“I never make the same mistake twice,
I make it five or six times just to be sure.”
The Global Construction Industry?
I hadn't yet been hired when the contract was signed so could do nothing to prevent implosion. The other sustainability specialist wasn't involved in the contract negotiations either (BIG mistake), and the contract was grey and loose but that was 'OK' because the companies had ‘worked together for 30 years’ (assuming that the firm even realised it was grey and loose... – maybe they thought it was a great contract! Well I can tell you now – it has not been a ‘great’ contract...) The trouble is, the design firm doesn't respect us. And everyone has become lazy and stopped trying. Basically we want to have an affair on the design time because they no longer groom themselves or care about us.* The projects received a grant and tied to the grant is required LEED v4 Gold. But no one gives a shit. The architect is a dickhead. And I think he knows it. He doesn't care about our task, our team, or our 30-year relationship. The contract was bad, the communication was really bad, and now I have to work with assholes that don't appreciate or even understand how a design and build contract is supposed to work. On a LEED project. This is the best possible scenario I could ever hope to find myself in... yay for me! If I owned a trident, I would stab the nonchalant asshole architect with it! Thank you for your time. 'I used to be an Architect' North America Dear 'I used to be an Architect'...Let’s start with the Architect bashing angle of your tale of woe as let’s face it, the construction industry loves nothing more than a bit of architect bashing. Or do they? Well, in my pursuit of truth I did what any self respecting truth seeker would do - I asked the internet. “Internet, is there really a general ‘hatred’ (too strong a word?) towards Architects?” And the Internet responded. Here’s what Reddit’s top rated answer was: “It is super frustrating, but it is ingrained in everyone. I even have co-workers that have been a licensed architect for years that hate on younger architects. It is ALWAYS the same sentence "Architects design shit that can't be built." But most people look at us only as "Designers". I don't know why it is lost on the engineers and even older architects. If a client wants a very elaborate building... it is our job as a collective whole to make it work. It is our literal job to make sure design, feasibility, and functionality coexist in an end product that the client is happy with. It was what we were hired to do and it is a group effort. Now does every architect (or engineer) do this elegantly? Hell no. Some are giant pricks that unfortunately do not know how to collaborate, delegate, or consult. But it has stigmatised architects (and engineers), even among people within the same field." If the people of Reddit are right then the ‘Architect pricks’ among us do not only a gross disservice to Architecture as a profession but potentially erode the quality of our built environment as a whole by default. I mean, would you support and/or recommend a profession that you think does not know how to “collaborate, delegate, or consult” and is generally thought of as a giant and un-enriching pain in the ass to work with? Because let’s not forget, there are some great architects out there who can not only produce great pieces of architecture but who are also extremely pleasant to work with on the way through; who proactively communicate, listen effectively, and have no problem with seeking input on build-ability and methodology as required. It’s a real shame that Architects with these traits are not more openly recognised and celebrated, as opposed to the quality of Architects being (seemingly always) mono-dimensionally judged by their end creations alone (showcased via glossy photos of mostly empty buildings in Architecture magazines. Sorry, but my personal pet hate). Now, the subject of Architects and their role in the world today could be discussed for approximately another 100,000 words but let’s park up for the moment and take stock of the other disturbing aspect of this confession. Who signs a Design & Build contract without seemingly covering, planning for, or even understanding their design risk??? Oh, wait... So if there was anything to be learnt from this particular pain I would suggest the following:
And if it still doesn’t work out, just call Bob... *Important small print - COAFB does not condone marital affairs on construction projects... In a hurry? No problem! Grab an ATONEMENT TAKEAWAY!DON'T BE A DICKHEAD! DON'T RELY ON RELATIONSHIPS ALONE! UNDERSTAND THE CONTRACT! And remember, ALWAYS take care of your WASTE...Just 3 examples from this tale of woe...
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