14 December 2016

A story is going around:

A client is asking architects and consultant teams to provide a concept design and a fee proposal for a significant building. The clients brief is subject to change. The architect teams fee is to be a fixed sum.

From the architects’ submissions, the client will select a few to work for many months with the client to develop their ideas. The ‘ideas’ of the few will be conveyed to ‘a preferred architect’. These few may be paid an unspecified sum for their time and intellectual effort.

The preferred architect will then be asked to prepare the design documentation for a development approval application by an independent authority related to the client. If the client and the authority agree that the design proposal is acceptable, then a contract for engagement may be issued and payment may be made.

This client may take your intellectual property, 1000’s of person hours of work and if warranted in their opinion may pay you an unspecified sum! If offered this work what will you do?

In winding up for the year, I want to give a big thank you to the many members who made substantial contributions to Design Canberra through 2 weeks of events – in many forums at Pavilion X, the kids ideas competition, the Open Offices expose, The Griffin Lecture and Radio Nationals “Big Ideas”.

Over the last two years I’ve attempted to address for the Institute and the profession many ongoing challenges which I ask you to continue advocating for, including:

• building industry representations contending causation of cost to industry by architects errors in design documentation;
• the business case for gender equity; and
• balanced, fair terms of engagement, including the remuneration of architects.

Elections for office bearers are underway and I would encourage you to consider nominating yourself or encouraging someone you know who may have the skills, time and interest in being involved with the Institute. Chapter President and Councillors appointments for 2016 – 2017 are required to be:

• an advocate for architect members and the improvement of the built environment through architecture;
• the spokesperson for all members;
• be responsible as a Director of the company trading as the Australian Institute of Architects;

Directors on National Council are required to:

• ensure compliance with general and specific laws applying to the company’s operations; and,
• exercise primary duty is to the members.

The duties of a Director can expand to include creditors including employees.

The design of buildings by architects is a highly contested role in Australia. We need our profession to:

• practice architecture differently today than we did yesterday;
• act in the interests of the community and all members without self-promotion and personal financial advantage.

As the year draws to a close, the Institute is set for new beginnings in advocacy, education and members services. After my role as President ceases in March 2016, I look forward to beginning new projects as a renaissance, like Renzo Piano because: “One of the great beauties of architecture is that each time, it is like life starting all over again.”

Thank you to the staff of the Institute for their enduring, and at times ‘onerous’ service to members. Please join me in thanking Leanne Hardwicke, Francesca Cooper and Taylor Keat for their truly valuable efforts on behalf of ACT members in 2015.

I wish you peace at Christmas and fulfilment in 2016.

Andrew Wilson

Gender Equity – the Business Case

Gender Equity – framed in terms of cultural change, the business case and sharing the experience of the recently launched NSW Chapter’s male champions of change campaign ‘get:GOING’ was ably presented by NSW Chapter President Shaun Carter to building industry and professional industry colleagues at the ACT President’s Lunch on 22 October.

“I wish I’d never used it – the phrase ‘the lucky country’,” Donald Horne said to me in 1993. He was being critical, warning us of the serious danger of relying on luck. Those like me who had never read the book thought he was giving the nation a reason to celebrate.

Here’s what he actually said, back in 1964:

‘Australia is a lucky country run mainly by second-rate people who share its luck. It lives on other people’s ideas, and, although its ordinary people are adaptable, most of its leaders (in all fields) so lack curiosity about the events that surround them that they are often taken by surprise.

A nation more concerned with styles of life than with achievement has managed to achieve what may be the most evenly prosperous society in the world. It has done this in a social climate largely inimical to originality and the desire for excellence (except in sport) and in which there is less and less acclamation of hard work. According to the rules Australia has not deserved its good fortune”…

… ’Lucky’, to Horne, meant we were lucky to get away with it.” …^[1] He meant to spark cultural change

Cultural change for gender equity is urgent and obligatory. For women, Australia is not the most evenly prosperous society.

The issue is to shift from “a woman’s issue” to one that the building industry and profession as a whole acknowledges and actively participates in addressing.

‘The Gender Pay Gap’ produced by the Federal Government’s Workplace Gender Equity Agency reported in September 2015 that the national full-time gender pay gap is 17.9%. This represents an average earning difference of $284.20 per week, or working an EXTRA 65 days per year for women to earn as much as men.

Over a working life, the gender pay gap contributes to a significant gap in the average superannuation balance.  The average man’s balance is nearly twice the size of the average woman’s.  There is a growing crisis of women living in poverty in retirement in Australia.

By industry, the pay gap is approximately 25% in ‘professional services’ and approximately 18% in the construction industry.

The pay gap has increased by just over 1% since 1995.

Of all women aged 25 – 29 years, 42.0% had achieved a bachelor degree whereas only 30.6% of men had achieved one.  Women are qualified and positioned to move up.

In terms of participation in the Profession, architecture has the lowest representation of women in the profession across all age groups, when compared with other professions.

• Architects – at 20 years (45%) and at 64 years (10%)
• Solicitors – at 20 years (65%) and at 64 years (15%)
• General medical practitioners – at 20 years (58%) and at 64 years (25%)^[2]

There is a significant lack of women in senior positions, and this equates to wasted talent and lack of diversity in our leadership teams. This phenomena directly contributes to the ongoing economic viability and sustainability of the architectural profession. ^[3]Mentorship in navigating advancement in the profession is lacking here in the ACT.

Gender equity and diversity is not a “women’s” issue, but a business issue:

• boards are more effective when diverse;
• we can’t afford to lose talent, we need to gain talent;
• we must improve work place morale; and,
• we improve profitability!

Our thanks go to NSW’s Chapter President Shaun Carter for introducing the Gender Equity Task Group. The NSW Chapter wants to help every chapter run a champions of change program. We aim to adopt gender equity as an ethical, moral, excellent business practice. I would like to offer my thanks to Bronwyn Jones, ACT Chair of GET (the Gender Equity Taskforce) for framing this topic and sourcing our speaker.

Sources:

WGEA – the Federal Governments Workplace Gender Equity Agency.  It sources its data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Parlour – an incorporated association which is sponsored by the Institute.  Parlour is a site for active exchange and discussion, and brings together research, informed opinion and resources on women, equity and architecture in Australia.

^[1] Mackay, Hugh, Introduction to “The Lucky Country”, Penguin Books 6th Edition

^[2] Refer to Amanda Roan, “How do we compare to other professions” published on the Parlour site, Feb 2015

^[3]Refer to Michael Smith’s blog “The Business Case for Gender Equity” published on the Parlour site, March 2015.

“The effects of diversity on business may bring benefits from increased productivity and efficiency, higher morale and job satisfaction, an ability to compete for talent, strive to retain that talent and look to improve productivity.

The advancement of equality in employment and in the workplace Equity, Business and Leadership  how to improve business, retain talent and improve staff morale by changes that are simple and easy to make…through a mindset, that leads to discover change as we go along… Our journey could be substantial, or minor, depends upon perspective, opens to change and situation.

A meeting with the Australian Building Codes Board (ACBC) discussed material being prepared for the Institutes High Quality Design Policy. In particular to explore whether metrics for Liveable Apartment Design Standards could become part of the NCC Building Code of Australia.

If the development and design professions can agree on the metrics, for example minimum apartment sizes, then the ACBC will support inclusion of apartment design standards in the Building Code of Australia. The national ‘red tape reduction agenda’ requires that new or amended legislation must demonstrate a reduction in regulation which in the matter of apartment design regulations, the myriad of local government are reduced.

The ACT government has recently established the Building Regulation Advisory Committee (BRAC), to be a link between the building industry, government and the Minister. Prior to formal public consultations the committee is to review proposed legislative changes to relevant acts, regulations, associated instruments and changes in policy relating to:

• Building;
• Building Certification;
• Builder and building surveyor licensing;
• Regulatory enforcement and compliance mechanisms relating to building, builders and building surveyors; and targeted training of builders abuildingsurveyors.

The Institutes response to Draft Variation to the Territory Plan No. 343, regarding residential blocks surrendered under the loose fill asbestos insulation eradication scheme (hereinafter DV343) was raised at the Environment Planning Directorate Planning and Development Forum (EPD PDF) last month

DV343 should be improved and used as an opportunity to promote high quality design which reinvigorates suburban change by infill, offers Canberra a more alternative housing choice and a sustainable future with better utilisation of infrastructure and services.

Dual occupancy, if well designed, is a very benign method for achieving small scale and low-density infill. By allowing a range of housing typologies, and encouraging innovative design, a dual occupancy policy is eminently suitable to many of Canberra’s established suburban areas.

High quality design from the very beginning of the redevelopment programme, which is delivered by experienced and knowledgeable architects, can give better immediate return to Government on the Mr Fluffy buybacks.

The next forum will be held on Thursday 15 October 2015

Andrew Wilson

7 September 2015

Philip Thalis’s presentation ’What Happened to the Garden City?’ inspired great discussion.

Some evaluations of Ebenezer Howard’s garden city concept (1902) – and its realisation in Letchworth UK – are that it is too spacious and there are few architecturally impressive designs.

Perpetual and increasing attempts are to make this untrue of the design of Canberra. Comparisons with cities of similar populations (381,000) showed Canberra (428 people/km2) is half the density of Wellington NZ (890 people/km2) and one tenth that of Lausanne (4,400 people/km2). On a wide brown land, feeling unconstrained for space to separate people so that issues of visual privacy, noise abatement and access to open landscape avoids the need for careful, high quality design.

Any person can design residences, in fact any building type in Australia.

When increasing the number of people/km2, redevelopment methods and actions are required to:

1. achieve excellence in design and amenity; and,
2. take responsibility for built outcome performance, beyond completion of any new development.

To achieve excellence in design, the 9 Principles in the NSW Apartment Design Guide are useful, and paraphrased here:

1: Context and Neighbourhood Character – Design responds to the key natural, current and future built elements, their relationship and the combined character they create.

2: Built Form and Scale – Design achieves a scale, bulk and height appropriate to the desired future character of the street and surrounding buildings. Building alignments, proportions, building type, articulation of building elements makes the public domain, the character of streetscapes and parks, including their views and vistas, and provides amenity and outlook.

3: Density – Design that achieves a high level of amenity for residents and each apartment, resulting in a density appropriate to the site and its context.

4: Sustainability – Uses natural cross breezes and sunlight for the liveability of residents and passive thermal design for heating and cooling reducing operation costs; recycling and reuse of materials and waste, use of sustainable materials, and deep soil zones for groundwater recharge and vegetation.

5: Landscape – enhances the development’s environmental performance by retaining natural features, co-ordinated water and soil management, solar access, micro-climate, tree canopy, habitat values, and preserving green networks. Good landscape design optimises usability, privacy and opportunities for social interaction, equitable access, respect for neighbours’ amenity, provides for practical establishment and long term management.

6: Amenity – Internal amenity for residents and external amenity for neighbours combines appropriate room dimensions and shapes, access to sunlight, natural ventilation, outlook, visual and acoustic privacy, storage, indoor and outdoor space, efficient layouts and service areas, and ease of access for all age groups and degrees of mobility.

7: Safety – Safety and security, within the development and the public domain maximise passive surveillance of public and communal areas promoting safety through clearly defined secure access points, well lit and visible areas that are easily maintained.

8: Diversity and Social Interaction – A mix of apartment sizes, providing housing choice for different demographics, living needs and household budgets and providing opportunities for residents meet and engage.

9: Architectural Expression – A built form that has good proportions and composition of elements, reflecting the internal layout and structure. A variety of materials, colours and textures and respond to the existing or future local context.

Further strategies for improving design and built outcome quality are:

• the engagement of a registered architect;
• a design review process;
• Government industry policy which ensures responsibility for what is built may be by legislation requiring “a product guarantee and warrantee” from the proponent or alternatively, continued membership of the body corporatefor a number of years after completion.

Andrew Wilson

24 Aug 2015

Last week at a President’s Lunch, Ms. Kate Doyle, Chief Executive Officer of the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia inspired wide discussion about the results of a National Galaxy Poll entitled, ’The Benefits of Design’.

The Institute works to improve our built environment by promoting quality, responsible, sustainable design. Through its members, the Institute plays a major role in shaping Australia’s future. Locally, the President’s Lunch is a forum for open and honest expression of views, always with the purpose of improving the design of our built environment.

To recap some of the significant points made during the lunch:

• Almost all Australians (97%) believe that cities and towns are better to live in when public buildings and public spaces are well designed. (The Benefits of Design 2015)
• Architects are a regulated profession which is most highly qualified and able to provide high quality design. Architects undertake a minimum of 7 years education, training and registration examination to be able to design buildings. Except for NCC BCA Class 2 apartments in NSW, any person may design a building in Australia.
• Planning reform in the ACT is necessary to enable the quality, economically responsible and sustainable design of the built environment.

During the broad ranging discussion, further points were made that require government action. They are:

• The profession requires terms which engage architects with continuity of involvement in project design and delivery. This is required for architects to deliver quality design.
• ACT Building Act amendments with affect upon architects, will require the evidentiary basis for the amendment and regulatory impact. The Institute seeks consistency in regulatory arrangements across and within jurisdictions, because architects are increasingly professional service providers nationally and internationally.
• The Institute encourages planning reform, inspired by our ‘New Experimental Architectural Typologies’ – the NEAT housing ideas competition. The Institutes objective is to effectively deliver high quality design of sustainable and affordable housing choices that are currently not available in the ACT.
• Institute policies advocate sustainability and urban consolidation, not further greenfield development.

The Institute values the opportunity to engage with government, industry and freedom of expression. Thank you to the Independent Property Group for their continued support of the President’s Lunch series.

Andrew Wilson

Future of Government Contracts, Building Quality, Liveable Apartment design, Release of the Draft ACT Building Act.

13 July, 2015

“In Victoria, NSW and Queensland, governments not continuing contracts signed by their predecessors, hopefully, has not become a formula for governments leadership of infrastructure, building design and procurement.

In the ACT, the future of contracts over a substantial light-rail project are at issue.

The consequences of politicisation of many long-term projects is well documented:

1. it costs the taxpayer when contracts are cancelled;
2. it damages industry confidence at a time when it is needed most;
3. it raises risk issues; and,
4. it debilitates long-term strategic planning, the design and procurement process.

The key to retaining long-term focus is strategy. Strategies are defined in government policy. A constant reinforcement of progress towards a vision and the development of clear objectives broken down to three to four-year milestones to overcome political cycles are necessary tactics to achieve building projects.”^[1]

If Canberra is to be competitive, creative and not to be held back by short-term decisions, if design of the built environment “is to be depoliticised, a broader understanding of the relationship between initial capital investment cost and the long term economic benefit is essential,”^[2] equitable engagement contracts and, a strategic approach to design and construction procurement are required.

Measures to improve apartment design quality has been in discussion and action over the last 5 years. They include:

• amendment to the ACT Building Act, in an attempt to improve quality by legislated penalty of building industry participants; or,
• the adoption of informed government policies and guidelines, available at the projects outset, that illustrate to development proponents and the community high quality design outcomes.

The Institute is preparing a ‘Liveable Apartment Design Policy’ to advocate for a policy and guideline to improve apartment design quality. The policy and guideline will be informed by metric evidence of beneficial outcomes: cost – in construction; in energy use; in resale value; in user satisfaction; in design and built outcome quality.

The NSW Government has implemented their Department of Planning’s review of SEPP 65. In the new SEPP all the key positive elements have been retained and modifications are in the main, in line with the Institute’s recommendations. The key change is that the Residential Flat Design Code will now be a guideline, rather than a set of instructions. Some approval authorities were using the code metrics like a checklist, whereas they were only ever intended as quantified illustrations of the SEPP’s design principles.

To the amendment to the ACT Building Act, Chapter Council and the Practice Committee will welcome members comment. We understand its released is imminent.

^[1] Consult Australia. Keith, Kevin. Published on Linked In, July 2015

^[2] Op cit