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The Development of a Policy on Architecture for Scotland: Report on the Public Consultation

8.0 THE DESIGN AND THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

8.1 The many changes currently affecting the construction industry as a consequence of initiatives emerging from the Egan report⁴ and the shift away from traditional procurement methods were the subject of much comment by respondents both in the written responses and at the public meetings. Whilst respondents saw these changes as presenting opportunities for more efficient construction, there was also considerable concern that the changes presented a threat to the realisation of design quality and good architecture. A common theme in respondents’ comments was that development and investment decisions were still being primarily driven by the objective of achieving lowest capital costs rather than by more qualitative financial measures such as whole life costs or best value.

8.2 Whilst respondents expressed concern over many of the changes affecting the industry, there was also an acknowledgement that the more traditional forms of procurement had not always delivered an acceptable level of service to clients in terms of quality, programme and cost control. Respondents noted that the traditional procurement methods tended to foster a confrontational and adversarial approach to contract matters. Many respondents welcomed the recognition given in the new approaches to procurement to the multi-disciplinary nature of construction and the need for a partnership approach. Respondents suggested that it was incumbent on architects to engage with the more positive aspects of the changes affecting the industry and to re-assert the primacy of design in construction.

8.3 The adoption of PFI/PPP as the preferred method of procurement for public sector work was the subject of much adverse comment by respondents. Respondents’ overriding concern was that PFI/PPP, as implemented, did not adequately recognise the role of design and did not provide an appropriate framework in which good design can flourish. Respondents suggested that PFI/PPP contractual arrangements resulted in the dislocation of the relationship between design team and client and in the consequent marginalisation of the design team. It was felt that the relationship between design team and client was important both for the proper development of the brief and the exploration of design solutions. Respondents felt that PFI/PPP tended to encourage a conservative, low-risk and standardised approach to design which resulted in bland buildings with poor functionality and of little architectural merit. Respondents were also concerned that PFI/PPP tended to restrict the delivery of built facilities to a limited number of single point suppliers which, it was suggested, was detrimental to design variety and innovation. A number of respondents pointed out that the legal complexities and high costs of preparing a submission for PFI/PPP work meant that opportunities were restricted to a small number of design practices with the resources necessary to underwrite the risks involved. A small number of respondents, typically those with direct experience of working on PFI/PPP projects, were less critical and suggested that there were many positive aspects of PFI/PPP as a procurement route. The majority of respondents, however, were of the view that there was limited evidence that PFI/PPP produced buildings of an acceptable design standard.

8.4 A great many respondents commented on the fee levels available to design consultants and the adverse effect that low fees and fee bidding can have on design quality. Respondents pointed out that design fees represent a small proportion of the total cost of a building over its lifetime and that the minimisation of fee expenditure at the outset was unlikely to be cost effective over the longer term. Respondents noted that any reduction in fee levels simply meant that there had to be a corresponding reduction in the time available for design and for research and evaluation. Respondents suggested that the selection of consultants should be based on quality criteria and not solely on fee bids.

8.5 Many respondents emphasised the key role of the client in the production of good architecture. Respondents believed that it was important that clients had a clear vision as to what should be achieved through design and were committed to a creative dialogue with the architect and design team during brief development. Respondents suggested that potential users of the building should, wherever possible, also be involved in the briefing process. In similar vein, it was also suggested that if the wider interests of the community could be taken into account during design development, then this would help create more stakeholders in the built environment. Several respondents pointed to the Scottish Arts Council’s approach to Lottery funded capital projects where quality of architecture and design played a major part in funding decisions. It was suggested that this commitment to quality had produced several outstanding buildings in recent years.

8.6 Several respondents commented upon the vital contribution that the building industry makes to the production of good architecture. It was suggested that ways should be sought to make entry into the industry a more attractive career option and to give the processes and activities of construction a higher job status. One respondent called for the building industry to develop a more inclusive approach to employment and remove barriers to access for women, racial minorities and disabled people. Respondents suggested that there was a need for improved training within the industry with apprenticeships and ongoing training in new techniques. Some respondents were concerned about declining craft and trade skills. In particular, respondents felt that the loss of traditional skills in rural areas was having a detrimental effect on the appearance and quality of many buildings.

8.7 A number of respondents pointed out that much of the built environment is produced with very little professional design input. Respondents were particularly critical of speculative housing by the volume house-builders and commercial developments on the edge of urban areas in this respect. Other respondents expressed concern over the lack of professional design involvement in the small-scale projects that made up the bulk of development. Several respondents suggested that it should be mandatory to involve a design professional in all projects above a certain threshold cost.

8.8 One respondent felt that the framework document made evident the conflict between the process of architecture as a cultural activity and the process of building as an economic activity. One other respondent suggested that the framework document tended to overvalue the social, cultural and environmental aspects of architecture and to undervalue the functional, physical and economic aspects of construction.

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