ARCHITECTURE AND

MARKETING SKILLS
ASSIGNMENT 6

SHRUTI KUMARI
A1904017043
1. What is the role of available technicians & contractors in shaping architectural
services for the Client?

While architects are responsible for coming up with initial concepts and designs, architectural
technologists are more concerned with the technical side of construction. They work closely
with architects and other building professionals to resolve any potential design problems
before construction starts.

Work activities can vary depending on the project, but typical duties can include:
 Selecting the best materials and processes for the project.
 Surveying sites and identifying location benefits.
 Carrying out feasibility studies and risk assessments.
 Assessing environmental impacts and identifying legal issues.
 Analysing architectural plans and drawings, highlighting any possible risks or problems,
and making amendments using computer-aided design applications (CAD).
 Specifying the appropriate technology and tools to be used in the project and advising
where this requires deviation from the initial design plans.
 Liaising with the architect, surveyors, and other construction professionals, sometimes
managing the design project team.
 Preparing documents to help with getting planning permission and similar approvals.
 Visiting sites to check progress and inspect work.

Most work is carried out in the office, although site visits are common. Architectural
technologists usually work as part of a team of professionals. Hours are typically 9.00 am to
5.00 pm, though extra hours during the evenings and weekends may be required to meet
project deadlines.
Key skills for architectural technologists
 A strong interest in architecture, mathematics, drawing and design, with an excellent eye
for detail.
 Art and design skills to complement technical know-how.
 Strong communication and leadership skills.
 Competence in CAD software.
 An analytical mind with strong problem-solving ability.
 Strong planning and organisation skills.
 The ability to work on your own initiative and as part of a team.
 High levels of creativity, imagination, and vision.
 The ability to work well under time and budget pressures.

2. What if Client refuses to give the fees for the Architectural Services that has already
been delivered?

Steps that are to be followed when the client refuses to give the fees for architectural services
that have already been delivered, are as follows-
 Research the client-
Before doing anything else, the company suffering from this situation must research about the
background of the client. They could Google their name, ask their contacts if they know
anything about their new prospect, and look if there are any similar complaints against them
on those sites.
 Discuss before signing the contract-
At the end of all the sweet and polite conversations with the clients, this is all a business deal.
It's crucial for any company to discuss all the cost and the expected payment dates with the
client and must mention all the payment conditions while signing the contract. Business is all
about written proof. The company should say all the details regarding everything, even small
ones too.
 Send invoices right away-
With so many tasks on the plate as a business owner, it can be easy to lose track of a
customer invoice. They may even to forget to send one in the first place and going after a
client for payment on a bill the person never sent will only hurt the reputation. It is advised
sending an invoice as soon as a job is completed and staying on top of it until it's closed out
to avoid falling behind.
 Send project completion summary from time to time-
The manager or the person dealing with the clients on the upper management level must send
project completion summary from time to time. This vigilance in work will remind the client
that the company is keeping their promises and also this will act as a document of proof that
the work was delivered on time.
 Invoice follow-ups-
The company must immediately follow up the invoice if they don't get any response from the
clients soon.
 Document everything-
Everything discussed with the client must be drafted in an email. Any conversation happened
in any other platform should not be considered.
 Ask politely first-
Questions related to payment must be asked in a friendly manner first. Nobody should use
any harsh or rude words. It can hurt the feelings of the client. Even they are a little late there
could be a reason behind it, specifically in a case where the relationship between the client
and the company is old. Communicating regarding the late payment could help to solve the
issue.
 Charge Late Fees-
Every business is always ought to charge late fees for unpaid invoices. It needs to set up a fee
structure for defaults in payment that can be used on every client, ideally as a written policy
in the contract invoices. Such a step should be taken early, within 10 or 15 days after an
invoice goes unpaid. The company can send a message beforehand that because the invoice
has gone unpaid for so long, add a late fee if it isn't paid within 48 hours, or something
similar. These late fees have to be continuously tracked if the clients still haven't paid after a
reminder.
 Stop Working Further-
Even after multiple follow-ups, if there is no response from the clients' side, the company
should stop working on their projects. Withdrawal of working terms, in such case, is
necessary to avoid further payment defaults and capital imbalance.
 Take legal action-
Having covered any or every step aforesaid, if the client is still in denial of payment, it's time
to take some legal action against them. Putting the matters into the discretion of a judiciary
authority is the ultimate option to excavate money from flaky clients.

3. What if Client doesn’t understand the proposed design?

At times, the client doesn’t understand the design which is being proposed by the architect.
So, in order to tackle this situation, the architect needs to do-
 Clear and honest communication-
Understand the issues client is facing, why he thinks the way he does. Ask specific questions
to get to the roots of the client’s problems. Lack of understanding and partial flow of
information may cause some distortion and will force you to compromise. This often leaves
both sides unsatisfied and results in an average design.
Keep in mind that you have to respect your client’s opinion. You can’t just ignore his or her
feedback, even if you’re strongly against them.
You have to help your client understand your thought process and why certain decisions
should or should not be made. You should seek a common ground with your client through
similar past experiences.
 Benchmarking-
Showing solutions created by the competition. Provide explanation why certain solutions are
good or bad, why they will work or not in your client’s case. To prove your point, show your
client a few real, live examples of these solutions. Try to demonstrate the outcome of certain
decisions and their impact on the rest of the project.
 Co-operation-
Attempt to develop solution along with the client. Try to convince him that the solution is his
genius idea. Your goal is to make your client develop a strong bond with the project. This
way he will start taking responsibility for its final outcome.
 Educate-
Educate your clients about the most recent solutions, design processes, element arrangement,
the way to acquire new users - how to move forward, not just keeping the old user base
satisfied (unless that’s one of the business goals). Show him the influence of user’s
experience and impression.
Build the trust with your client. Remind him that the final product is as much important to
you as it is for him.
Constantly provide him with clear updates on the project, the stage the development is at,
what will happen next etc. Solutions have to be presented as complete, logical and rational -
don’t base them on your intuition and emotions.
 Hold your opinion-
Give concise arguments why you think your solution is better and more beneficial. Your
words should be a catalyst for making changes. They should influence another person to
agree with you.
It’s not about repeating your or your client’s points over and over again. A designer should
have a convincing and encouraging tone.
Consider spending some time learning how to create statements that will trigger a certain,
desired reaction. Your intentions must be clear. As a designer, you have to prove that the
project and its certain elements are thought out, logical and did not come from nowhere.
Show your clients that they are there for a reason and that there are certain goals behind them.
You need to be self-confident and have something to say. You are the expert after all.
 Be prepared-
Note every small detail about the basis of the project that was made from the very beginning
of the development process. It will help you defend the solutions by simply showing where
they came from, what were their origins, what may influence them and what will be their
result.

4. What if Client is not aware of what is best for him?

There are cases where the client is unaware of what’s best for him. So, in order to tackle this
situation, the architect needs to-
 Reframe their concerns to solve a problem-
Every client has an underlying reason they want a project done a certain way; maybe they
have a specific audience or goal in mind. Assure them you really are acting in the best
interests. Let them know that you were really listening during their proposal, you’ve done
some research of your own, and according to that research, your approach may actually
improve their desired results. If you really want to go the extra mile, have some studies on
hand that back it up.
 Make sure to include them in the process-
You’re an expert in your field, but they’re also experts in their respective fields. If they have
certain colours they want to use or content they want to include, do your best to incorporate
what they want it in ways that work for you too. Again, if something they suggest is just too
far out there and you simply can’t make it work with the current project, suggest another
project or solution and help them understand why it won’t work with the current design.
 Use the right language for the right situation-
Telling your clients that they are terrible people is a lot different than suggesting that a design
strategy may not work as well as they’d hoped. But it’s incredibly easy for frustration to turn
an innocent suggestion into an actual insult. Remember that words can start wars as easily as
they can solve problems, so choose your words carefully.

5. How Client’s age, sex, profession affects the architectural services?

 AGE-
Age plays a major role in providing services, it depends which age group you are dealing
with and how you must approach that particular age group, an architect has to design on the
basis which age group will come in this space or which age group the architect wants to
target the most.
For example- if an architect is designing an old age home then he must keep
in mind that what senior citizens will like the most, open spaces, greenery, barrier free
architecture and if the architect is designing for kids then he/ she must use different colours,
cartoons to make the space interesting for the kids.

 SEX-
Sex determines how male, and female use the space both have different approach for space
and they utilize it in different ways for example the requirements of a women in a house will
be storage and the requirements of men will be comfort after they are coming back from a
long day from work, hence the definition of space changes when we segregate them in
terms of male and female.

 PROFESSION-
Profession is one of the important and personal factors of designing a space, a person’s
profession speaks a lot about him/ her. By considering the profession architect must design
the space so that it compliments their work environment.
For example- if an architect is designing an office for engineers then he won’t give graffiti
walls in their office but rather go with minimalistic and professional approach by using
simple colour palette.

6. How do you identify that what Architectural service should be given to a Client?

With varied experiences and unique knowledge, architects have the opportunity to provide
valuable services for clients in addition to the basics. While making sure we are building a
strong foundation by executing well on the basic services, additional services will enable you
to provide your clients with the perfect level of service.

 BASIC SERVICES
Basic services are what the architect needs to do for every design. These services are
considered basic, because an owner should expect each of these to be included in a standard
contract. Many of these services have been covered by us as Design Phases so we are just
providing a basic overview here. Basic services typically include the following:
1. Programming-
In programming, the scope of work to be designed is determined. No actual design is being
developed at this point. We will mainly ask our client questions to gain an understanding of
their problems, wants, and needs. This is also where the research and decision-making
process happens. This service is mainly a consulting job, but we should have a list of the
clients wants and needs by the end.
2. Schematic Design-
Here the basic form of the building is developed. There will be a lot of sketching vs. formal
drawings. Generally, the floor plans, site plans and building elevations are developed. This
will give us a complete description of the building systems (structural, mechanical, HVAC,
plumbing and electrical), interior and exterior finishes and the building site.
3. Design Development-
After the basic idea, we begin to refine them. Specific materials in this phase and evaluating
them for beauty, durability, and price will be then looked after. This is when our client will be
selecting the materials for countertops or shower tile. We should have the full design by now.
4. Construction Documents-
During this phase we will be providing a product: two complete sets of drawings. The
construction documents will fill in all the details and include every element of the design.
5. Construction Administration-
Construction Administration typically involves the architect acting as the owner’s
representative during construction. Size visits, materials testing, and inspections make sure
that the contractor is building as specified and isn’t cutting any corners.
These is some debate if this is considered a basic or additional service. More times than not,
architects will include this as part of their basic services. Owners should check with the
architect if they include this as a basic service. Architects should decide if they want to
include it or not. If the architect an owner selects doesn’t offer this as a basic service, it is in
the owner’s best interests to request it as an additional service. Most owners don’t have the
experience to be their own advocate during construction. An architect can help guide and
advise the owner to a successful project completion.

 ADDITIONAL SERVICES
Additional services are services that are not required to include under a basic contract. The
more additional services can be offered, the better we can assist our clients. Additional
services also have the benefit of being extra revenue.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the additional services might be provided, but it
does give a pretty good start on creating our list of additional services.

1. Alternative Project Delivery Selection-

Most of the time, the two project delivery methods that will work the best are either design-
bid-build or design-build. They are the standard delivery methods and owners, architects, and
contractors know them best. However, sometimes an alternative project delivery would best
serve a project. Maybe the owners need to follow an aggressive schedule, or they need to
minimize change orders as much as possible.
Whatever the case, an architect will know a wide array of different project delivery methods
and they can help pick the right one for the project. The selection of a project delivery
method should be the responsibility of the owner, so asking an architect to help would be an
additional service that the architect could provide. As such, an additional fee would be
included.
2. Record Drawings-
Every property owner of existing buildings should have a set of drawings that record the
building as it currently stands. These are helpful for future development of the building and
typically architects need them to start work on a project. For many reasons, the owner could
lose track of these drawings. If this is the case, they will need to hire an architect to redo
them.
Record drawings are not as-built drawings. As-built drawings are defined in the Architect’s
Handbook of Professional Practice as drawings completed by the contractor to document any
changes made to the original design during construction. As-built drawings should show the
changes made in red ink.
While the two terms were used by architects somewhat interchangeably, it is no longer
recommended that architects use the term as built. The term as built brings with it liability
that architects want to avoid. Because architects create record drawings using information
provided by the contractor, they cannot be verified by the architect and there will be no
liability issues for the architect.
3. Sustainable Design-
With the increasing focus on environmental concerns, clients are more frequently asking their
architects for sustainable design services. Sustainable design services that an architect might
offer could include analysing materials’ impact on health, design for well-being, energy
analysis, ventilation and computational fluid dynamics, carbon accounting, project
sustainability assessment, e.g., LEED, BREAM, WELL, and workshop facilitation. These
services are not offered by every architect, so any architect who does offer them should
collect additional fees for this additional service.
4. Urban Design-
In urban settings how the buildings and structures work together to create an enjoyable
environment is just as important as the design of the individual buildings. Urban design
extends past the design of a single building to focus on groups of buildings, public spaces,
transport systems, services, and amenities. As it includes components of architecture,
landscape architecture, and city planning, many architects will need to bring on external
consultants with expertise in these urban fields. While the scope expands, the architectural
contract can grow to match the needs and build a much more holistic project.
5. Project Management-
This would include any services that the owner doesn’t feel capable of dealing with on their
own. This could be the selection of various materials or any coordination with other involved
parties.
If an architect is asked to include project management as an add on service, it would typically
be included under an hourly rate. Neither the owner nor the architect has a clear idea how this
service will look during the project, so an hourly rate versus a flat fee covers both the owner
and the architect no matter what arises.
6. 3D Renderings-
Thanks to modern design software, architects can now render 3D models of designs. This
gives the owner a clear feel for how their building will look. It can also be used as
promotional material to gain support for the project. Many times, architects will put together
a short film showing a camera moving through the 3D rendering of the project. While basic
services would include the design drawings, 3D images are not typically included as a basic
service because of the extra cost and time to produce them.
Most clients only care about the deliverable of a beautiful, legible image and not your process
for deriving said image. Outsourcing the rendering services to other firms is a common
source of revenue for architects.

7. How to analyse that what amount of time should be taken by the firm to provide the
Architectural services to the client?
Ans. Every client is important, and what is more important is to respect the fact that everyone
is seeking for the best design and to achieve that firm should provide proper time with
everyone, though not every meeting or project requires the same amount of time. The time
frame may differ for various projects depending on the capacity of the client and the type of
the project they want the firm or architect to do.

8. What is the role of Client in shaping architectural services? What do you

understand by it?

The client’s role is at the core of the architectural or interior design process. Everything the
architect does is to achieve the vision established with the client. The client knows they want
a new building, a remodelled home, an interior improvement, etc. But the client may not
know exactly what their need entails, or they may lack a fully developed vision.

An experienced architect empowers the client with the correct advice to make important
decisions during every step of the process. Architects can sometimes assume that clients have
a better understanding of the design and construction process as well as their role and
responsibilities in the process then they really do. This can lead to frustration and
misinterpretations when the client does not perform the role(s) that the architect expects.

We try to help our clients to fully understand the terms of the Client/ Architect Agreement
including design and construction phases as well as general conditions and specifications.
While a lack of knowledge does not relieve the client of contractual obligations, it may lead
to unnecessary misunderstandings and conflicts. Architect is a "client’s consultant" whose
role is to provide design services and assist the client in securing from the contractor a project
that is generally in conformity with the architect’s design concept and specifications.