ARC8084: Architectural Practice

2021

Professional Practice Report ARC8084: ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE STUDENT NUMBER: 150079239

WORD COUNT: 1570

Table of Contents Project description ............................................................................................................................................................... 2 Professional practice issues ....................................................................................................................................... 4 Client priorities and constraints ................................................................................................................................... 4 Roles and services provided by architectural practice ................................................................................................ 4 Roles and services provided by consultants and contractors ..................................................................................... 5 Legal hurdles and statutory approvals ........................................................................................................................ 5 Site and other constraints ........................................................................................................................................... 6 Discussion .................................................................................................................................................................. 7 Key issue: funding ........................................................................................................................................................ 7 Ethical implications ....................................................................................................................................................... 7 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................................................. 8

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Project description The project is located on the Ringstrasse, a ring road surrounding the historical city centre of Vienna. The site is located within a well-defined city block, facing the Stadt Park, one of the biggest public parks in central Vienna. The site is currently occupied by a mixed-use development consisting of a hotel, residential complex and a cinema. The proposal occupies the North-East part of the site, creating an extension of the street frontage of the existing hotel. For the clarity of the report in the context of architectural legislation and professional liability, it will be assumed that the project is located in the United Kingdom.

Fig. 1 Site position within urban fabric of Vienna The proposal is a music centre, focusing on alternative music heritage in Vienna. The aim of the centre is celebration of migrant music heritage and integration of migrant cultural practices into the wider society. The centre aims to educate and integrate through the practice of music and folk rituals, reflecting the cultural variety within the Viennese society.

The centre operates as a public music venue as well as a small music school and offers a number of residential units located on the top floor, available for both music students or artists as well as refugees and migrants. The project consists of a number of amenities such as a large auditorium, a series of small practice spaces such as a dance studio, recital rooms etc., library, cafes and a large courtyard with an outdoor performance space.

Fig.2 Site plan. (1) Stadt Park, (2) vehicular access to underground car park, (3) existing buildings

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The two main technologically challenging parts of the building are the auditorium and an outdoor vertical, hydroponics farm. The structure and acoustics of the auditorium space are crucial for the experience of the visitor. The auditorium is a vineyard style space, allowing a balanced distribution of the audience within the space, democratizing the experience of the performance. The auditorium is a mixture of concrete and steel structural systems with internal timber finishes, improving the overall acoustics of space.

Fig. 3 Cross section of the large auditorium.

The outdoor vertical farm is located on the back façade of the building, connecting the garden located in the courtyard with the roof garden located in the residential part. The farm requires large machinery, which is located in the underground car park. The farm consists of a number of planters positioned on large steel walkways, connected to the back façade of the building. Hydroponics allows for growing plants without a need for soil or substrate and decreases the amount of water necessary for agriculture. A rainwater harvesting system will be connected to the farm system, providing an additional source of water.

Fig.4 Cross section of the proposal.

Fig. 5 Details of hydroponics system.

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Professional practice issues Client Priorities and Constraints The client for the project is a local authority, who wishes to create a music centre, accommodating an active social integration programme. They received a number of grants for the project, however the majority of the funds are time sensitive. Additionally, local public funds will be used for the project, therefore it is important for the client to achieve a high standard and quality of the build, to satisfy local residents. The proposal is located in a prominent part of the city , therefore a quality design is crucial to minimise the impact on nearby historical sites. To minimise the risk of delays affecting the funding, a design and build procurement will be used, as it allows for an early start on site 1 and provides a price certainty 2. In order to ensure a high architectural standard of the building, a set of comprehensively designed elements will be outlined within employer’s requirements.

Roles and services provided by architectural practice Our practice will be appointed by the client to create employer’s requirements, with an outlined Schedule of Role Specifications and Design Services 3, making us responsible for the preparation of a comprehensive concept design.

Subsequently our contract will be novated to the appointed contractor. Novation will benefit the client as it will maintain continuity of the design team post-tender, whilst the responsibility is left with the contractor. 4 Following the novation process, our practice will work with the contractor to create a set of design drawings, that will be used for negotiation of the guaranteed maximum price. Within our practice we will appoint a team of designers responsible for the project to ensure continuity throughout the stages. We will use BIM systems to ensure ease of information exchange.

Additionally, using BIM will help us during the fabrication process, as a number of architectural elements such as internal panelling or external façade panels are modular and can be pre-fabricated. Our practice has previous experience with modular and pre-fabricated projects, therefore we will use our expertise and appoint a pre-fab supervisor within our design team, to monitor the preparation of 3D models and off-site fabrication process.

Design process Feasibility

Concept design

Appointment of design team

Developed design Construction drawings

Construction

Appointment of contractor

Design team novation from client to contractor

Fig. 6 Novation of design team in design and build contract.

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Hughes, J.R., Murdoch, W., Champion, J.R. & Champion, Ronan (2015) Construction contracts : law and management. 5th edition. Abingdon, Oxon ; N.Y., NY: Routledge. p. 61 2 Ibid. p. 54 3 Speaight, A. (2010) Architect's legal handbook the law for architects. 9th ed.. Oxford: Architectural. p. 310 4 Hughes, J.R., Murdoch, W., Champion, J.R. & Champion, Ronan (2015) Construction contracts : law and management. 5th edition. Abingdon, Oxon ; N.Y., NY: Routledge. p. 52 4|P a g e

Roles and services provided by consultants and contractors Due to the technical complexity of the proposal, a number of consultants will be appointed to provide specialist expertise. A number of practice rooms as well as performance spaces will require input from an acoustician and lighting specialist. Additionally, an M&E engineer’s input will be required for ventilation systems within the building. A specialist in the field of vertical farms and hydroponic agriculture will also be required for the detailing of the outdoor farm systems. The contractor might appoint specialist contractors for certain parts of the construction process.

Under design and build procurement, the contractor appointed by the client is responsible for delivering the project as well as co-ordinating the process, which includes appointing specialist consultants if the contractor does not have necessary skills in-house. 5 The design and build procurement ensures a single-point responsibility, this benefits the client, as the main contractor is liable for any defects resulting from error of design or construction. While the main contractor might seek to pass the liability down the line onto a sub-contractor, it can only be achieved if the subcontractor’s liability is at the same level as the contractor’s liability under the main contract with the client. 6

Client

Contractor

Architect

Consultants

Subcontractors

Fig. 7. Design and build procurement model.

Legal hurdles and statutory approvals The novation process between client and contractor can lead to a number of legal issues. The change of employer can lead to difficulties in determining liability for design work prepared before novation process as well as mixed feelings of loyalty. It might lead to the contractor requiring warranties from designers for work carried our pre-novation. 7 The proposed project is located on a sensitive site, facing an important green area in a city, with a number of historic buildings on neighbouring plots. The existing 1960s mixed-use development will be partially demolished to provide land, therefore a planning permission for demolition will be required. We will seek advice from the local planning authority before any demolition work commences on site, as they might require additional consent due to the conservation character of the area. 8 After securing demolition permission, we will apply for planning permission. The proposed project combines a number of different uses such as residential, educational and civic, therefore we will have to apply for change of use of the site as well. Due to the complex character of the site, we will use the pre-application advice service offered by the local authority, to make sure we are aware of any additional documentation required. If the local authority advises preparation of an environmental or heritage report, we will advise the main contractor to employ a number of consultants to prepare comprehensive and well-researched documentation.

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Hughes, J.R., Murdoch, W., Champion, J.R. & Champion, Ronan (2015) Construction contracts : law and management. 5th edition. Abingdon, Oxon ; N.Y., NY: Routledge. p. 53 6 Ibid. p.199 7 CIC (2018) Novation of consultants’ appointments on design and build. Accessed at: [https://cic.org.uk/admin/resources/novation-ofconsultants-app.pdf], (14.03.21) 8 Planning Portal. Demolition. Accessed at: [www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/13/demolition], (14.03.21) 5|P a g e

Site and other constraints The site is located in a busy part of the city centre, between a number of existing buildings, many of them residential, therefore it will be important to manage the building site conditions, such as noise, pollution and access. A construction phase plan will be prepared by a principle designer in line with CDM 2015 regulations, to ensure planning and managing health and safety issues in the pre-construction phase. The principal designer will also liaise with the principal contractor to keep them informed of any possible risks that need to be controlled during the construction phase. 9 The site can be accessed by a single lane road, which might lead to issues with delivery of materials and larger machinery. A traffic and site management plan will be prepared to ensure safe and efficient deliveries to site.

Due to the public nature of the project, the funding process has to be transparent to ensure that the stakeholders and general public do not raise concerns about spending of public funds. Additionally, due to time sensitive public grants, the design and construction phase of the project has to be well managed in terms of budget and time frame. Using a design and build contract will help in managing the project time frame due to the integration of design and construction phases. Additionally, setting out a concept design and evaluating its buildability at initial stages of the project will help in running consultations with different groups, such as local residents or future occupants.

Main road

Site access Site access road [in] Site

Site access road [out]

Fig. 8. Traffic management plan.

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HSE (2020). Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. Accessed at: [https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/cdm/2015/principaldesigners.htm] (14.03.21) 6|P a g e

Discussion Key issue: funding The proposed project will be funded from a number of different sources such as secured grants, some of them timesensitive, public funds and a number of donations. The client wants to achieve a good quality civic building, delivered on time and within the budget, in order to minimize the impact of the construction on local residents as well as satisfy conditions of donations and grants. Choosing a design and build contract will allow for an overlap of the design and construction processes and an early start on site, which will allow the spending of the secured funds within the allocated time window. 10 Additionally, the client can ask the contractor for a guaranteed maximum price. It will benefit the client as it makes them feel reassured about the overall cost of the project. 11 However, it can also lead to tightening of the profit margins for both consultants and contractors, leading to a drop in quality of design. 12 To achieve a realistic outcome and avoid risks, it is important to examine the limits of a project and evaluate feasibility of design choices within the available budget. 13 Proposing a guaranteed maximum price, comes with a risk of low profit margins as well as large losses, that have to be covered by the appointed contractor.

Additionally, funding the project through time sensitive grants, can lead to loss of funding if the project does not start on site in time. There are a number of factors that can affect project delays, such as unforeseen weather conditions, delays in receiving statutory approvals etc., therefore it is important that there are certain provisions for extensions of time within the contract and that suitable time margins are taken into account. What is more, a project funded from public funds carries a risk of decrease or loss of funding due to change in political climate or emergency spending increases.

Ethical implications The proposal is focused on creating a public space, that is accessible to different social and cultural groups, promoting integration within the local society. Creating a music venue and a public music school offers local residents a place to meet and learn as well as promoting different cultures through performance and education. The aim of integration and building community embedded in the project relates to the question of the role of the architect within the construction industry and wider society. The architect is in an unique position to create design that not only reflects the client’s requirements, but also creates inclusive, functional spaces that can affect the quality of life of a local population and future occupants. The focus on creating sustainable design, through inclusion of rainwater collection systems, green spaces and vertical urban farming, allows the construction of high quality spaces for the occupants, focused on the experience and comfort of the user. Additionally, it ensures that the design reflects the goal of reaching more sustainable ways of designing and constructing, in light of the ongoing climate crisis.

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Hughes, J.R., Murdoch, W., Champion, J.R. & Champion, Ronan (2015) Construction contracts : law and management. 5th edition. Abingdon, Oxon ; N.Y., NY: Routledge. p. 61 11 Ibid. p.54 12 Ostime, Nigel. RIBA Architect's Handbook of Practice Management : 9th Edition : 9th Edition, RIBA Publications, 2014. p. 6 13 Hughes, J.R., Murdoch, W., Champion, J.R. & Champion, Ronan (2015) Construction contracts : law and management. 5th edition. Abingdon, Oxon ; N.Y., NY: Routledge. p. 97 7|P a g e

Bibliography CIC (2018) Novation of consultants’ appointments on design and build. Accessed at: [https://cic.org.uk/admin/resources/novationof-consultants-app.pdf] HSE (2020). Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. Accessed at: [https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/cdm/2015/principaldesigners.htm] Hughes, J.R., Murdoch, W., Champion, J.R. & Champion, Ronan (2015) Construction contracts : law and management. 5th edition.

Abingdon, Oxon ; N.Y., NY: Routledge.

Ostime, Nigel. RIBA Architect's Handbook of Practice Management : 9th Edition : 9th Edition, RIBA Publications, 2014.

Planning Portal. Demolition. Accessed at: [www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/13/de molition] Speaight, A. (2010) Architect's legal handbook the law for architects. 9th ed.. Oxford: Architectural.

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