Introductory Lecture
15th January 2019
1. Peter Rees - Presenting & Public Speaking
Engaging topic
- include snippets you already know (don’t invent new things)
- frame the topic
- contain the topic
Knowing your audience/team
Construction is an interdisciplinary effort, it is important to be respectful of the various parties and where they come from. Every architect should apart from his/her own brief also consider the existence of:
- developer’s brief
- planner’s brief
- difference between ‘to consult’ and ‘to brief’
Rehearsal through structure
rehearse the opening
let confidence kick in and do the rest
rehearse the ending
Rather than an impediment, use language and personal accent as flavour and texture to enrich the speech.
The key questions to always remember when preparing a speech or presentation are:
where
what
who
why
how
when
Aaron Sorkin teaches us that if you want to tell a good story, there must be:
Intention — the strong urge or pull of your protagonist (or you) to do something.
Obstacle — something formidable has to stand in the way.
(from: https://medium.com/publishous/how-intention-and-obstacle-can-help-you-tell-a-better-story-ea04ec1c49f1)
2. Paul Finch - Architect’s Alphabet
- economic competition (compete on price) not the case in the past, a recent phenomenon
- changing role of the architect 18th C to 80s
- fragmentation of construction industry as a benefit
- construction lawyers working with litigation = pessimists, always assuming the worst
- other parties don’t have insurance?
- only architects have a PPI
- essential for registration
- record everything!
A
B
C - CPD
good to be up to date
D - D&B
delivery quality & assurance
- fee negotiation
- stage sign offs
- terms & conditions e.g. always Architect present when discussing design, meeting frequency etc.
- in the Contractor’s interest to achieve quality
E - Ethics
shame
- would I do this? should I do this?
F - Follow the Money
- pricing the risk
- investment vs outcome/dividend
G - Government
Government as a huge client - several clients actually
- PFI (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_finance_initiative)
F - Fire
- Grenfell: investigation will lay bare responsibility in procurement and delivery
- If no contract or no fee: don’t give an opinion (especially in writing)
- liability transferred is liability diluted
- contractual responsibilities
H - Heritage
know your history
I - Interviews
let everyone speak
J - Joint and several?
K - Part K
K: Falling (items and people)
L - Legislation
1931, protection, pay ARB fees and attend CPDs (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architects_(Registration)_Acts,_1931_to_1938)
M - Media
N - Negligience
O - Organisation
P - Planning
Q - Quality Assurance
R - RIBA
independent knowledge - can't be shut down by the government
S - Sustainability
T - Training
U - Urban design
V - VAT
- penalises retrofit & recycling but promotes newbuilds (current EU system)
- on complex projects you might need a VAT consultant
X - X-factor
a contract with a third party (the user of the building) that will have opinions, unique to the Architect
Y - Young's Modules
stress/strain=career (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young%27s_modulus)
Z - Z
clients, money (lobster vs kipper)
Q&A
- Fee undercutting
- good with same fees for everyone (clients pick the best design)
- relationships and interpersonal skills more important than fee bids
- cost vs value
- low fee doesn't guarantee a profit at the end for the client
- PFI
- government bonds
- hospital
- debt (mortgage metaphor)
- privatising more than buildings
- politicians won't think long term, it's up to us
- Architect as solicitor