Case Study: Discrepancy in Concrete Mixture – Avery Ferguson

As an architect, one must design and help facilitate the building of safe structures. After being put in this situation, said architect should again notify the owner of the contractors’ errors in writing according to article 4.2.3. With this the architect covers themselves from any responsibility if the building were to fail. Due to the fact that the contractor is also unaware of the decision that Owner and the Superintendent made, it could also be discussed with him about the mixture change, as he must know based on article (Article 3.3.1).
The architect is entitled to performance and enforcement of obligation under the signed contract which is in place (Article 1.1.2) to allow the architect to withhold payments if the work observed isn’t up to the standards they specified in the drawings. Once the payment is withheld, the architect will notify the owner and the contractor the reason. The rejected work must be corrected by the contractor according to Article 4.2.6.

Case Study # 1 – Avery Ferguson

A major big-box retailer commissioned an architectural firm to design a new office building on an expansive site near its headquarters in a small city. The client wanted the office to be as efficient as possible and asked the architect to model it after its big-box stores, with the goal of fitting as many employees as possible into the space. While this would put the staff far from any windows, with little visual or acoustical privacy, the client argued that such efficiency fit the image of a discount retailer and that if its store employees could would work in a big box, so should its headquarters staff.

From Ethics for Architects: 50 Dilemmas of Professional Practice by Thomas Fisher, New York, Princeton Architectural Press, 2010, p 73.

Discuss the following:

What is your evaluation of the client’s intent? What would be your approach to this design problem?

The client wishes to make the most money possible with the allotted space. Efficiency does not always equal the maximum comfortability or aesthetic in design. While the clients need must be met, our jobs as designers is to offer multiple solutions that maybe even better that what the client initially wanted. Giving the exact thing asked of us while giving similar solutions with more attention to the comfort of employees would be the best approach.

      What more information would you request from the client?

The client would need to provide a budget, an exact program list and any other special requests about the project.

      At what stage of the contract should these issues be discussed?

These topics should be talked about at the beginning of the contract, ensuring that the client(s) know what is to be expected from the and the result while we can know what the client needs and where are areas where the solution that can be tweaked to make the idea better.

Final Project Proposal – Avery Ferguson

For my final project, I would like to focus on a short-term plan after myself and others after we graduate. A general guideline that would give us as graduates solid directions on where we need to head towards. Things like:


– Transitional job and or career starting positions.
– Student loan payments and financial literacy plans.
– Graduates school and master’s programs plans.
– Other certificates, licenses and programs to bolster our resumes.
– Personal stress relievers and coping methods.
– Strengths and weakness.

My Dream Job – Avery Ferguson

Initially when I started to think about what I wanted to do with my life, to things came to my mind. Job stability & comfortability. As people, we’ll always need buildings and structures. This causes there always to be a need for people in the architectural and construction field. Secondly, growing up as a child, many of the adults that I looked up to were working in the construction field.

For myself, I’ve as of recently I’ve been leaning more towards construction. After I get my bachelor’s degree in architecture, I would like to get my master’s in Construction Management. Currently I don’t know exactly what my dream job is specifically. With the right direction, I will find the perfect job the suit my needs.