EDITORIAL

Recently there has been much concern over the announced amendments to the new Planning and Development Bill. These amendments allow draughtsmen to continue to work on single dwelling houses and also allow them to work on duplexes up to ten apartments. However, Architects maintain that anything over two units would be over 5000 sq feet and therefore considered commercial and should fall under the speciality of Architects and not draughtsmen. However, it is being proposed that these amendments are necessary to “allow draughtsmen to continue to maintain their way of life”. Architects have a myriad of roles and are considered the backbone of any construction project. Their responsibilities span from formulating a lasting safe structural design, to carving out an utterly aesthetic look and all the tasks in between. It is these tasks, that the average person may not be aware fall under the ambit of these professionals. These include but are certainly not limited to the following: Avoiding possible safety hazards through specifying appropriate materials and designs, and adequate illumination. Specifying hardware for emergency doors and escape routes, fire barriers and enclosures for protection of the structure against fire and or to compartmentalise and isolate it from other areas. Designing buildings in such a way as to avoid structural damage due to vibrations from passing ground and air traffic.

Architects are also responsible for working with Mechanical, Electrical, Civil and Structural Engineers to ensure that sprinkle systems, electrical disconnection devices, storm and sanitary drainage are adequately provided for and to ensure that their calculation for structural design allows for all loads to prevent structural collapse. It therefore would be remiss not to stress that when an architect designs a building it is well thought out and constructed using the most appropriate materials. Architects are able to carry out all of these roles effectively due to their extensive training. To become an Architect a five-year degree must be completed followed by a three-year internship as a trainee architect. After which a three-part exam must be completed and passed in order to qualify. Once practicing, like many other Barbadian professionals they are required to pay a yearly professional fee to the Registry of BDS$1250 and in addition, all Architects are required to carry indemnity insurance.

While draughtsmen can be proficient in technical and material designs, dimensions and procedures, they generally work under the supervision or in conjunction with Architects. Those that are trained in technical drawing and construction will produce drawings that work, but may not have the creativity and ingenuity that an Architect is trained to produce. Architects, like many other professional such as Doctors, Lawyers and Accountants are held to high standards by the board that governs them, The Architects Registration Board. It is important to point out at this time that draughtsman do not have any such governing board to answer to. Architects in fact, are held to such high standards, that they have been charged with manslaughter when buildings collapse and they have been found to be derelict in their duties. There is an incredible amount of legal responsibility placed on their shoulders! Therefore lets give our Architects the respect and credit they deserve. With the slump in Construction, and the paucity of demand in Barbados for buildings over ten apartments which is what this new ‘proposed amended’ bill has now left for our Architects to do, we need to reconsider the integral role that they play and the peace of mind we are left with when a building is designed by them. The financial investment they have put in as well as the burden of care placed on their shoulders cannot go unrecognised. Architects, also have a life to maintain! A career that they have heavily invested in and paid dearly to maintain!