These questions and answers are taken from an interview given by one of our directors to Catherine Ndioo of the Daily Nation's Money Magazine published on Thursday, 13 December 2007 and applies particularly to the Kenyan market.

What is the role of an architect?

Architects are fundamentally designers, employed by a person or organization to conceive, develop and manage a building project. They are employed by the developer of a building, be that a person or organization, and look after the interests of their employer through out the project. The task of an architect is varied, and few projects are the same and clients have different requirements. During the design stage of a project an architect must seek to understand his client’s needs so that he designs a project that fulfills the requirements of the brief and he must make sure that the client/owner understands what is being proposed. Architects communicate by drawing, which is not necessarily a medium that everybody understands, therefore he must use other techniques such as models and graphics to communicate his ideas so that his client understands what he is buying. Once a design has been agreed an architect must prepare construction drawings, instruct and co-ordinate engineers and produce tender documents and contracts. A building contractor is usually employed to construct the project in a separate agreement between the developer and the contractor. The architect administers the contract, if so required, and must maintain an impartial position in the role of administrator. An architect may not act as a contractor or receive any remuneration from a contractor on projects which he administers. There is a general lack of understanding about the architect’s role vis-a-vis the contract and I reiterate that an architect is an independent designer who must remain impartial and separate from the contractor. Many people confuse the two roles.

How does one go about contacting a genuine architect considering the many cons and briefcase architects on the prowl?

Architects are registered by law and it is illegal to call yourself an architect if you are not registered with the Architects and Quantity Surveyors Board of Registration (part of the Ministry of Works). There is an Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK) to which most architects in Kenya belong. They have offices in the Professional Centre at St.John's Gate in Nairobi and could give you a list of architects. Picking an architect from these two organizations' registers doesn't’t guarantee that you won’t have a brief case architect. The traditional way of picking an architect was to approach one whose work you have seen and been impressed by. It is best to ask for architects that you are considering employing to submit details of their practices, and if possible visit their offices and see some of the work that they have undertaken. Not all architects are the same and some are better than others, as is the case in most professions or businesses. Small practices tend to be more suited to small jobs although large practices can guarantee that you will have staff allocated to your project. Make sure that the appointment of an architect is effected under contract and under CAP 525 of the Laws of Kenya. AAK can advise you.

What recourse is there in case one feels that they have been given substandard work?

I assume that you refer to the architect’s service but this can be extended to contractors. It is the responsibility of the architect to set the standards of the project, in design, materials and workmanship. He is responsible for advising the client on the selection of contractors, inspecting their work and advising on the course of action to be taken if the contractor fails to perform on programme and in the quality of work. If you feel that your architect has let you down you can complain to the Registration Board, or take legal recourse through arbitration. It is important when starting a project to make a contract with an architect, and there are standard forms of contracts which set out the role of the architect, and set up machinery in the form of arbitration if there is a disagreement. Although an architect is in many ways responsible for the overall project and the standards of the project which are set out in the drawings and contract with the builder, if the builder fails to produce the required standard then the architect must advise the client of his rights under the building contract and must take action to enforce the building contract.

Besides the planning and the design of the building, how often should an architect visit the construction site?

This depends on the complexity and size of the job. Normally an architect holds monthly site meetings, and will visit the site to make inspections on a weekly basis. Large and complex projects will have full time supervision, usually provided by a clerk of works who reports to the architect. Obviously the more time that is spent supervising a project the more the architect is likely to charge – if there is full time supervision for instance - but under a normal fee agreement which specifies periodic visits, a visit to site at least once a month for the formal site meeting and another interim visit is the minimum that a client could expect for a small job; large jobs might have two visits a week and much depends on how the main contractor performs, how good the information provided to the contractor is and the complexity of the project. As a general rule we visit sites when ever there is need to do so, to ensure the smooth running of the job.

What are the advantages of getting an architect to look at plans instead of just buying plans for building?

I assume that you mean more than just “look at” and mean what advantage is there of a bespoke design over a standard design.
In most building projects the design produced is the product of the clients requirements and the selected site. Most building projects are not covered by standard designs (libraries, schools, museums, hotels, office buildings and the like) but there are standard designs available for houses and industrial buildings. Usually the site for a project, which is peculiar to that project, requires modifications of a standard plan. Standard plans for instance don’t take into account topography (slopes), orientation, access etc. Standard plans can be quite useful in conveying to an architect what a client wants and can be modified, but generally standard plans do not meet all the needs of an owner and his site and although they might save a bit of money, they usually require modification which, unless an architect is involved, can lead to problems. Incidentally all building plans have to be submitted for approval to the local council by an architect and he will need to prepare a set of drawings, albeit including the standard design if it is used, but modified to fit the site plan and a dedicated site plan. From my experience there is very little saved in using standard plans and much is lost by not preparing a dedicated design to suit the site.

What are the synergies that you propose should work together to ensure the final success of a building or a home?

A good relationship between a client and his architect is the key to the success of a project. The composition of the whole building team from client to architect, other consultants and the builder is a complex issue and should not, in my opinion be dictated by price. The most successful projects that I have undertaken have always been the ones which have a balanced and technically competent team and, dare I say it, were not necessarily the cheapest option. In the context of a building’s life, paying a little bit more for good consultants (architects and engineers) and a good contractor is relatively little as a percentage when viewed in the whole life cost of the project. In the context of the whole life viability of a building, getting it right in the initial stages of the project can save money when compared to the financial effects of poor design and poor construction, bought on the cheap. Poorly designed buildings will command lower rents, may even drop out of the market and can cost much more to maintain through the life of the building. Buildings tend to be major investments for any owner whether they are large or small and have a long life. In many cases owners have little experience in procuring a building and rely heavily on their architect to advise them on this important investment. The synergy and trust between the owner/client and his architect is therefore paramount.

The excerpt below was taken from an interview given by one of our directors, James Gitoho, to Abyssinia Lati of Business Daily newspaper published on Tuesday, 13 January 2009.

And in the lush neighbourhood of Muthaiga is an architectural firm that hopes to grow its presence in the region, says Mr. James Gitoho, the director and partner of Triad Architects. The 40 people firm already has offices in Rwanda and Uganda.

Yet, one concern for the firm is the Kenya diaspora which has been remitting money to buy or build homes. Mr. Gitoho says Kenyans living abroad might start investing in real estate in those countries. Houses in the US have become particularly cheap following a slump in real estate.

On the brighter side, the 45-year-old firm last year completed several high profile jobs like the National Museum and the Coca-Cola headquarters in Upper Hill and more projects have been booked for 2009. These include housing projects.

At the beginning of this year, Triad appointed four associates and this provides an increased capacity to undertake more commissions.

He argues that even though the economy is sluggish, Kenya still needs housing, especially in the capital, Nairobi and the firm is looking forward to a busy year.

Click here to Contact Us