Not wanting to waste anyone's time with a how-to post about gable roofs, we jump right into the deep end to consider three factors which influence the design of complex buildings. This subject does not get addressed enough compared to the importance these buildings play in our economy. One thing that needs to be set aside before proceeding are the details of the final fit out. Finishes can represent a significant amount of the final budget but rarely multiplies the complexity of the design or design process. Taking the 30,000 ft. view, we are much better off focusing on the coordination of the interior design team than if the carpet in conference room 8A should be fire engine red or poppy red. The following three fields represent three sources of complexity in designing structures:
- Constructibility
- Building Codes
- Project Management
Constructibility. One of the main characteristics of the adoption of BIM in the design studio has been that construction phase can now be addressed earlier in the design process through the use of prefabrication, modularity and 3D. It's up for debate how much a design should be modified to make construction easier, what isn't up for debate are the efficiency gains that result from constructibility being explicitly addressed earlier in the design phase. Financially, the focus needs to be on the structure of the building. Firstly, because the superstructure interacts in complicated ways with the function of a building. And secondly, the superstructure tends to take up an average of about 40-50% of the total budget of a building. This means getting the structure of a building right can have a significant impact on the value of a building and the success of its architectural programme.
Building codes. No doubt many human lives have been saved because of the safety regulations placed on buildings. Building codes have been successful in protecting these expensive investments, the assets contained within, and their neighbours' investment. Beyond fire safety, structural and HVAC codes are in the mix to be considered and these fields require specific expertise to sign off on which contributes to the complexity of the project. Simple solutions to ease the burden of complex building code requirements beyond sheer human effort are rare, but two points do address this subject for our built environment: Hiring specialists to review the design at a couple crucial way-points in the process, while a luxury in some firms, can also save money in other situations by keeping the building design and construction schedule on track. Secondly, automated build code inspection systems are on the horizon through building information modelling which aim to complement the human effort.
Project Management. This is one of my favourite topics in building design management because it so clearly captures the multidisciplinary nature of the modern practice of architecture. Everyone and their dog says they're good at project management. I take such care to elaborate on the topic for my readers because when the field is this flooded, it's an advantage for firms to be able to distinguish between the finest of PM characteristics. I try to set the bar super high but respect that readers can judge for themselves on what makes a good PM. Some subject matter expertise is required. There's a language to many subjects that needs to be respected. Hiring the producer of the Oscars to raise your skyscraper will only bring heartbreak (though you'll probably get a fantastic grand opening). In highlighting the importance of the social sphere in project management, I've mentioned author Stephen Emmitt before and his suggestion architects, engineers and industry professionals need "cross-cultural leadership intelligence" to fully support a building project at a high level. Briefly, two other sources of complexity in project management are, firstly, the way subdomains interconnect in the project as a whole, much like how juggling is complicated, and secondly, that within each domain lays another complex object, itself with many moving and interconnected parts. We should welcome here the application of good executive cognitive skills. The project manager might say "I don't know" often; collapsing dimensions of complexity within the project so they can be inspected and addressed one-by-one by the team.
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