AT1A: De ning the Project

Weight - 10%

Due – 4:00pm Monday 11th March (Week 4)

Assessment Overview

For this task, you will be assuming the role of a recently registered architect looking to
start a new practice in Sydney. The scenario will unfold over the course of semester and
require incremental submissions at key moments. All pieces of documentation that you
submit for the Assessment must be themed to originate from your hypothetical practice
and contain the necessary information to demonstrate your understanding of the
expectations placed on registered practitioners, the nature of formal communications,
and the proper addressing of letters to clients and others. The presentation of
documentation and the quality of your written communications form part of the
assessable material for this subject.

Scenario Overview

Four years after leaving university you have obtained your professional registration after
gaining experience at a large-sized rm across a wide range of projects. In the lead up to
registration, you have been strongly considering starting your own practice. This has
included some serious investigations into premises, insurance and the like. You have even
submitted two anonymous competition entries. No luck so far.

All of that is set to change.

The Prospect

Out of the blue you receive a phone call from your friend Charlie Indecision. You and
Charlie have known each other for many years, but this call isn't social in nature. Charlie
has inherited an inner-city property from their beloved Uncle Frugal.

Charlie has a twin sibling Quinn and Frugal has elected to allocate the property to both of
them equally. Frugal's passing is sad news, but the possibilities a orded by this property
could be amazing. Luckily, you've known both of them for many years.

The twins have been debating what to do for some time before calling you. An immediate
sale could be valuable but uncle Frugal was famous for his parsimony - especially in
matters of property maintenance. Sold tomorrow, the windfall would be modest.

Instead, the two have reached a consensus that improvements to the land are worthwhile.
In fact, they are curious whether sensible improvements might yield them a long-term
passive income rather than a quick windfall. This could o er some stability as they
establish their careers.
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Charlie has put your name forward to assist as they know you have completed a number
of modest yet highly skillful and impressive inner-city projects with your current employer
and that you are looking to establish your own practice.

This could be the opportunity you have been waiting for!

The Site

You make a time to meet the twins at their new property.

Arriving at the site, you are both impressed with the scale of the building and dismayed
with its state. It is an aging two storey shop with o ce space above, on a corner block in
the inner city. Centrally located, it would have once been a handsome commercial
property, but it has seen better days and is now surrounded by much higher
development. It presently appears to be set up entirely as low-grade o ce
accommodation. The ground oor was a retail shop, but a frosted lm has been applied
to the glass. An aging tile ceiling has been installed on both levels. The entire property is
now vacant. There is evidence of water damage to walls and ceilings, some of the lights
don't work and it seems like the building was last painted in the seventies. The location
must have served as a bank at some point in its life, because there is a walk-in safe on
the ground oor, its locking mechanism long-since removed.

Nevertheless, the location is an extremely hot part of the inner city. All around are small
bars, cool eateries and exciting new businesses. The strip has excellent public transport
via trams and busses.

The twins are certain that the right kind of premises would be eagerly occupied by a
range of di erent uses. Their dream is for a number of income-producing tenancies on
the site supplemented on the ground oor by either an incubator space for local
entrepreneurs or by an exciting food & beverage destination.

It is a signi cant brief that would be an incredible rst project to start your nascent
practice!

The Challenge

There are steps to take before you get there through.

The more you speak to the twins, the more it becomes clear that they are unsure what
they are allowed to do on the site, much less what they can a ord. They don’t even have
a survey so you can assess the land area! Charlie has some experience with matters of
actual building, but there is much more than this to the project and they will depend on
your guidance. Luckily you have prior experience negotiating good outcomes with the
City of Sydney, and some experience of making best use of modest amounts of space.

Heading back to your o ce after the meeting, your head is swimming.

You would love to sign the twins up immediately but there is simply not enough
information available to sensibly work out even a rough fee. They will need some help to
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 work out what they can do and what they can a ord rst. Maybe you can work together
to de ne the project. This will set you up to support the twins with a full engagement later
down the track.

This could be a dream project - nally launching your own practice. Or it could be a
nightmare. One thing is for certain: you will need to proceed carefully.

Deliverable

Prepare a 2-3 Page Letter provided advice on the next steps toward de ning the project
and submit to Canvas before 4:00pm on Monday 11 March 2023.

This document should include:

_ A brief appreciation of the task as well as any design opportunities you see.

_ A suggested pathway to de ne the project.

_ An outline of the speci c areas of investigation that will form part of this pathway.

_ A description of essential precursor items to be procured to enable your investigation.

_ A discussion of your status as a practitioner

_ A discussion of what fees might be applicable to your e ort.

_ Identi cation of relevant legal and professional requirements that establish your
capacity to undertake design services as an architect.

_ Engaging and professional graphical style

_ Clear, high-quality written expression.

Technical Requirements:

PDF Format - Optimized. Maximum 4MB per le.

Individual Submission.

Performance Criteria:

Students will be expected to demonstrate understanding of the following NCSA

performance criteria:

Understand the regulatory requirements and

obligations pertaining to practice as an
PC1
architect, including professional codes of
conduct and obligations for continuing
professional development and professional
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 Understand appropriate processes for clear
PC7 and consistent communication with clients
and relevant stakeholders throughout a
project, including obtaining approvals from
Understand the purpose of project feasibility
PC19 assessments, including research of site
constraints, opportunities and risks, and
methods of determining preliminary cost
Understand the purpose and process of
PC23 generating a return brief for approval by the
client and relevant stakeholders, including an
Rubric awareness of the implications of non-
11502 // AT1
11502 // AT1

Criteria Rati Pts

ngs
20 pts

30 pts

30 pts

20 pts

Total points: 100

This criterion is linked to a learning outcome

Judgement
Application of core professional knowledge to make
appropriate judgments in response to common
professional, contractual and construction scenarios
This criterion is linked to a learning outcome
Research
Demonstrated ability to source, synthesise and apply
appropriate knowledge and examples from multiple
sources relative to project speci c scenarios.
This criterion is linked to a learning outcome
Professional Context
Awareness of the architect's ethical, moral, legal and
professional roles and responsibilities that govern practice.
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