1) QUALITY OF ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND OF CONSTRUCTION PROCESS !

!-

Focus on relation between : design process, construction process.

Every decision influences the life of the building. QUALITY IS THE KEYWORD.

1. CONTENTS:!
- quality between fragmentation/segmentation!
- opportunities/weaknesses of regulation scenario !
- quality of a system !
- quality and adduction for architectural design

2. HYPOTHESIS: !
- Quality in construction process -> subject to multiplicity of points of view/interpretations
(fragmentation into many qualities) !
- Fragmentation associated with strong methodological apparatus/instrument tends to
risk of partial approach (not considering the overall objective of one quality!
- Fragmentation can be overcome with defined strategy from earliest moment of
construction process !
- Quality plays a central role in the recomposition of construction process -> ensure
effectiveness of the role of the process !

!
The objective of the design should be the integration of all aspects of quality. !
!

QUALITY: degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements. !

Conformity = fulfillment of a requirement!
Requirement = need or expectation that is stated, generally implied or
obligatory.
It can be generated by different parties, such as:!
- CLIENTS!
- USERS !
- LENDERS, FINANCING ORGANIZATIONS!
- MANUFACTURERS!
- SOCIETY!

!
!

The organization of people interested in the process may have conflictual interests.!
-> The construction process needs to recognize and manage potential conflicts.!
WHICH QUALITY? !
BUILDING QUALITY: set of properties and characteristics of the building (or its parts) that
give the ability to meet, through performance, expressed or implied needs.
Divided into:!
- FUNCTIONAL & SPATIAL Q. !
- ENVIRONMENTAL Q. !
- TECHNOLOGICAL Q.!
- OPERATIONAL Q. !
- Q. OVER TIME (DURABILITY) !
- Q. IN MAINTENANCE
(risk of focusing only on some specific q.)

 QUALITY between FRAGMENTATION and SEGMENTATION!

DEMAND!

OFFER

CLIENT

MANUFACTURING

USERS

CONSTRUCTION

STAKEHOLDERS

OPERATION

STANDARD LAWS, REGULATIONS -> NEEDS + DESIGN + PERFORMANCE -> QUALITY!

[social-sphere / eco-sphere / techno-sphere]!

It is important for the design to consider the CONTEXT: environment, society, regulation. !

QUALITY AND DESIGN

If not addressed in a unified way, the many qualities of the process can generate a
centrifugal effect with respect to the centrality of the design.
-> in order to achieve this, the design should look at a strict UNITARY
EXPRESSION of the different variables of qualities that is able to provide a map of
the overall expected quality. !
- Brief (PDD) = Document before the design phase of the construction process,
especially the basic design, that defines functions, needs, requirements,
acceptance criteria, available resources, business environment and anything else
necessary to enable the design itself.
REFERENCE STANDARDS: !
- MANDATORY (viscogendi) : REGULATIONS (D. Lgs 163/06, DPR 207/10, CEE 59/106) !
- VOLUNTARY (visdirectiva) : STANDARD (ISO 9001)!

LEVELS OF DESIGN!
1. Basic Design (preliminare)!
2. Front and Design (definitiva)!
3. Detailed Design (esecutiva)

in order to ensure!
A. the quality of the work and its responsiveness to the purpose!
B. compliance with environmental standards and planning !
C. compliance with essential requirements laid down by national and EU
regulatory framework

QUALITY OF DESIGN AND PROCESS!

- refer to management strategies of construction process able to coordinate
and embrace the different contributions to qualities!
- internal consistency and continuity of the contents of the project deliverables!
- simplified use of assessment tools to show at different levels of design the
expected quality!
- use of verification activities

2) CONSTRUCTION PROCESS AND ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

CONSTRUCTION PROCESS (UNI 10838/99):

sequence of organized phases that, starting from the detection of the needs of the
client/users of a building, leads to meet them through the design, production,
construction and management of the asset.!
!
- can be referred to construction/renovation of existing buildings!
!
- the objective is to satisfy the needs!

PROCESS: set of interrelated / interacting activities which transforms INPUT into

OUTPUT
!
!
INPUT
transformation
OUTPUT
!
!
(*)
!
Outputs:!
information
->
manufactural !
!
- are the input in another process!
products
!
!
- have a greater value of inputs !
!
!
(economics, performance, !!
materials
->
buildings
!
!
information)!
resources

->

services

knowledge

->

projects

!
!
!

(*) a process where the conformity of the resulting product cannot be (readily?) or
economically verified is referred to as a special process.!

CONSTRUCTION PROCESS & USERS NEEDS!

- the objective of the construction process is to satisfy the users needs.!
- NEEDS express what is required for the purposes of a situation or activity and
express also a technological function.!

- understanding the NEEDS is the starting point of the Construction Process.

BUILDING SYSTEM (UNI 10838) : structured set of spatial elements and technical
elements (internal / external) relevant to the building and characterized by their
functions and mutual relations.

BUILDING SYSTEM (ASTM E631): collection of equipment, facilities and software

designated to perform a specific function.

- Our approach -> Building = space + technical elements!

- USA approach -> Building = set of equipment!

 PHASES OF PROCESS!
- FUNCTIONALLY INDEPENDENT!
- CARRIED OUT BY DIFFERENT ENTITIES / AGENTS
Such as:!
- planning and development!
- design!
- design approval!
- tender / bid / chance of contractor!
- fabrication / construction!
- final test / commissioning !
- observator / maintenance!
- rehabilitation

CONSTRUCTION PROCESS CHARACTERIZED BY !

- close relationship with ENVIRONMENT !
- need to acquire LAND (facility of contractor & customer owned) !
- heavy / expensive / durable result!
- MTO with uncertain relationships!

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
It is different from product industry for many reasons:!
1) related to ENVIRONMENT -> provoking changes!
2) related to ECONOMIC CONTEXT!
3) related to SITE -> earth excavations, passages, !
4) contractor is not the OWNER: in building industry the land belongs to the client
and its given to the contractor as a temporary facility
-> it is customer owned!
5) heavy, expensive, durable RESULT!
6) long and expensive + PULLED = ON DEMAND -> before you buy and then you
produce!
7) different of organization because it is a multi-temporary organization (MTO) and
there isnt one subject that carries on the entire process.
-> this is one of the most critical aspects

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY INVESTMENTS!

- CAPEX = capital expenditures (investments)!
- OPEX = operational expenditures!

2007-2012 -> CAPEX decreasing while OPEX increasing!

!
!
!
Municipality of Bologna:!
!
Cucinella was payed by the contractor, the municipality wants the building. In this
!
way CAPEX are less!

CONSTRUCTION PROCESS!
- includes aggregation of material elements and intangibles !
4

- it is controlled by rules (procedures, standards, an agreement among participants)!

- procedural role for contractor!

CONSTRUCTION PROCESS (ISO standard) = process which transforms

construction resources into contraction results
-> this definition is too limitative as if does not consider NEEDS

For years QUALITY was tested only for the final product so it was only final quality.
The same for TIME and COST which were only referred to the construction phase
without taking into account DESIGN/PROCESS and also lifecycle sustainability

PROCESS OWNER
-> MTO:!
in different phases:!
- PLANNING!
- DESIGN!
- TENDER BID CONTRACTION!
- EXECUTION!
- COMMISSIONING !
- OPERATION / MAINTENANCE!
different
operators:!

- CLIENT!
- ARCHITECT!
- CLIENT!
- CONTRACTOR!
- CLIENT!
- CLIENT / USERS!

MTO!
RANDOM LEADER. For two reasons: !

1. Every stage has a different leader!

2. Often the client (leader for excellence) is not a
professional of the construction industry!
Organization of organizations!
difficulty of harmonizing personal objectives (of participants) with common
objectives!
inability to grow for self learning processes!

RISKS IN CONSTRUCTION PROCESS!

- increase in construction costs!
- delay in completion of marks!
- risk in maintenance !
- risk of increases in operation costs!
- performance risk!

THE CONVENTIONAL BUILDING PROCESS!

- fragmented possibilities between operators!
- operators involved in sequence!
- contract between client and a general contractor!
5

3) PROJECT MANAGEMENT!

!
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CLIENT & ARCHITECT!
!

MANAGEMENT OF THE NETWORK IN THE BUILDING PROCESS

Need for a coordinator: Project manager!

- promotes verification of technical feasibility, economic and administrative

-

intervention!
drawing the guideline for intervention -> brief document!
identify the persons to carry out the design process!
coordinates the activities of design and the design verification !
coordinates the activities of work direction!
identifies the person to carry out the supervision of work !
supports the activities of supervision and safety coordination during construction
marks !
manages the payment of fees and the definition of penalties !
takes over the commissioned work !

CONSTRUCTION PROCESS: CRITICALITIES

Possibility of occurrence of the risk of increasing of the construction cost and having a
delay in the construction schedule.

CLASSE DI SCOSTAMENTO!
(%)

INCREASE OF CONSTR. COST!

(%)!

DELAY IN SCHEDULE!
(%)

NONE ( 0)

25%

23%

LOW (> 0 > 5%)

30%

2%

MODERATE ( 5% < 20%)

33%

9%

HIGH ( 20%)

12%

66%

Usually only 25% of construction sites (public work) respects these design. (???)!

MANAGEMENT MODELS !
1. DESIGN - BID - BUILD = most prevalent system, straightforward approach. An
owner engages an architectural / engineering firm to produce a set of plans,
specifications and project requirements. These documents (bid documents) are
distributed to a selected list of contractors that will submit their price to complete
the works.
OWNER -> ARCH / ENG -> CONTRACTORS!
2. DESIGN / BUILD = increasing in both private / public sector. Both activities of
building and design are placed on a single firm: DESIGN BUILDER. These can
be created in different ways, for example when a contractor employes architects
or engineers on staff to provide full service organization of when contractors and
architectural firms form a .. (subcontractor hiring),
OWNER -> DESIGN BUILDER

3. CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT APPROACH (CMAA) = opposite to the

hiring a contractor that delivers a product (building). it is a project delivery
system where the CM is the owners agent of acts. This CM provides the owner
with sufficient professional office and field staff to complete the construction
project.
In this situation an owner has experienced construction professionals on staff to
handle the upcoming construction project. The service is provided during design
stage, construction stage or both. CM is responsible exclusively to the owner and
acts in owners interest. CM acts as a consultant to the owner in design and
construction phase.
OWNER - > CM:!
!
-> consultant!
!
-> professional office!
!
-> staff!
!
-> design / construction process!
!
-> response to owner

4. FAST-TRACK APPROACH = it consists on assigning priority to the development

of some specific drawings and accompanying specifications that will allow for
ordering those essential components early on instead of waiting for the normal
progression of design development.
Construction starts before the design is completed, so that timing is largely
reduced, even though it is costly.

DESIGN MANAGEMENT
Once the client has to proceed with the process, he has to go on with the design
process. There are a number of standards. !
- clear definition of basic data requirements !
- unitary vision of the design process!
- breakdown of design process (3 stages) !
- definition go the minimum content for each stage of the project !
- moment of verification provided in the various phases!

MANAGING THE PROCESS

The design has as its fundamental goal the creation of a construction work with good
quality and technically valid, in accordance with the best ratio between benefits and
overall cost of construction, maintenance and operation. !

DESIGN MANAGEMENT (DPR 207/2010)

DESIGN PRINCIPLES:!
minimization on the use of non-renewable resources and materials!
maximize the use of renewable resources!
maximum maintainability!
durability of materials & components!
easy substitution of the elements!
compatibility of materials!

difficult for
architects that
are not aware of
manufacturing
processes.

- chance to easily verify the performance of the building during time!

- designer has an obligation of results!
!

DESIGN PHASES!

1. BASIC DESIGN = defines the expected quality and the functional characteristics each level
of the building.
has a wellObjective: cost estimate in order to proceed with annual planning!
defined
2. FRONT-END DESIGN = identifies the work to be carried out fully in accordance
goal!
with requirements, criteria, constraints, directions, established in the BD + includes - codified
structure of
elements required for the issuance of required permits and approaches.
information
Objective: conceal.!
content!
3. DETAILED DESIGN = draw up with conformity with B, FED, defines detail of the
- continuity
building to be built and the last involved and should develop level of detail to allow
and
the construction element to be identified in terms of form, type, quality, size, price!
coherence

THE ROLE OF THE ARCHITECT

There are specific documents which are describing what is the architect in charge of,
they are different in each country. these are useful mainly for the clients to
understand what to ask.
In general:!
- analyze + assume the brief !
- develop the design in the agreed levels (BD, FED, DD) !
- assist client in the preparation of tender documents!
- assist client in the evaluation and selection of contractors!
- assist the manufacturer in the preparation of drawing issued for construction

BRIEF / BRIEFING
document / process!
- identifying and analyzing needs, aims, constraints of clients and relevant parties!
- formulating any resulting problems that the designer is required to solve!

- Example of general requirements, design of schools for children and infants

ISSUES:!
1. Users!
2. Functions of users!
3. Safety criteria !
4. Security!
5. Sustainable design!
SPACE UNITS:!
6. Food-area!
7. Toilets!
8. Supervision!
9. Activity Room!
10. Preschool considerations!
8

4) BRIEF DOCUMENT!
In order to start a design, you need: !
- OBJECTIVES for the client!
- CONSTRAINTS!
- RESOURCES provided by the client!
These aspects should be documented and transmitted in a standard and clear way.

REFERENCES

NATIONAL

INTERNATIONAL

MANDATORY

DPR 270/2010

ISO 9699

VOLUNTARY

UNI 107 22

BS 770

BRIEFING : Process of!

- IDENTIFYING needs / aim / constraints!
- FORMULATING any resulting problems that the designer is
required to solve!
BRIEF
(ISO
9699)
: working document which specifies at any point in true, the

relevant needs and aims, resources of the client and user, the context of the project
and any appropriate design requirements in which all subsequent briefing (when
needed) and designing can take place

ISO STANDARDS FOR BRIEFING !

- ANNEX A: PROJECT IDENTIFICATION:!
- identity !
- purpose!
- scope!
- identity of users and others!
- ANNEX B: CONTEXT, AIM, RESOURCES:!
- project management!
- laws, standards, code!
- financial & time constraints!
- background & historical information!
- clients future!
- ANNEX C: DESIGN & PERFORMANCE:!
- site & surroundings!
- building as a wholesale!
- grouping of spaces (which are the space units)!
- spaces in detail !
- plants, equipment, furnishing!

DPR 270/2010 (italian decree in force of law procurement)!

PROJECT MANAGER is responsible for the preparation of the brief, makes the
necessary review and verification on the contents of the design deliverables in order to
check the compliance with current location, with financial resources and with the
requirements expressed by the brief. !
9

-> BRIEF (according to DPR 270/2010)!

- initial situation !
- general objectives & strategies !
- needs & requirements !
- rules & technical standards !
- constraints of law (relating to context) !
- functions to be performed!
- technical requirements!
- activities & environmental units !
- design phases to be developed !
- levels of design and drawing & physical prescriptions to be written!
- financial limits!

-> BRIEF CONTENTS (UNI 10722-2) :!

Quality of building project - the program should include the different meanings of such
quality.!
a) quality compared to the end user of the work, resulting from its needs and
constraints of use!
b) quality compared to clients and project managers work, both from a
technical and loss over building cycle!
c) quality compared to the community under the terms of environmental
integration and utilization of resources!
d) quality compared to the chain of operation inside the implementation
process, starting from the design phase!

!
!

5) DESIGN FOR MAINTENANCE!

MAINTENANCE : it is a combination of technical, administrative and managerial
actions, aimed to assure quality of the construction over time.

MAINTAINABILITY : is defined as the ability of an item to be maintained, it is a

requirement. It is the ratio between

RATIO:

!
!
!

QUALITY OF MAINTENANCE

EMPLOYED RESOURCES

ORGANIZATION FACTORS!

affected by

PROJECT FACTORS

10

6) ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS: !

SPACE UNITS AND FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS!

!
Flow diagram:!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!

- In the basic design there is more chance for the

client to control the project!

- If the design is more detailed it is easier for the

client to understand !

- The more and more the detailed design is left to

the contractor

FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Classes:!

!
!
!
!
!
!
!

- SAFETY : mechanical (load), fire, safety in use (intrusion, shocks) !

- WELL-BEING : acoustic, thermal, sight, olfactory!
- SERVICEABILITY!

11

 PERFORMANCE BASED BUILDING DESIGN!

1. PERFORMANCE APPROACH is thinking and working in terms of ends rather
than means.!
2. PERFORMANCE is concerned with what a building/product is required to do and
not with prescribing how it is to be constructed.
-> The main difference between PBB and (generally) traditional practice
therefore is that with PBB the requirements are all posed in terms of
performance in use instead of required and therefore prescribed solutions that
are assumed to adhere to the posed needs, based on practical experience. This
means that solutions are provided for by the supplier, together with the design
team, manufacturer and they will have to include the estimated performance of
that solution in response to requirement. !
3. A design solution, traditional or novel will always need a quantitative base for
testing and evaluation of its performance. !

GOAL, OBJECTIVE!

!
FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT!
!
PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENT!
!
PERFORMANCE / RISK LEVEL!
!
CRITERIA!
!
VERIFICATION

12