DOES A UGANDAN NEED AN ARCHITECT?
Anciently, our ancestors put up many structures without the help of professional architects and the structures lasted. So, why would we need an architect to plan for our space.
Firstly, an architect helps a land owner to plan for space. It is true that the ancestors put up structures which have lasted to date without architectural help but we can’t deny the fact that the’re pros and cons attached to this.
I remember a time at University when a friend was narrating to us a nightmare she had. She dreamt that she was living in our rented room. She hated our room because it had no plan. The builders forgot to put a ventilator so the room was always hot. After months of complaining, the land lord hired a builder to break a part of the wall just to put a ventilator. Why did we have to suffer? Lack of a plan.
Why then is an architect needed at the beginning of your building project?
Your building project becomes quantifiable
You can’t have a quantity surveyor quantify the cost of your building project without a plan. Having a plan helps you know the end from the beginning, you will know how much money you will need to finish the entire project.
Building materials are easier to buy
The size and quantity of the materials needed are determined by the plan. This means that you can buy all the materials at once if you can afford them.
Use of space is defined.
Everyone has a vision or visions but within a vision the’re short term goals. This is where planning becomes important. The architect will plan for your space according to your future plans. For instance you may have no car right now but in a year or two, you may own one or two cars. Where will you pack if you didn’t plan? This leads me to my next point.
An architect will help you have a pre-determined artistic impression.
With a plan, the architect will provide you with an image of your complete building. This will help you have an expectation as you wait for the project to end. Without a plan, whatever the builder puts on the table is what you will have to go with.
For interior designing
A planned for space makes interior designing easy. For example you can have your tiny house with everything fitting perfectly.
An architectural plan creates an ambiance for your building
A plan is made according to the goal of the building. Do you want people to feel at home by just setting eyes on your building? If it’s a hospital or clinic, do you want people to feel healed by just walking into the room? Do you ever go to Safari lodges and you feel like you’re safe from all chaos and all trouble? Does or feel like you made it to paradise? This is planned for, it doesn’t just happen, it is a skill that an architect has and hiring one in Uganda isn’t really hard.
Service provider’s work is made easy
Builders, plumbers and electricians will not have to suffer. They will not have to break through the house because you thought of an improvement. Imagine Mr and Mrs X, who have a very big bedroom with no bathroom or dressing room. They visit a friend, find these rooms in the friend’s house and they choose to have them in their own. They expect to have them so perfectly put without prior planning, face it Mr and Mrs x, it will not end up being as nice a pre-planned one. Who will take the blame? The builder.
Disadvantages
1. Risk of over spending
If you start building or construction without a plan, you are at risk. You don’t know how much you need, you may end up getting frustrated and pausing the project. Why? You didn’t count the cost.
2. You can’t determine the durability of the building
Without a plan, you can’t know what the building can withstand. You can’t know whether it can stand a storm or heavy rains, you don’t know how long it can last before renovations are required.
Disorganized use of space
How can space be used a disorganized way? I gave you an example of my rental at campus. The room was so wide with no bathroom inside. A builder was hired to construct something which looks like a bathroom. Then, a kitchen-like structure was set up in the house just next to the bathroom. Imagine a kitchen next to the bathroom, so weird, right? What about the loo? It was far from the where we were, it would get full in a week. We have seen this repeat itself in Uganda, you find important offices right next to the stinking lavatory. This can be avoided by planning.
DPM isn’t predetermined
What is DPM? Damp Proof Membrane. This is used to keep moisture from rising in your home in form of dampness.
Discomfort in the building
If you have rented in certain neighborhoods in Uganda before, you may have gotten an opportunity to experience discomfort in a house you pay for. Maybe you could hear the neighbor’s conversations meaning they heard yours too. Some houses could amplify the effects of weather by either becoming extremely hot during the dry season or extremely cold during the wet season. Some houses are so dark that you need to keep your lights on 24/7. That is quite stressing. Hire an architect and save yourself or your clients such stress.
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Written by
Mrs. Claire Ochola
Head marketer at Kuzimba Services
Contributions from
Mr. Edwin Grace an esteemed architect in Uganda
