Professional Practice & Entrepreneurship 1 (ARC 70303)

Assignment 2: Project Report

Teo Kean Hui (0310165)

Instructor: Ar. Zahari Zubir

1.0 Introduction

Professional Architects are the one who engages in architectural field requiring high
level of training and proficiency, conforming to the technical or ethical sands of
architectural profession and worthy of public interest, trust and confidence.
Professional Architects responsible as an adviser to client, acts on behalf of client and
to protect client’s interest by project execution in accordance with local government
acts.

This project is to examine and understanding of the importance of architecture codes

and acts as guideline for architectural execution and as a tool to protect the rights of
a Profession Architect. Subsequently, understanding on marketing strategies of the
Professional Architect practice as the key element to promote and ensure
sustainability of architectural consultancy practice.

2.0 Professional Architect advice to Client

1. Advise on the need of other consultants

Specialist consultant can be appointed either by the architectural consultancy practice

to provide services accordance to the terms of appointment or directly appointed by
the client (SOMF 22).

Professional Architect will advise and give suggestion to the client on the need for
hiring other consultants such as planners, quantity surveyor, mechanical & electrical
engineer and civil & structural engineer along with their working portfolio in order for
the project to carryout smoothly. The consultants will be chosen by client, will have
direct contact with the client and fees paid directly from client (COE 2). Professional
Architect will not receive direct responsibility if the other consultant’s performance
doesn’t meet clients’ expectation (COE5).

The other option would be Professional Architect choosing and presenting client with
portfolios of consultants to seek approval of hirement. Client will not have direct
contact with consultants, Professional Architect will be responsible to choose, assign,
lead and work closely with each consultants accordingly to ensure deliveribles meeting
clients expectation. The consultant fees will be paid by client to consultants through
Professional Architect (COE 3). In case of any failure of deliveriables, the responsible
will primaririly charged on Professional Architect (COE 6).

2. Building concept design proposal before engagement.

As business as an architectural consultancy practice, Professional Architect shall prior

to acceptance of appointment writing to notify the client on commencing architectural
consultancy services of the conducts of engagement and scale of professional fees
and charges (PAM Code 1.2) including calculations of fees respect to scope of work
(LAM Code 6a), responsibilities (LAM Code 6b), limitations (LAM Code 6c) and
termination of architectural consultancy services (LAM Code 6d). Professional
Architect will be required to fill in the Memorandum of Agreement from LAM and send
it to the client stating the conditions and details of employment (SOMF 1.1). The
consultancy service shall be accordance with the Architects (Scale of Minimum Fees)
Rules 1986 (SOMF1.2).

Professional Architect shall receive the written agreement from client for confirmation
of hiring and Memorandum of Agreement should be signed by client and return to
Professional Architect within sixty days from the date the Memorandum of Agreement
prepared and sent out (COE 7.1). The consultation service will only proceed after
receiving notification. If the client fails to return the notification and Memorandum of
Agreement within sixty days, but he agrees on the conditions of engagement, the scale
of professional fees and charges (COE 7.2). The Memorandum of Agreement will then
be considered valid and Professional Architect shall proceed with consultation service.

3. Provide interior design services and signage design services

Interior design service and signage design service are part of the fee charged
Supplementary Services which are not included in the Basic Services which may be
provided by Professional Architect to supplement the Basic Service (SOMF 13). The
Supplementary Services subject to agreement between architectural practice and
client, fees be paid on basis of time cost times multiplier (SOMF 24.1a) or lump sum
estimate of time spent by architectural consultancy practice at hourly rate or rates
deducted from salary of employed by architectural consultancy practice times the
appropriate multiplier. (SOMF 24.1b). According to guide of multiplier for respective
persons as 3.0 for directors or sole proprietor (SOMF 5a), 2.4 for professional
employment (SOMF 5b), 2.2 for sub-professional (SOMF 5c) and 2.0 for administrative
staff or technical staff (SOMF 5d).

Professional Architect will be responsible to provide client with interior layouts design
in the design stage of interior design service. Producing working drawings,
construction drawings, details and tender documents for process of awarding contract
to contractors. Followed by managing contract and supervision of works in the project
implementation stage. Issuing certificated of payment on behalf of client upon
completion of works (SOMF 13h). The minimum fees of providing interior design
services shall be 10% of total cost of work (SOMF 24.3).

Designing signage and graphics that related to the project and providing all necessary
services such as designing and submission to local council for approval, assigning
and coordinate with contractors for their execution (SOMF 13i). Signage design
service fee will be charged not lesser than 15% of total cost of work (SOMF 24.4).

4. Inspect the works during construction.

Professional Architect shall faithfully discharge his responsibility to ensure project is

implemented with reasonable standard of skill and diligence that is expected and
accepted by the profession (PAM Code 1.1) in respect including site supervision (LAM
Code 3.2c).

Professional Architect shall inspect the work at periodic intervals as required under
paragraph 5(4)(iv) of Part II of Architects (Scale of Minimum Fees) Rules 1986. More
frequent or constant inspection to be necessary, Professional Architect may
recommend client to hire clerk of works, resident Architect or other personnel, fees will
be paid by client (COE 9a) or Professional Architect will do own employment and fees
paid by client according to the basis of time cost multiplied by a multiplier as agreed
between the employed and client. (COE 9b). According to guide of multiplier for
respective persons as 3.0 for directors or sole proprietor (SOMF 5a), 2.4 for
professional employment (SOMF 5b), 2.2 for sub-professional (SOMF 5c) and 2.0 for
administrative staff or technical staff (SOMF 5d).
3.0 Marketing for Professional Architects

1. Adopting new technology

In Singapore, Building Information Modelling (BIM) system has become so common

and widely integrated into local architectural practices. Ability to use BIM system has
become the core requirement of employment for architects in Singapore now. In other
way, Malaysia architecture industry are still stick to the traditional way of doing
drawings and models separately, adoption of advance technology such as BIM system
and Autodesk Revit are still considered as very weak in Malaysia. By adopting
Autodesk Revit into architecture practice, the production quality and efficiency would
make impressive and innovative presentation to client and to catch people’s attention.

New breakthrough in technology and discovering new technology by the architect

practice could get much popularity within the architectural community or even to the
world. Chances of getting hired will eventually be increased and people will be started
to knock on the doorstep.

2. Allied with schools

Join venture with local or non-local architectural school as a marketing strategy by

providing sponsorships and sharing of knowledge.

Professional Architects can provide sponsorship to the school in the form of

scholarships and sponsoring students’ exhibition or publications. There’re plenty of
talented enthusiast in architecture who doesn’t get the chance of proper architecture
education, process such as interviews, tests and many more would be conducted so
that they’re legitimate for the scholarship.

Students are considered as no income group and they’re lacking in capable to fund
events. There are always times where students are required or want to host events
such as public exhibition within education period, this is the best time Professional
Architect step in and provide sponsorship. Sponsorship will then be mention and
printed on event’s broches which most likely to get more exposure to the publics and
visitors.
Professional Architect can have sharing session with students through lectures,
submission review and tutorials by inviting students to the office or in the school to get
more exposure in the future young architects’ community and ensure employment of
the office. Professional Architect able to get innovated and more inspiration in practice
through reviewing students works. Encouraging conversation more than campaigns.

Marketing strategy will then be achieved through students sharing with others about
the architecture practice who approached them.

3. Designing products

The capability of Professional Architects in designing opens up chances of setting up

branding for designing products such as merchandise designer clothing, kitchenware,
stationaries and so on which is not related to construction industries. Besides that,
furniture design and manufacture could also be an additional designed production of
architect firm. Products will be sent for manufacture or mass production once the
design has been finalized, then will be distributed to respective retail to put up on sell.

Exposure will then be made when a good and unique designed able to caught attention.
The customer who purchase the product that interested to know about the name of
the design company and they will attempt to make contact. Through this marketing
strategy, business could be made through vast exposure of products and brand to the
publics.

4. Organizing exhibition

Professional Architects are recommended to organize and fund their own exhibition at
public galleries. Putting up banners of exhibition showing artwork, models,
architectural projects, findings or event selling merchandise that has been designed
by the architect firm as a method of marketing strategies to the practice. Through
events, architectural community personnel should be invited as guesses to the
exhibition as method to boost the exposure and publics will also be most welcome to
join and celebrate the beauty of creation together. Designing and handling out of
broches of the hosted event will definitely be the key element to carve impression for
the visitors who attended the event.

Organizing an exhibition would require many effort and management before head
which might require certain amount of manpower and money input. But this strategy
will definitely worth it as the design will speak for itself.

4.0 Conclusion

As a conclusion, the role of a Professional Architect is extremely critical in dealing with

problems encounter from client, authorities while running a project. Architecture codes
and acts are definitely important as guideline for work execution, to protect the rights
of an architect and as a reference to advice on client professionally. Construction
industries nowadays are no longer transparent, many parties attempt to take
alternatives to protect their own interest while keeping the money flows ignoring other
parties or sometimes taking advantage of them. Construction industry should be more
transparent, in order and even turning better if the codes and acts are strictly complied.