“The Architect as Businessperson, Salesperson, Lawyer, Psychiatrist, Actor, Consultant-Referee, Pragmatist and Idealist and Masochist -- and then a Professional and a Designer”
“And yet, to misquote Oscar Wilde: the only thing worse than not getting the job is getting the job. -- somehow -- via pleasing a dominant individual on the committee or being mediocre enough to accommodate a consensus of the committee: you can only seem charming but not flip, great but not threatening. Then you employ the legal skills of a Philadelphia lawyer to counter the ever-unique inch-thick contract the client’s lawyers propose along with macho business ethic for negotiating fees that hopefully can accommodate God in the details and support the staff of huge proportions architectural offices currently require to accommodate J.D. and P.R., and to counter the client’s lawyers’ negotiating lower architect’s fees that in the end assure either lower design standards or eventual bankruptcy while sapping the architects energy and taking the joy out of the job: work hard and pay the price. And as an educator, you often have to bring the client committee around to an anticipated cost-per-square foot budget conforming to construction costs beyond those of a minimal fifties loft building rather than those for the signature building of the decade the committee simultaneously expects.”
-- Robert Venturi from, Iconography and Electronics upon a Generic Architecture: A View from the Drafting Room (Cambridge: MIT Press, 1996)
- Course No. ARCH 481
- Title/Term: Professional Practice II: Project Delivery - Winter 2005-2006
- Hours: Monday/Wednesday 8:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m. (2 credit hours/ 2.5 contact hours per week)
- Location: Hale Hall 318
- Prerequisites: ARCH 471
- Instructor: William T Willoughby, Associate Professor - Office: 104 GTM Hall or sometimes 226 Hale Hall
- Office Hours: M/W/F 10:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
- e-mail: wtwillou@latech.edu
Introduction
This course is meant to
contribute to and deepen your understanding of architectural practice.
The education of an architect is lifelong . . . and university education is
only the briefest of beginnings that should orient you for the lifetime pursuit
of practice in the marketplace. This lecture course is meant to be the
place for you to inquire into topics related to architectural practice -- specifically
(but not entirely), the issue of project delivery. Reading, writing, presentation,
and research skills are indispensable to your understanding and growth in this
course. The three exercises we will complete during this course are opportunities
for you to apply insights into the topics we discuss.
The Louisiana Tech University Bulletin describes this course like this, "The business of architecture with an emphasis on practice trends of the future in respect to project and design management." For my purposes, and to clarify things, I would describe this course like this; "The business and professional practice of architecture with emphasis on firm organization, practice management, professional responsibilities, contractual agreements in architecture and construction, and the typical form of project delivery."
Course Objectives
Objectives for the course are five:
Required Readings
Required readings will be
assigned that relate to the weekly lecture topic. The reading will be assigned
either the class before, the day of the lecture, or by web announcment. You
should read the assigned reading directly prior to or immediatly following the
day of the lecture. Please, Please, Please, read the sections
of our required text discussed in class lectures. Though you will not be
tested on the course content covered in the lecture portion of the this course,
as a professional, you will someday be accountable as a practitioner to know
the information covered in this course. Pop quizzes may be issued if the instructor
suspects that readings are not being attended to by the students. Each of the
three assignments used to evaluate your progress in this course will rely on
the content covered in lectures and assigned readings.
Our primary text for this course will be The Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice (Student Edition), American Institute of Architects; executive editor: Joseph A. Demkin, AIA (New York: John Wiley & Sons Inc., 2002) 13th Edition -- this edition is based on the 13th Edition of the The Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice. This book is available at the Louisiana Tech Bookstore.
If deemed necessary, I may assign additional readings. You can expect to find these readings either available on the World Wide Web (check the announcements page), as handouts, or on reserve in Prescott library.
Evaluation
Evaluations are based on
your understanding, skill, and application of the material covered by this course.
A system of percentages is used to assess your assignments, attendance, and
development during the semester. This system also serves as the basis
for establishing final grades for all students enrolled in the course.
A final letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F (as defined by the current edition
of the Louisiana Tech Academic Course Bulletin) will be issued. The distribution
of your evaluation will be as follows:
2 Intermediate Exercises (Dossier and Specification writing) (22.5% each) 45 % Final Team Exercise (Case Study: Start to Finish . . .Tracking an Architectural Project) 45 % Attendance (during lecture or team meetings with Instructor) and/or Pop Quiz 10 % Final Total 100 % A= 100-90% B= 89 - 80% C= 79 - 70% D= 69 - 60% F= 59 - 50%
Course Policies:
Architecture 481 observes
the attendance policy stated below:
Perfect attendance will result in 5 addtional percentage points added to your final grade. The 10% of final grade dedicated to attendance may be split equally between attendance and any pop quizzes given by the instructor. If you are absent, for any reason, you will jeopardize your performance in this course. For each absence you incur, your final grade will be reduced by 5 final percentage points (half a letter grade) per absence. Any student who consistently arrives late or leaves early may have their final grade lowered by 5 final percentage points (half a letter grade).
Unless excused for medical reasons or serious corroborated emergency (in writing), the attendance policy will be strictly enforced. A sign-in sheet or some form of attendance verification will be circulated at the beginning of each class -- be sure that you sign-in or acknowledge your presence to the instructor for every class that you attend.
Unless warranted by medical necessity or serious tragedy, there shall be no incomplete grades issued at the completion of the quarter. Late work and/or incomplete work will not be accepted for grade evaluation. I will hold firm to due dates! You are expected to complete all intermediate assignments that might be amended either verbally, as a written bulletin, or as a web announcement (see the Announcements Page for ARCH 481). Be sure to inspect the Announcements Page regularly! You are expected to attend all classes and other events organized for your benefit. Together, we can make this course an exciting and fertile environment for developing your knowledge of architecture as a responsible art, profession, and business.
Also, to ensure that your listening and reading comprehension is up to my expectations, to ensure a mature level of informed and focused discussion is maintained in this course, and to evaluate that attention is requisite during lectures and readings are being read in the first place. . . I reserve the right to perform an occasional pop-quiz (no more than two) with multiple choice questions and or short essay that will cover the readings assigned for that week.
Any student with a documented disability condition (e.g., physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) and registered with the Office of Disability Services (ODS) can request special classroom accommodations. Any students with a documented disability condition should contact the instructor of this course and the ODS at the beginning of this course and request the ODS provide the instructor with documentation as to a list of specific classroom accommodations.
Cheating or plagiarism of any type will not be tolerated. These offenses can be cause for dismissal from and/or failure of course. This course is conducted with the expectation that all students uphold The Honor Code at Louisiana Tech University. The Honor Code encompasses basic principles of academic integrity: honesty, fairness, respect, responsibility, and excellence. Section Three of the Honor Code specifically addresses cheating. The Honor Code Statement reads as such, "Being a student of a higher standard, I pledge to embody the principles of academic integrity." See the online Student Handbook and open the portable document format file entitled "Honor Code": Louisiana Tech University Student Judicial Affairs.
No recording devices of any kind will be permitted in lecture without the prior consent of the instructor. Also, please leave the classroom in the same condition (clean and orderly) that it was at the beginning of class (no food or drink is allowed in the classroom).
The instructor reserves the right to keep any and all graded course material (writing assigments, exercises, and presentations) either indefinitely or for a minimum of 30 class days into the subsequent regular quarter session (excluding Summer Quarter).
Exercises
There will be three exercises
total . . . two short intermediate exercises, and a final assignment. Look for
these assignments to be available on this course's Announcements Page. Otherwise, I may issue your assignment as a paper handout
in class.
Course Schedule
(Note: critical readings are marked with larger
text, bold, and italics -- read these before the others!)
| Day | Class#/Date | Class Activity/Due Dates | Topic/Required
Readings (all readings from The Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice (Student Edition) |
| Wednesday | 1. November 30, 2005 | Course Introduction | |
| Monday | 2. December 5 | Lecture | What is a Professional? |
| Wednesday | 3. December 7 | Lecture | Steps to Licensure/Professional Collateral Organizations |
| Monday | 4. December 12 | Lecture |
Legal Issues/AIA Ethics |
| Wednesday | 5. December 14 | Lecture |
Marketing and Marketing Materials |
| Monday | 6. December 19 | Lecture Begin: Intermediate Exercise #1 |
Creating an Architectural Portfolio/Interviewing and Negotiation Skills |
| Winter Holiday: December 20-January 3 (Offices Closed) | |||
| Wednesday | 7. January 4, 2006 | Lecture | Project Delivery Options and Methods/Methods of Calculating Compensation |
| Monday | 8. January 9 | Lecture Begin: Final Team Exercise |
Proposals, Contracts and Agreements |
| Wednesday | 9. January 11 | Lecture #6 | Contract Documents (B141 and A201) |
| Martin Luther King Holiday: January 16 (University Closed) | |||
| Wednesday | 10. January 18 | Lecture | Contract Documents (B141 and A201) |
| Monday | 11. January 23 | Lecture |
Managing Dispute (Bonds, Liens, Insurance) Other |
| Wednesday | 12. January 25 | Lecture |
Professions/Consultants/Construction
Management |
| Monday | 13. January 30 | Lecture Begin: Intermediate Exercise #2 |
Project Manual/Specifications (CSI Format) |
| Wednesday | 14. February 1 | Lecture |
Specifications (CSI Format) |
| February
3, 2005: Last day to Drop/Resign
with a "W" Possible excursion to Texas A&M for the a lecture presented by the CRS Center for Leadership and Management in Design and Construction Industry -- BECK group, "Tearing Down the Silos" February 3 (attendance voluntary: registration fee waived but will require an overnight stay) see info at: http://archone.tamu.edu/rowlett/ |
|||
| Monday | 15. February 6 | Lecture Due: Intermediate Exercise #2 |
LEEDS and various kinds of certification options |
| Wednesday | 16. February 8 | Lecture | AIA Emerging Professionals Companion Overview |
| Monday | 17. February 13 | Lecture |
IDP Specifics: Mentoring in the Profession |
| Wednesday | 18. February 14 | Final Team Exercise Presentations or Lecture | TBA |
| Monday | 19. February 20 | Final Team Exercise Presentations or Lecture | TBA |
| Wednesday | 20. February 22 | Final Team Exercise Presentations
or Lecture Due: Intermediate Exercise #1 and Final Team Exercise (Hardcopy) |
TBA |
| Last Day of Class: Thursday, February 23, 2006 | |||
Please maintain a personal notebook that documents your efforts forthis course in an organized and coherent fashion. The notebook you keep is primarily for your benefit; it should contain notes taken while reading assigned essays, any notes taken during lectures, any ideas presented during your team meetings, and pertinent handouts issued in class. I may ask to review this document during the semester -- get into the habit of updating this not just periodically but automatically.
Special Note: The instructor reserves the right to modify or change any aspect of this course including evaluation criteria, deadlines, and course schedule at any time and for any reason. You will be adequately informed any modifications or changes to this course prior to those modification or changes taking effect. Notices of changes to this course will be announced in class and displayed on this course's Announcements Page.
Course Handouts
Keep a chronological record
of all course handouts for reference purposes. Don't be afraid to "print-out"
this web page or any links! Bear in mind, assignments may on occasion
be issued or amended verbally. I expect you to record this information,
requirements and due dates, for your use and response. Be sure to frequently
review the Announcements Page for any updates to course information.
Cell Phones and General
Disruptions
Cell phone use
will not be allowed in this course. If you have a cellular phone, pager, or
other wireless communication device, please make sure that you turn it off
in class -- or at least put it on 'vibrate' mode if you are expecting an important
call (in such cases, the instructor should be informed of the circumstance before
class). No calls should be placed from cell phones during class time, and no
calls should be received during class time. Interruptions in class, including
distractions (gestures and noises), talking between students, and general inattentiveness
during lecture or focused class discussions will not be tolerated. Expect a
serious reprimand if just such an incident occurs.
Office Hours
I want to make myself available to you as much as I can, please note my office
hours (see office hours above) or by appointment. My office room number
is GTM Hall 104 or sometimes Hale Hall 226 and my phone is (318) 257-2660. Please
do me the courtesy of calling or e-mailing me if for any reason you must miss
or be late for class.