WHAT IS AN ARCHITECT?

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 247, 18 October 1937, Page 6

WHAT IS AN ARCHITECT?

A COMPLEX PROFESSION. A review of building in New Zealand mentions that “the practice of architecture calls for greater versatility than any other profession.’’ “The architect, in addition to being able to draw, must know thoroughly how to construct, and with what materials, and their strength, durability and other properties,” the writer states. “He must also have a knowledge of sanitation, plumbing, heating, ventilating, electricity, acoustics, and many other branches of science and enginering. He must be able to conduct his practice in the interests of his clients as a business man—to arrange contracts, to check accounts, and make valuations of work, to write specifications so that they can be celarly understood. He has also to understand Ihe law relating to buildings, as well .us regulations and bylaws governing their erection. He must be able to supervise his work thoroughly in order to ensure that the building is faithfully erected In accordance with drawings and specifications. “A prevalent, misconception is that an architect is merely a maker of plans, and that once a ‘set of plans’ has been procured, the erection of a building is plain sailing. The architect, so this conception has it, designs a nice ‘front’ and nothing much more. Similarly, many people seem to visualise a soldier planning a campaign as a theorist working on paper, preparing a feint there and a thrust here, as if he were playing a game. They do not realise chat every move he makes must be conditioned by the nature of the country, and the strength of his army, and that to prepare and carry through such a series of manoeuvres he must possess a wide technical knowledge of all arms, and he must have studied long the handling of bodies of men and their supplies.

“The architect's position is very similar. The preparation of drawings and specifications is only a part—though an important part—of the services rendered by the architect. It is the beginning of his work for his client, and a great deal follows. “The duties of an architect comprise all that is necessary to ensure competent and economical planning and design, and the satisfactory construction and erection of the building from receipt of his client’s instructions to the ultimate handing over of the completed work. “The owner, having reached the point of accepting a lender, care must be taken to ensure that the contract is such as will be recognised in a Court of Law if occasion arises. Many matters, not ordinarily considered by those unfamiliar with building operation, must be covered in the contract, and the genial conditions of contract in order to protect the interests and personal liability of the owner.”