Architecture is a blend of both Arts and Sciences. In a broader aspect architectural scope is designing any kind of building, infrastructure, or landscape of anything that is part of the built environment. It’s not just like a painting in which we can make anything but in architecture, as it has to be built physically, whatever you think should be innovative but practical.
Architecture in Lahore is a field that has to merge the built environment with the existing (Natural environment) so this field requires a lot of effort, commitment, and dedication as we know it is different than any engineering field as something new has to be built but with respecting the existing.
- 1. Architectural Perception and imagination
- Architect perceives and visualize in imagination, so an architect should have a very strong skill of imagination. This skill is generated in universities and polished in the field after that a good architect can see the building, its design, impact, and feel and can enjoy the building even before its construction.
- 2. Qualification required to become an Architects
Architecture is a 5 years degree program after FSC pre-engineering. In 1st year of architecture, students are prepared to establish basic understandings and to understand what architecture is actually. Many people think you need to have very good drawings if you want to become an architect which is wrong. Architecture is different it requires strong imaginations and technicalities to become a good architect. - 3. Difference between an Architect and a Draughtsman
An architect is a person who is qualified as discussed above after that he or she can design, few diplomas in this field make draughtsmen, they are prepared to work under the instructions of an architect mainly because they are taught the usage of software which are used in architectural field .they cannot design independently but unfortunately in our country, many draughtsmen are working as architects who are not able but also not even allowed legally - 4. Architect and civil engineer
- An architect is a person who designs the building discusses the requirements with the client and requirements of the space where the building is to be built and engineers who work under the instructions of the architect and add technicalities in it to make it practical. A civil engineer cannot design any building, a structure engineer is supposed to design only the structure of the building or can design some structures that don’t have any other function than structures like dams or bridges, etc.
- 5. How to select and architect
- The selection of an architect is very important, especially for architects in Pakistan. Many people think they have to find the best architect in Pakistan to design their building or design their house but the reality is in architecture the issue is not the skill yes it can be if the person is not capable of but we are not discussing the exceptions every architect knows basic buildings and can design where the issue comes is we as a nation are not sincere towards ourselves towards our profession so what we need to find is to find a sincere architect instead of the best architect. No one is best and anyone can be best depends upon the dedication and commitment. Many people ask this question about the selection of an architect. The only very brief answer is to get the architect who works for himself and enjoys working, he will guide you to the right track architect is not to be hired to follow your instructions, he is hired to give you the right instructions as he should have more knowledge and experience than you many people ask about draughtsman but the main difference is they work according to your instructions every you are right or wrong but the architect is a leader in the project he will save you a lot from your pain and loss.
- 6. Charges of an architect
This is the most commonly asked question many people even do not ask or discuss architects’ quality of work they are more interested to know the charges of the architect but as a professional and being experience in this field we have seen many clients trying to save some thousand and destroying many lakhs as a good architect should give you many time more cost saving and benefits what he charge, it is a creative field, it takes time to design if you want to have your maximum satisfaction then architect should be paid well because it is a field of services and architect should be the person who should always try to save your money wastage of space, wastage of time which will give you benefits more than you can think and most importantly he will add many times more value to your building.
Money should be saved but where it is important never should be saved where your large amount is at risk after this saving.
Normally architects charge in 3 ways
Per square feet
Lump sum
Percentage of total cost
It depends upon the services and type of building, we cannot standardize the charges as it is like a fee of a doctor every doctor is charged differently it also varies according to the scale of the project here we again take a residential building a house of 1 kanal as a reference