Author: omar villa

The owner seems to be blinded by the potential money savings, so he/she does not grasp the future consequences of the mistake he is making . Legally, the architect should be the interpreter of the requirements of the contract documents and the judge of the performance of both the owner and the superintendent. By building code one is required one is required to take a core sample to test the compressive strength of the concrete. 

Under 13.4.3, “if procedures for testing ,inspection, or approval under section 13.4.1 and 13.4.2 reveal failure of the portions of the work to comply with requirements established by the contract documents, all cost made necessary by such failure, including those of repeated procedures and compensation for the architect’s services and expenses , shall be at the contractor’s expense.” Meaning that if this is kept under wraps when results of the concrete mixture are found, the expenses to fix the work shall be provided by the contractor. 

Also, before things get to this point the architect to cover his bases should have submitted  Change Orders and Construction Change Directives to the owner (4.2.8) “ The Architect will prepare a Change of Orders And Construction Change Directives. The Architect will investigate and make determinations and recommendations regarding concealed and unknown conditions as provided in Section 3.7.4” For payment issue the architect can with hold (9.5.1.1)The Architect may also withhold a Certificate for Payment or, because of subsequently discovered evidence, may nullify the whole or a part of a Certificate for Payment previously issued, to such extent as may be necessary in the Architect’s opinion to protect the Owner from loss for which the Contractor is responsible, including loss resulting from acts and omissions described in Section 3.32, because of detective Work not remedied.

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

I am of the thought that if you don’t do something a one will usually show that will. Although I believe such a thing to be true, that dose not rule out the possibility for compromise or finding common ground. This client seems to have a very corporate view on what he wants, this is fair because it is what he has seen throughout his career most likely , and if it works why deviate. I would try to show the client that this is not the case . I would show him that although the examples he has seen of this efficiency has worked, it has been proven to slow down intime  studies have shown that a happier work place have been proven to improve productivity. 

What more information would you request from the client?

I would ask the client for the programs he would like to have, possible company growth ,budget . 

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

This issue should be discussed at the beginning because it could give both parties a feel of how to go forward with each other if a compromise is met.

For my final project, I would like to focus on a career in facade work and the prerequisites one would need to have in order to qualify for the job. I am currently in a class being taught Phillip Anzalone and I’m curtly excited with the opportunity in getting to learn more of the inner workings of facade work. 

• So the final project would detail how one would go about entering the field of facade work .
• Seeking out a  professional for Guidance to get a real life perspective of what the job is all about . 
• Find out what it is that only people who specialize in the field would know.