Reading Summary and review

Building on Society – Andres Lepik

Architecture has more than basic housing requirements and urban planning to offer, it is powerful tool in transforming any society and with the myriads of problems combating the built environment it is beholden of architects to ask the all so important question of how architecture can be used for greater good. Redefining the role of architects in social responsibility transcends the usual surface dressing of providing shelter and housing under general blanket design considerations, design solutions need to be localized to the problems, should identify specific needs and meet them in conjunction with community participation.  The article mentions Anna Heringer, Diebedo Francis Kere and Hassan Fathy who all employed in depth study of the communities they were designing for and allowed that influence the choice of material, construction techniques and interactions with the communities. The measure of success of any public project is dependent on the community’s involvement and how that building blends with the architectural language of its surroundings. The works of Bryan Bell’s design corps, Samuel Mockbee’s rural studio and a few others were highlighted in relation to how design can overcome obstacles to serve the underserved and marginalized communities. Architects need to see themselves as change vectors.

Successful Design Teams – Shel Perkins

Putting together a design team that works like a well-oiled machine takes not only advance planning but also good judgment and strategy to find the right mix of skills, talent and expertise. The success of any project depends on the team success. The article outlines the various tasks of the team leader and of the project manager and each is important to the smooth operation of the team. Fast and efficient conflict resolution is imperative to ensure that the team stays on focus and the project doesn't suffer.

Talking about how architects seem to be service providers for those who can afford to huge commissions, the privileged and powerful because of the inequality in the distribution of income and wealth, while I am all for social responsibility and community involvement, architects need to make a living and funds are needed for research as well so the upper class clientele is very important serving as a doorway for resources and funds. I especially liked that the article on successful team said that fun is a powerful motivator capable of infusing the project with fresh ideas and contexts and I find this to be true when done within reasonable boundaries. When working on large projects or time intensive design it is easy for team members to feel somewhat  overwhelmed with the work scope and I think this is why tracking progress and celebrating milestone is very important for boosting team morale. I have been in team where the mood of the team, either negative or positive, greatly impacted the quality of work produced.

Questions

1-When a building wins an award there is usually a team that worked on the design and construction not just the principal architect alone but when such designs are been recognized all credit goes to the principal and he/she is heralded as the genius behind the design. How is the team rewarded and recognized for their role in birthing an award-winning design?

2- It is not uncommon to see partnership split and principals go their separate ways. If this happens in the middle of the execution of a building project what determines who gets to proceed with the project and who is held liable in the case of a lawsuit?

3- It is usually said that a design is never complete but at what stage in the construction process do you decide that there won’t be any further design changes/work done on a project?