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WRITING THE MINUTES OF AN ARCHITECTURAL MEETING

Writing The Minutes of an Architectural meeting
My Office @ Geometrix Consultants and Builders ltd Abuja
 by Kosi Emmanuel Chukwujindu

In the July of 2013, I was working with Geometrix from my home. It was an experience which I didn't very much appreciate at the time, but now i do. However As early as my first meeting after I resumed fully in the capacity of Project Architect for ENIBUM project, the following month, The task of writing the minutes of site meetings fell on me. Though It wasn't part of my job Brief, It happened that once the meeting commenced , I found that I had little to say and more to write. It became more pertinent when the Quantity surveyor demanded for a copy of my notes.
Though I was only making notes for my company's use, I took the responsibility to make it available to the other consultants. With the zeal to impress I promised to mail everyone the minutes that same evening.

Now, an Architectural meeting is no different from the kind of meetings held in banks, corporate organizations, hotels, schools, industries etc. It usually features people from varying departments and professions - in attendance. There's a chairman or chair-person ( the architect in this case) whose responsibility is to convene and conduct the meeting.  In the case of an Architectural meeting this chairman (usually the Architect) has the final say on all issues.

So Here Are A Few Tips On How To Document The Proceedings Of an Architectural / Site Meeting :

While at The meeting;
1. Sit as close as possible to the Architect
2. Note/ Understand the agenda of the meeting before it kicks off.
3. Ask Questions that relate to your immediate primary employer or that vindicates him.
4. Be sure to circulate an attendance register with columns for e-mail and or Phone numbers.
5. Write down all major conclusions, Reachings or Agreements, including time and work allocations.

And After The Meeting; 
1. Start the minute with a heading stating the name of the project in full
for example:
 
PROPOSED ENUGU SOUTH INTERNATIONAL BUILDING MATERIALS MARKET (ENIBUMM) PROJECT
MINUTES OF THE FIRST SITE MEETING OF ALL CONSULTANTS AND CLIENT’S REPRESENTATIVE HELD AT TOMMYLYN HOTEL, BEHIND ROBAN STORES, INDEPENDENCE LAYOUT ENUGU.
30TH AUGUST 2013
MEETING COMMENCED AT 4:55PM

2. Write the people who were in Attendance in a table, with their designations and contact information also.

3. Write out The actual events that took place during the meeting using the motion-secondment-adoption hierachy.

for example:  
06:35; Arc. Uche-Uche moved a motion that all buildings included in quarters one and two Should be limited to bungalows to reduce structural implications and cost.

06: 38; the motion was seconded by Engr. Ozoude, The structural Engineer.
06:40; The motion was unanimously adopted. 


4. Summarize any Time schedules agreed upon clearly itemizing what volume of work is to be expected at each stage.
for example:
SUMMARY OF TIME SCHEDULES
12-09-13; Architects will submit reviewed final prototypes drawings and site layout for       phases 1 and 2 to client and other consultants.
09-09-13; Surveyor will hand in surveyed topo-map of phases 1 and 2.
23-09-13; Submission of final Completed drawings and Bill of quantities of phases 1 and 2 to the Client works to technical Consultants including Costing.

5. Highlight any matters arising from previous meetings as well as unfinished issues from the present one using bullets or numberings if you like, for discussion from the next meeting.

6. Note the time of closing and whether it was unanimously agreed upon.



After Writing The Minutes as you deem fit, send it to a senior colleague or your Boss, via e-mail or by hand where possible and have him review it, first before you send it to the rest of the parties concerned.
This work-flow will surely get you through to the best, because it worked for me, It will surely work for you!

MAKING YOUR OWN ARCHITECTURE MODELS IN COLLEGE

By Kosi Emmanuel Chukwujindu
Check out my professional profile and connect with me on LinkedIn.
Architectural models in Nigeria
(SRM University, Chennai India) Final Review leading to award of M.Arch Award  (left-right: Kosi, Ifeanyi, Eze)
Making your own Architecture models while in college is something that is possible if you really want to do it. Making physical models for Architectural presentations is a tradition in Archi-school. this is because from the standpoint of curriculum, it is possible for a student to complete his design work as well as make a good physical model of it. But the thing is , we dont always have the time and skill required to do so.

Because of this, 80% of the models presented at design reviews are not made by the students. They are outsourced to third-party artisans who are sometimes also Architects, Archi- students or simply artists. There is a constant dialogue by College Authorities on whether Architecture students should be allowed to out-source their project models to third party artists, or do it all themselves. Though the Authorities often do not take this too seriously, It remains a grey area in Architecture colleges.

In my time, I was able to do all my models myself, or at least domestically,(with the help of few friends at home) and a few more models for other colleagues (mostly junior). They were all neatly done and delivered timely which proves that it is possible.  If I did it, You can do it, and even BETTER!.
As for the skill, I can say you just pick it up after your first few tries, ( thats assuming you are serious and reading this because your really interested in trying to do it yourself).

But the time?...from the book : 'Learning to be an Architect' we learn that the key to making it has always been starting early. Here are a few more tips on 'how to get your own physical model done in good time' for your presentation.

1. Understand that it is cheaper and more rewarding to do it yourself:

Architectural models in Nigeria
left-right, Eze, Ifeanyi and Kosi
You know that glorious feeling attached to a finished task coupled with the fact that you'd have saved yourself a fortune. This understanding will encourage you to try at least. even when you feel it is too tough. If I did it, Am sure you can!

2. Start Early to Finish Early:

No matter how big or complex your present project is, the age long trick has been to begin early. Once you are concrete on the design, go right ahead and commence the model.

3. let Work Proceed Simultaneously:

Don't assume that you must finish paper work, before you begin the model. Both can proceed at the same time. yes! you can begin with choosing a suitable mount board size for your model, decide on the scale early enough and start with the landscape features. You can do this over a stretch of time, smooth and steady. decide on how much work you will do in a day, and make sure you finish that much. Note that this doesnt have to be too much at a time, the review is still weeks away. so u can just make that entrance lawn, one night after your bored of drawing on your computer and the rest subsequently.

NB:the trick is that: a combination of these singular efforts will culminate in a complete paper work as well as physical model by the presentation date.

Architectural models in Nigeria
from left: Kosi handing over to Karthi (a model done by Everest Okoro)

4. Bring in Extra hands wherever/Whenever possible, but stay as close as possible to avoid errors.

Friends and junior colleagues can help you a lot when you have a design presentation coming up. The friends because they are really thrilled by the fact that they can actually help out in something that seems so technical, and also because they love you. And Junior colleagues because they need to build the relationship and experience by learning from seniors.
The right mix of these two groups of persons, can get your work the speed it needs. Just stay around enough to monitor what they are doing. Mistakes might be costly.

Architectural models in Nigeria
Eze's Model, M.Arch Final review

and a few more technical advice:

  1. Use very sharp cutting surface such as tiles or glass, to make it faster and easier.
  2. Always have as much replacement blades as possible for your cutting knife and change them often, to ensure sharp cuttings edges
  3. Always cut in a straight line, from start to end, never cut in a zig-zag  or back-and- front  pattern. this ensures there are no woolen edges.
  4. Mix colors that do the work for you, faster.
  5. employ computers when ever you can e.g, take a second print of the floor-plan, instead of measuring directly from the base.
  6. Never apply Gum directly on the model, instead you may use a syringe for applying gum to very tiny edges, to avoid smudging the gum all over the work. Be careful with the syringe however, for health reasons.

ADVERT:
IF YOU NEED A MODEL MAKER TO DO YOUR COLLEGE MODELS FOR YOU AT CHEAPER AND TIME EFFICIENT WAYS, PLS CONTACT CADRIGHT NIG.






COUNTRY-HOME PROJECT ISUANIOCHA

by Kosi Emmanuel Chukwujindu

Kosi Emmanuel Chukwujindu Projects
Country-Home Project Isuaniocha
Kosi Emmanuel Chukwujindu
Country-Home Project (2) Isuaniocha
A vast country-side residence for a wealthy business man, under construction at Isuaniocha ,Anambra state, Nigeria.
The abundant land size allowed for adequate spacing of property and provision of luxurious swimming pool and lawn tennis court.
The main house features , a pronounced entrance porch, one small and one larger double volume family living room, two large en-suite bedrooms on the ground floor and other utility spaces. In all 7 large bedrooms are provided excluding a private pent floor accessible only from the master bedroom.
An 80sq. m conference hall and a gym of the same size is provided together with a 3 bedroom flat, as the guest area of the villa. Other Attraction include beautifully landscaped surrounding and an environment that spells peace.

Architecture 3ds in Nigeria
Country-Home Project Isuaniocha

Architecture 3ds in Nigeria
Country-Home Project Isuaniocha

Project Drawbacks:

The client was one of a kind, seemed to know what he wanted but had too many advisers which led to hassles between the design team ( Great Marks) and the building firm, this led to minimal adjustments from original design, from which Great Marks is completely exonerated.

RENDERED WALKTHROUGH


 
Basically, I put together a few building models from Revit Architecture around my Skyscraper project, and made a rendered walkthrough.  my first shot at the software; Lumion, after which I fell in 'Happiness' with it.