by Kosi Emmanuel Chukwujindu
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File-store, Geometrix Consultants & Builders ltd. Abuja.
photo credits: Kosi Emmanuel Chukwujindu |
files are the backbone of every office. In an Architecture office, these files will typically contain drawings, contract papers, bidding arrangements, quantity estimates for proposed construction works, and the list continues...
My first task as an intern at Geometrix back in 09' was to clean and arrange dusty file jackets, the likes of which can be seen in the image to the left. I remember I was thrilled by the experience. I wondered how one man and one office could have accumulated such hefty portfolio in one life time - and still counting... I was inspired. But that is only a bubble compared to the filing ingenuity that was in-place at the office. The system was solid and error proof. This post is dedicated to helping Young Architects, interns or project managers, with a glimpse into what filing should be in an Architecture consortium.
First: There are A4 and A3 files. They are seperated in location. Then there is a list for each of them. This list is printed and handy. In this print-out, the file name eg: 'ORANTO Hotel Asokoro' as well as the file number eg: 'DS 757' are indicated. It is also standard practise that all presentation drawings made before the project is awarded, are stored in the A4 file, while all eventual working drawings which were prepared and sent for approval from the office are stored in the A3 folder of the same project.
As is very common with every business owner or
professional practitioner, the moment they find someone who can stand
in for them at work, they become lazy and start skipping their own CEO duties. The
tendency to become slack with tasks that they ordinarily would have attended to
keenly sets in and this is a natural human feeling often fueled by the belief
that they (employees) are being paid to do ‘the work’ therefore we don’t have to do anything, any more. 
