checks with the Local Authorities will be done prior to the formal submission.

2.   .DD   DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

• Upon issuance of the planning approval [Kebenaran Merancang or equivalent] by the local authority, to review the requirements set in the planning approval,
• Lead the coordination with consultant Mechanical & Electrical and Civil & Structural Engineers and associated professionals such as Land Surveyors and Town Planners, in order to comply with the requirements set in the planning approval,
• Review the current/coordinated and authorities’ compliant design against the Client’s project’s brief/terms of reference including cost and time implications,
• Upon instruction from the Client, to prepare and submit working drawings to various authorities for building plans approval [based on the specific Local Authorities requirements and, pre-council or pre-submission checks with the Local Authorities will be done prior to the formal submission] and,
• Assist in the liaisons with the relevant authorities to pursue the approval of the various building plans submissions.

3.   .CD   CONTRACT DOCUMENTATION

• Upon instruction from the Client, to prepare working details and construction drawings for the architectural works,
• Finalise detailed coordination with consultant Mechanical & Electrical and Civil & Structural Engineers in order to comply with the requirements and conditions set by the authorities in the Building Plans approval against the Client’s project’s brief/terms of reference,
• Scrutinise/review Mechanical & Electrical and Civil & Structural Engineers drawings and documentation to ensure they are coordinated with Architectural design,
• Assist the consultant Quantity Surveyor in the preparation of tender documentation and bill of quantities or costing exercises of similar nature,
• Review the Tender Document prepared by the Quantity Surveyor to ensure completeness and conformity with the Architectural design and the Client’s project’s brief/terms of reference, 
• Review Project Cost and Schedule prior to the Calling of Tender against the Clients’ requirements and,
• Coordinate the preparation of documentation for constructional purposes by all consultants.

4.   .CA   CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

• Undertake periodic inspections of the construction, 
• Monitor the construction work to ensure compliance with specifications and the Clients’ requirements via site visits, technical meetings and informal discussions, 
• Prepare additional details, drawings and instructions, as and when required, and 
• Verify stages of work and certification for progress of work

5.   .AD   PLANNING, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE,

      INTERIOR DESIGN AND RELATED SERVICES

• Town planning, landscape architecture, interior design and other related services can complement the architectural services as additional services over and above the basic services described above. The scope of work for these additional services shall be based on the basic scope of services prepared by the relevant professional bodies. 

 2.2    REAL TASKS FOR ARCHITECTS

We prefer to divide the stages into the following parts to describe the real tasks for architects:

1.   .SD   SCHEMATIC DESIGN AND

      .DD   DESIGN DEVELOPMENT 

• These stages require architects to undertake pre-design site studies and referral on legal requirements; the clients brief or requirements; architectural design and coordination work with fellow consultants to prepare for client’s approval of the design and cost; submission for planning approval for Schematic Design and; submission for building plans approval for Design Development stage.  
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• To avoid disputes or misunderstanding with the Client, it is imperative that the architect obtains the client’s approval before proceeding into the next stage.   
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• That means, the architect shall obtain express confirmation to proceed from the client at Schematic Design stage before proceeding to submit for planning approval and then again at Design Development stage before proceeding with working drawings and distributing the same to fellow consultants and finally, just before preparing for building plans approval.
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• It is also important to realise that the Approved Building Plans are used as the base line drawings for the Certification of Completion and Compliance [CCC].   Architects are to certify the Borang Gs based on the approved plans.   Hence, if there are changes to the design after the building plans have been approved, the architect shall be required to re-submit for approval of the local council [PBT] so that when the Borang Gs and F are certified for CCC, the certifications reflect the actual building that mirrors the approved building plans.
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2.   .CD   CONTRACT AND CONSTRUCTION 
      DOCUMENTATION 

• These stages are where architects undertake detailed coordination of the design with all consultants on technical and constructional requirements; incorporate legal requirements set by the relevant laws for the building design; prepare documentation and detailing for tender exercise to call for suitable builders or contractors; the tender exercise, which may include negotiations with the potential builders and further review of the design and tender documentation.  
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• It can’t be stressed enough that architects must review the tender document to ensure that their design intentions are reflected and captured properly in the tender document - especially documents by consulting C&S and M&E Engineers and Quantity Surveyors - and not just architectural documents.   And finally, the preparation of documentation for the eventual construction work.
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• Again, it is imperative to get the client to consent before preparing the tender documentation and also the calling of the tender.
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• The Tender Document together with the Letter of Acceptance of Tender by the Employer or Client will in turn become the base line document for the Construction Contract.   The successful tenderer’s tender submission will be converted to be the Contract Document and changes to the contract document, be they drawings or other documents, will trigger variations to The Contract.   Hence, the architect must make sure that the documentation for tender and contract document are properly recorded.

3.   .CA   CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION 

• This is the stage when architects manage the Construction Contract and monitor the construction work to ensure the adherence by the builder or contractor to The Contract, that are represented by the Contract Document comprising, among others, the architectural and engineering drawings, during construction.  
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• Managing the Construction Contract will mean that architects must familiarise themselves with the numerous clauses within the Contract Document and know all the drawings and documents from the consultants as well as the architect’s.

  

• Many architects fail to appreciate the importance of this stage of the architectural scope of work.   
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• While the design and documentation stage as well as the contract documentation and tender stage may be completed within a period of as short as Six [6] Months, the Construction Contract Period itself may be prolonged for Three [3] or more Years; where Five [5] year period from the date of Site Possession and to the conclusion of Final Account of the Contract is not uncommon.  
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• Among the common reasons for the delays in the Construction Contract Period are incomplete or wrong documentation and detailing by consultants; uncoordinated documents among consultants, where the architects’ drawings and documentation do not tally with the fellow consultants; and late instructions by consultants which resulted in Extension of Time.   Another reason is the lack of understanding of the roles required to be played by architects during construction and the functions conferred to them under the Construction Contract.
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• Changes in construction are inevitable.   Hence, architects must also be very alert at this stage and keep themselves informed of all changes in design as well as technical and statutory requirements and ensure that the contract documentation is current and relevant at all times.
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• It is imperative that architects ensure all design and documentation aspects are fully resolved during the Design and Contract Documentation stage.   Architects must be very familiar with the Contract Document including all the drawings and other writings therein.