Drawing the Line in Design

[Marcel R. Cyr]

Working Design Drawings have now taken a turn.

Been wondering why it is getting so hard to Build something today.



09/2005

BEST PRACTICES IN RISK MANAGEMENT

Drawing the Line by James B. Atkins, FAIA, and Grant A. Simpson, FAIA
It may surprise some people to hear that the architect’s documents cannot be used for construction. Many are of the opinion that the architect prepares the documents and gives them to the contractor, and the contractor takes them and builds the building from the information contained therein. But nothing could be farther from the truth.


Then why does the architect place on the documents “Issued for Construction”? Although common practice, this phrase, when affixed to the architect’s drawings, can be misunderstood. Nevertheless, this phrase is better than labeling them “100% CD Set,” “Final Construction Documents,” or something equally misleading. The documents are not issued for construction per se, but instead, they are issued to facilitate construction by expressing the design concept. The documents do not contain sufficient information to construct the project, and much more information is required before the work can be done.

In fact, the architect’s documents only represent information sufficient for the contractor to begin “the contractor’s required work,” which includes the preparation of detailed construction documents, more commonly known as shop drawings and submittals, coordination drawings, and alternate sketches, all of which set out the specific and final details required for procuring and placing the finished work. By contrast, drawings by architects merely reflect the finished design of the work.

This article will examine the role contractor-provided construction documents play in the construction process, along with the other information that is required to complete a project. It will examine why the design professional’s documents cannot be used as the actual documents for implementing construction, and it will explore what information is actually used, why it is used, and from where it originates.

The architect’s design is a concept:

As defined by Webster’s, the term “concept” is “an abstract or generic idea.” This definition makes it clear that a concept is not a specific or finite solution with tangible parameters.

The limited content of the architect’s drawings is more explicitly addressed in The Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice, 13th Ed., in Section 13.4, “Construction Documents Production,” wherein it states: “It is important that all parties understand that construction documents are not intended to be a complete set of instructions on how to construct a building.

Construction means, methods, techniques, sequences, procedures, and site safety precautions are customarily assigned as responsibilities of the contractor to give the contractor full latitude in preparing bids and carrying out the construction phase.”

Isn't this amazing!

Marcel

[Larry D. Kage]

"The documents are not issued for construction per se, but instead, they are issued to facilitate construction by expressing the design concept. The documents do not contain sufficient information to construct the project, and much more information is required before the work can be done."

Geez, isn't that the truth!

The best draftsmen/architects that I worked with over the years had actual hands on building experience.