Behind the Structure

• 31 December 2015
• Local News
• 2667 Views

Construction of an awe-inspiring building or even a fairly simple structure requires a series of complicated procedures which few people outside the construction industry know much about. Chief Architect Som Vuthy of Sokha Hotel & Resorts, Cambodia’s largest hotel developer, goes through the process step by step.

An architect is the first specialist called in to transform a client’s needs, or even dreams, into reality. He or she must hold consultations with the client to come up with a primary concept, a schematic design that takes into consideration the size and structure of a building, the space available to build it, regulatory requirements, and the building’s surrounding environment.

After the client accepts the architect’s design, the plans are given to a structural engineer who will perform various technical calculations to ensure the building’s strength and durability. Mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) engineers will design a separate plan for mechanical works, electric systems and water systems after or during the development of the structural engineering plan.

Then, in one of the last preliminary phases, an interior designer will come up with a plan for the building’s interior layout and décor.

Since the above-mentioned specialists often design their plans separately, the ideas they come up with can sometimes come into conflict. So the main architect will also often serve as a referee, finding compromises or making rulings to ensure the plans work well together. The project owner will then get a detailed package of drawing plans and can use these documents to put the project out to bid, finding a contractor right for the job.

During the bidding phase, the architect, structural engineer, MEP engineer, and interior designer often act as project consultants who give feedback on the bids received.

During construction, the builder can hire sub-constructors to deal with different parts of the building process such as foundation work, structural work, MEP work, and interior and exterior design. The engineers and designers will monitor the entire building process to ensure construction is properly done and follows the agreed-upon plans.

The first people on the construction stage are generally from the civil engineering firm which will deal with the foundation, and later build up the structure, including columns and floors based on the structural plan.

Later, the MEP engineers will install mechanical equipment, electrical systems and water systems and the interior designer will take over during the “fixing phase,” which refers to wall painting, window and door installation, and the “furnishing phase,” related to furniture and other decorative elements. An exterior design service will be responsible for the landscaping around the building.

After the technical works are complete, the builder and sub-constructors will perform tests to ensure the systems run smoothly before they hand the project over to the client.

Som Vuthy of Sokha Hotel & Resorts has eight years of professional experience in the construction industry and an architectural degree from Norton University. He has criticized the “design and build practices” of some unethical companies in Cambodia in which a company both designs the project plans and then builds the structure itself. The results are often not in high quality. While it happens around the globe, it is especially prevalent in Cambodia due to social conditions that lead to widespread acceptance of such practices.

“Designers work to maximize benefits for client, but at the building stage, a contractor may face difficulties and losses when following those plans,” he said. “So, in cases where designers are also the contractor, they will put their own interests ahead of the customer’s. This means the client will lose.”

Vuthy has also noticed that some local architects and interior designers haven’t fulfilled their roles based on their professional indemnity, again blaming social norms. “If they are strongly committed to a spirit of professionalism despite what the client and contractor want, they won’t get projects, simply because the client and contractor will choose other experts that accept their demands.”

Vuthy has noticed that many clients try to reduce expenses by foregoing qualified architects, but he warns against this, saying well-drawn, well-considered architectural plans will maximize benefits and minimize construction costs.

He finally encourages architects, engineers, designers and builders to not only follow what the client wants, but follow building codes and regulations that will benefit a building’s inhabitants and minimize any impacts on the surrounding environment.