Setting out as an architect

Ajith Ranasinghe Architect

In our previous articles we attempted to create a background where the importance of an architect is highlighted and his role is clearly defined and discuss the cost benefits of commissioning a professionally qualified architect.

During the previous weeks we discussed the importance of an architect in conducting a feasibility study even before the site is selected and in selecting a suitable site for a project.

An Architectural design

The fee one pays for a professional could be considered as a lifetime saving, since one's professional input would save you a lot of money. As explained earlier one could obtain special cost benefits through a professional architect in all five major stages of a project, namely pre design stage. Design stage, pre contract stage, contract stage and post contract stage.

We have already explained about the benefits one can obtain in the pre Design stage with the service of your architect. One may have understood that the value of selecting the correct path in this initial and crucial stage in saving one's hard earned money through the architect's professional advice.

Today it is expected to elaborate some of the benefits one may obtain in the design stage of your project. Since the land is a precious commodity in a developing country, gaining the maximum utilization of the site is a prime importance. Your architect is well-trained to perform this tedious task.

Positioning the building in the correct place in the correct manner is one of the most important facts in the whole process since a wrong decision of the footprint of your building may ruin your total expectations resulting in some irreparable losses. Therefore, the layout of the building should be done in the presence and as per the layout plan of your architect without handing it over to an unqualified person.

Your architect is well aware of the local authority regulations in setting out the building such as rear space and side space allocations, street lines and building line demarcations. Minimum distances maintained between water source and septic tanks are some of the prime factors to be considered in setting out the building in a given site.

Non adherence to these local authority guidelines may result in rejecting your building plan with unpleasant experiences and delays in the construction program.

Sub soil conditions may be another factor your architect may consider in the setting out of the building. This is done with the assistance of a professional civil engineer after conducting a proper soil test or using that engineer's experience of identifying sub soil stratus.

Your architect may set out your building in the most suitable area of the given site after obtaining the professional advice of his civil engineer.

After taking all factors into consideration your architect may identify the best possible place of the site to setout the building. Unlike in the good old days where people had ample land, today we cannot afford to leave space all around the building and have a big front yard.

Architects in modern days tend to take their buildings up to the boundaries and leave the maximum possible space for future developments. External courtyards are replaced with small internal courtyards which may provide better lighting and ventilation to your building.

This modern approach in space utilization is not only to provide better lighting and ventilation to your building, it may also provide you a different spatial experience by combining external spaces with the internal spaces and in turn will address to the broader economical aspect of saving as much valuable land space as possible.

In our next article we expect to share various cost saving avenues one may achieve by obtaining the proper service of a qualified architect.

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