Design Conference 2005……..Rethinking Practice
Summary of Panel Discussions

Continued... from information provided by Hugh Hochberg ( hhochberg@coxegroup.com ) of The Coxe Group, with indebtedness to the organizers, panelists, attendees who contributed to create such a rewarding day.

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How we Build Work

1. The third panel considered the construction processes and relationships that are being used to get buildings built.

2. Panelists

Scott Morton, Boldt Construction, talking about “lean construction”

· The lean ideal. A custom project, delivered instantly, without waste.

· Typically 95% of all lead time is non-value added.

· Traditional approach: Planning ? Design ? Building, versus overlapping of planning, design, and construction.

· The budget influences design and decision making, rather than being an outcome of design.

· We get our subs involved early and get valued-based proposals from them. If they don't live up to their part of the process, we can put that aspect of the project out to bid.

Ed Rothe FAIA, Fletcher Thomson (formerly Rothe Johnson)

· We established a subsidiary design-build and project management company.

· Design-build is a single source project delivery method, which goes back to the Renaissance era of the architect as “master builder”, an alternative to the conventional (in the US) method of design – bid – build.

· Design-build, as an approach, is a time motivator, and it provides more timely (quicker) delivery.

· Design-build allows earlier knowledge of costs.

· In design-build, there are no change orders for errors and omissions.

· One of the keys to success is early clarity about project goals.

· Initially we attached a CMA (construction manager advisor) to a convention process.

· Designer-led design build is not the right business model for all architects. In some cases where it makes sense, it is design-build- own .

· Downsides to design-build include the financial risk and the potential loss of some clients.

 

Rob Hughes, Esq., Thomas J. Sharp & Associates
(insurance brokerage services)

· One of the biggest risks for a design professional in a firm of any size is to be unaware of risk.

· An architect represents the entity to which contracted, which in some cases is the contractor , and not the owner.

· The “standard of care” can be a contractual issue. For example, avoid descriptions like “best”. (Refer to earlier comments about managing expectations being the critical issue.)

· Contractual terms put schedule accountability in the hands of the contractor. Putting that in the hands of the architect makes the architect into a construction manager.

· One of the most difficult disciplines to insure is structural engineering.

· Architects get sued more than other disciplines, with 45%-50% of the suits directed toward them, with civil engineers receiving about 20%, and civil engineers receiving 15%.

· Some decisions – such as architects choosing not to design condominiums – are driven by risk attitude. In projects where the risk is high it can be because one or more parties were left out of the equation initially (such as the homeowners that will eventually become the “condominium owners associations”).

· Relationships can help.

Norm Strong , FAIA, Miller Hull, and AIA National VP

· All the players are integrated in the BIM process.

· Some contractors – Mortensen for one – are using hard copy documentation very little.

· Once completed with the construction documentation, the contractor can add the fourth dimension – time – for such things as down-range maintenance.

· Looking ahead, the next five years will see more people in all aspects of design and construction involved in the BIM process.

· We can anticipate smarter and more demanding clients, but we can also anticipate that architects and contractors will be up to the challenge.

Alex Klatskin AIA, Klatskin Development

· We do a fair amount of our own construction, and we do forensic research on aspects of construction that have failed.

· Getting young practitioners heavily involved in construction is important.

· Regarding condo lawsuits, consumer law prevails, which unlike commercial law, almost always favors the consumer (homeowner).

D. “Summary Panel”

1. The fourth panel expressed summary and overview observations.

2. Panelists

Urs Gauchat, Dean School of Architecture,
New Jersey Institute of Technology

Alan Chimacoff AIA, ikon.5 architects

Hugh Hochberg , The Coxe Group

3. Summary observations

a. Embracing the notion of change, and concentrating on what to change and how to do it, is critical to sustaining a successful practice. Avoid excessive concentration on why not to change.

b. Recognize the importance of profitability as a critical aspect of the firm's success, because without profitability it lacks the means to reinvest in itself.

c. We heard the importance of understanding clients and clients' worlds from their perspective .

d. BIM

(1) Realize the significance of building information modeling (BIM) as the way to practice in the future…a future that isn't very far away…with the window being two to three years.

(2) BIM is not another evolution of computer aided drafting; it is a mindset-differentiated approach to creating and delivery projects.

(3) BIM can allow practitioners more time and opportunity to be thoughtful which ultimately is what will help them avoid being marginalized and commoditized.

(4) BIM is not large firm, large project issue, nor is it a small firm, small project issue. It is an all firm , all project issue/opportunity.

e. At the core of firms' success are two things: The right clients and the right talent. Don't overlook the criticality of either.

f. To elevate value in the eyes of clients, identify in what aspects you can lead the thinking and/or the process and/or the creativity and/or anything else of importance to the client.

g. Understand the concept and value of risk to allow the firm to move forward intelligently and keep pace with – or stay ahead of – the world around it.

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