Architect

An Architects offer the following qualities to clients in the building industry: vision, design, skill and professional expertise. They assess and help formulate needs, evaluate possible sites, suggest a range of design options to be explored and provide advice on costs. Architects possess a broad base of skills across a range of diverse disciplines, which ranges from design to project development, cost analysis, contract management, space planning, etc..

Job Characteristics

• Receiving, appraising and reporting on the client’s requirements with particular regard to site information, planning and statutory requirements.



• Advising the client on the need for the appointment of consultants and procedures to meet his/her requirements, including methods of contracting, and on any supplementary service which may be required.



• Preparing a design showing space provisions, planning relationships, standards of materials intended to be used and standards and suitability of services in sufficient detail to enable the design to be approved by the client.



• Developing the design sufficiently to co-ordinate the work and services of consultants and specialists who have been appointed.



• Discussing the design with the statutory authorities concerned.



• Reviewing the budget and time schedule.



• Preparing drawings and documentation for submission to local or statutory authorities for approval and attending to drawings, specifications and other technical documents necessary for the execution of the project.



• Correlating the work of any consultants in the preparation of the documentation.



• Attending any regular progress-review meetings called by the client.



• Calling for tenders and/or negotiating the building contract where required.



• Advising the client regarding the awarding of the building contract and the completion of contract documents.



• Preparing the building contract documents and presenting the same for signature by the parties thereto.



• Administering the building contract/s.



• Inspecting the works.



• Providing the client with as-built drawings.


Requirements

Secondary Education
Possession of a HIGCSE Grade 12, or equivalent qualification, with matriculation exemption is needed for admission to South African universities, while a HIGCSE or outstanding IGCSE Grade 12, or equivalent qualification, is required for admission to South African technikons. A university may waive the Mathematics and Science requirements if an applicant’s drawings and creative work shows evidence of talent deemed to be contributory to the successful study of design, i.e., drawing portfolio. Further requirements differ from university to university. Grade 12 results should be good since students are selected before being admitted to their first year of study at a university.

Compulsory subject
Mathematics (South Africa)

Recommended subjects
Technical Drawing, Art (South Africa)

Tertiary Education
Full-time (five or six-year) degree-studies in Architecture are possible at a few South African universities, like Cape Town, Natal, Orange Free State, Port Elizabeth, Pretoria and Witwatersrand. Thereafter the candidate can register with the Namibia Council for Architects and Quantity Surveyors. A M. Arch. and D. Arch. can also be completed at the University of Cape Town.
 
The N. Dip.: Architectural Technology is offered at several technikons in South Africa, namely ML Sultan, Port Elizabeth, Natal, Pretoria, Witwatersrand and Cape Technikon. Technikons now also offer B. Tech. and in some cases, M. Tech. degrees.
 
No such training is currently possible in Namibia, but architects have to register under the Architects Act of 1979 before they can start to practice. Registration is earned through a combination of academic qualification, considerable practical experience and rigorous examination, conducted by the Architects Education and Registration Board.

Personality
The prospective architect should have mathematical and numerical skills and be able to work creatively and independently.

Work Opportunities
Architects work for public institutions such as municipalities, in partnership with other architects or as consultants.
 
Back