In the name of the architect

A student approached me one day and asked me how he can make sure that his client would never alter his design. I jokingly asked him in return if his design was worth preserving in the first place. He asked me to answer the question as if he were to be a great architect known throughout the world and whose works should be preserved. Anyway, he approached me at the very appropriate time --- when I was just stretching my arms and legs to take a break from my very, very busy day.

The design of the architect is protected by the Intellectual Property Rights Code of the Philippines (RA 8293). In fact, only the architectural profession has a special provision to protect the copyright of the architect’s design. Chapter VIII, Section 186 of RA 8293 states: “Work of Architecture. - Copyright in a work of architecture shall include the right to control the erection of any building which reproduces the whole or a substantial part of the work either in its original form or in any form recognizably derived from the original: Provided, That the copyright in any such work shall not include the right to control the reconstruction or rehabilitation in the same style as the original of a building to which that copyright relates.”

It would be awkward for an architect to display images of his projects on the walls of his office then be told by visitors that those designs have been changed. In principle, the client should consult the architect if he plans to make any alterations to the design. We all know this. But we also know that most clients don’t bother, and that there are a lot of architects who don’t mind as well. The general perception is that the law is so distant that it can’t change this reality. But if you really want to ensure that your design gets built according to plan and remains that way for eternity, there is something you can do. Your main contract should have an addendum to this effect. This brings the law closer to home. The client would feel more obliged to comply.

A copyright, however, only has a life of fifty years. This means that after 50 years your client can do whatever they want with your beloved structure. But this is where the laws become very interesting. A building that remains intact for fifty years is technically considered a heritage structure. If you get the National Historic Institute (NHI) to proclaim it as such then the client would find it difficult to alter. The structure would now be in an environmentally critical area (ECA) and would require an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) to alter or demolish.

What if you died before the fifty years expired. How can you make sure that the remaining years of your copyright over the structure is covered? Well, when you get your license to practice, aside from registering with BIR and DTI, you should also register with the Intellectual Property Rights Office. In doing so you will be required to specify where to transfer your rights over your works in case of death. In principle, your structure is covered, unless your assignee doesn’t give shit about your work.

What about a case when another architect copies your design, or most of it? Well, it’s another matter to tackle. If the other architect copies your design faithfully, then he’s in big trouble. If he altered a few things then it can be a bit complicated, especially if the copied design is for another client and another site.

Anyway, after telling all these to my student he simply scratched his head, shrugged his shoulders then talked about boxing.

The M Factor

We just hired two new architecture graduates in our office. The teacher in me moved me to sit down and plot out the training they should receive while working on our projects. Among the things they need to learn and experience is to supervise people. The simplest way for me to approach this is to tell them about the M Factor.... M for Maturity.

It's one of those things I learned in the many, many trainings and seminars I attended in the past. People's maturity in terms of their work attitude can be classed into four, depending on their capabilities and their interest in the task. These maturity levels are simply called M1, M2, M3, and M4. How you should treat a person depends on their maturity levels.

M4 people are considered to be matured. They are interested in their work and they are capable of carrying out their task, if not highly qualified. The best way to treat them, if they are under your supervision, is to let them be. Meddling would only hinder their efficiency. But you need to make sure that they are on track in terms of shared goals... Thus you only need to remind them about it in whatever way appropriate.

M3 people may be capable but they are not so interested in their work. They might have been forced by circumstance to fulfill the task. They need a lot of coaching... of encouragement... With a lot of patience, they can move on to become M4's.

M2 people, on the other hand, are very interested to fulfill a task although they are neither knowledgeable about it nor do they have the skills to fulfill it. For some there is that ardent desire to learn. For others there is that nostalgia of fulfilling a dream. On the practical sphere, one only needs to teach them the knowledge and skills they lack. Again, with patience, they can move on to become M4's.

M1 people are those who are neither interested on their work nor are they capable of carrying out their work for lack of skills, knowledge, or some other disabilities. They need to be coached. They need to be taught. The question is: when do we raise the white flag?

I very seldom give up on a person. I spur them on no matter what. Sometime, though, they themselves give up. Anyway, it's a case to case basis...

It is important of course to match assigned task to maturity levels. I always believe that there is always a task that M1's can do that can contribute to the team, even if it requires them to simply carry something or the like... Each one in the team should also acknowledge each one's maturity level, and respect each other.

This little lesson on the M Factor is applicable not only to the construction site. It has helped me even in my dealings with people in executive board rooms. Believe it or not, even the rich and powerful can sometimes be immature. I've also handled geniuses who showed immaturity to some extent. But there is a task to accomplish, and these people somehow find their way into your team.

There is then the need to assess each person's maturity level early on. It requires another set of skills to do so. Sometimes I engage them in a "diagnostic" conversation. Complicated personalities require a little more research. The bottom line is to know your men before you lead them.

I hope these two new hires would learn the tricks soon....

Out-Sourced

I always get asked by architects to recommend the best students in the graduating batch for them to hire. Perhaps it is because I'm in the academe and, therefore, would be familiar with the skills of the students. Recently I received a handful of requests. I decided to sit down and write the names of the noteworthy ones, and where they are now. This exercise revealed something very interesting.... I have heard that many architecture graduates went to call centers, but the good ones have also ended up in a similar venture... outsourcing.

Outsourcing is a very lucrative business. You only need to establish a contact abroad, then a computer at home with auto cad, and finally an internet connection so you can chat with your client about the project in real time. The clients pay in dollars and the outsourcing agents always charge a fee much, much lower than the client's hometown market rate.

Architecture graduates, and even full pledged architects, flock to outsourcing companies simply for the pay. The work has its own stress centers... particularly irregular time and the tendency to remain an auto cad encoder the rest of your life. If they're lucky, they might get assigned to a more "architectural" task like designing and supervising construction. The pay, though, is really good.

There are other reasons why they go to outsourcing centers. Some are not confident to practice, others simply want a hassle free work. Whatever the reason, the bottom line is the pay.

With people going to outsourcing companies, I now have a hard time getting good people for my practicing friends. It seems to me that even if all my architect friends would team up and give a chance for new graduates to shine they would eventually get frustrated. That is, of course, unless they match the salary. But here's where the weighing scale tips out of balance...

Outsourcing pays much for low level skills... computer drafting. Many of the people I know who works in outsourcing centers are not even proficient in auto cad when they entered. The architects, however, can not match the salary considering that the new hires would be inexperienced. They have to learn the tricks within the firm and their salary can only increase if they show that they are learning, and improving.

I have nothing against outsourcing centers. I even tried it for a month to see how it operates. And there are outsourcing centers who hire for a notch higher level of skills, like rendering. I just realized that it is getting more difficult to find people to train. The bright side of it is simply this... what is happening right now is a good way to determine who are really determined to practice architecture.

Buzz.... (re-post)

This is a repost of a blog I made in Friendster last January. The past few days I experimented on blogging my daily activities. When I decided to stop the experiment a friend personally asked me to post this blog in My Multiply... I really don't know the connection but what's the harm of posting it? So... here goes...
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BUZZZZ.....
No... it's not the latest gossip... it's the buzzing of the busy bee.
I just emailed a friend in Manila after more than a year of silence. Instead of telling him about the past, I told him about my current and future activities. I was surprised to learn that I have so many things to do: work in school, family matter, hobbies, extra-curricular activities, personal projects... In fact, I was overwhelmed for a moment.
This means that I have to be super organized. The laptop and the internet connection in my boarding house is a lot of help. An extra phone with a camera also, especially having access to two cellphone networks. All the techie stuffs are there but my secret weapon is surprisingly a very simple object...
Okay, so if I mention it here it won't be a secret anymore, duh? I don't mind sharing it. A couple of friends have quizzed me about it and I have obliged. What's the fuss? It's just a simple notebook!
After years of experimenting with different types of organizers, I finally settled on a simple notebook to organize my life. The greatest advantages are: availability, portability, and flexibility. I can buy any notebook anytime, I can choose the size most comfortable to carry around, and I can organize the contents any way I can.
My style is.. When you open the notebook, on the left facing page are two columns: one for notes (assignments, phone numbers, etc..), the other for money spent and received. On the right facing page are also two columns: one for things to do, the other for scheduled work and appointments. Each item in the "things to do" column is numbered. The numbers are placed in the "schedule" column so I will know when to complete the task. As soon as I finish it I cross it out. At the end of the day, the unfulfilled tasks are transferred to the following day...
Sounds simple. It is! Like everything else, what makes it difficult is the discipline of doing things. I told my friend that I cannot allow myself to get distracted. I already made a list of my greatest distractions so I can keep watch.
People might think that it's a dull life to be dependent on a notebook. I don't think so, because my social life also gets scheduled in. I make sure I have time to meet friends, play badminton, write blogs, watch movies, etc... In fact, I stay in touch with more friends than the "normal" person. I'm very much aware that all work and no play makes Troy a dull boy (hehe).
Putting order is a great way to start the year.

How far will you go to get the best shot

Germs Torero just loves his camera.... and his hobby, of course. While he goes around taking pictures of what interests him, I tag along taking pictures of him in action (hehehe)

M. Arch - Landscape Architecture

When USC-CAFA decided to open its Masters in Architecture program, they
also decided to delay the M.Arch program specializing in Landscape
Architecture. Those interested in the program should already prepare
this coming school year although it will be offered on the school year
of 2008-2009.

Applicants to the program with a bachelor's degree in landscape
architecture won't find any problems enrolling. Those with a
bachelor's degree in architecture, however, need to "complete
undergrad subjects (3rd year BLA) specifically Design 3 (2 sems), LA
History and Theory, and LA construction courses. They are mixed with
the 3rd year BLA students during this time, although on their first
year they can already enroll in the M.Arch foundation courses." (Text
in quote are from Architect Ann Espina). This simply means they should
enrol this coming school year or earn credits from similar programs
elsewhere.

The program is also open to those with undergraduate degree on
Horticulture. They also need to enrol in the 3rd year BLA subjects.
Archt Ann Espina also clarified that:

"Any BS ARch and BS Horti enrolled in the Master program will be able
to earn the required 20 units of LA courses in their 2nd year, hence
they will be eligible to take the Board Exams by this time. Passing the
LA Board Exams is the Architect's and Horti's passport to legal
practice in LA."

I'm sure that those interested have more questions to ask. As mentioned
earlier, if they plan to enroll on 2008, they should already start
asking their questions now.

A Strength to Behold

I was planning to write about another topic, but an unfortunate event
moved me to write about something else. Irene Congson, who graduated
last March, just lost her dad today. It started with a cardiac arrest
last thursday and progressed to a lot of complications. I followed up
the events through text messages from her friends. It was only today
that I got to talk to her, at the wake of her dad's funeral.

The support of her friends is very edifying. A trip to Baguio was
cancelled, a day's work was sacrificed... Friends with her in the
hospital, or visiting everyday... Now, friends around her at the wake.
I was never close to her as the others, not even as a teacher. I was
silently observing things as they happen and, just as I felt sad about
the unfortunate event, I also felt a great sense of admiration for her
and her friends.

I remember many years ago when I was still working for the University
of Asia and the Pacific. We were translating some seminar materials in
Tagalog for a community service. We got stuck with the word "peer
pressure" so we turned to an expert. His translation made a deep
impression on us. He equated (and translated) "peer pressure" with
"lakas samahan." It brings about a very positive meaning to an
otherwise negative sounding word.

Our friends tend to influence our lives. Many times we associate this
influence with something negative. If you have good friends then the
influence is bound to be good as well. This influence can strengthen
everyone if the bonding is not like a chain link but more of a fabric.
In a chain link, the weakness of one link cuts the whole chain. In a
fabric, the weakness of one stitch can be supported by the other
stitches.

Friendship should not be a chain that ties us down but a fabric that
protects and comforts us. This is what crossed my mind as I silently
sat at that wake. I did not worry so much about Irene because I see the
fabric of friendship strengthening her. Despite what happened, she is
still very lucky to have these people around. But more than luck, it
was due to her own goodness that she has this fabric around her.

Will a fabric of friends last? Depends on how you take care of it.
Eventually some holes might appear, but the whole thing will still
hold. It really depends on the person. Meantime, what I just witnesses
really was a strength to behold...