daniel chigunwe
Flint Mangurenje Svunurai
Architecture has physically and conceptually shaped human society for thousands of years, providing spaces for people to live, work, play and socialise.
Architecture not only serves a functional purpose in meeting the basic human need of shelter, but is also a powerful means of expression for individual, communal and even national beliefs, artistic expressions, cultural representations and political, religious and social order.
The value of architecture lies in its ability to provide, deliver buildings and structures that provide a venue for individuals, communities and society as a whole for their daily activities of life. Buildings are not just walls, floors and a roof over our heads.
Buildings are where we live and work, shop and socialise, raise our families and send our children to learn and grow.
Architecture is the art and science of designing and constructing these various buildings and other physical structures that our society needs for life to occur, from your home kitchen renovation, the factory where you work to the parliament where laws of the land are made.
This puts an obligation on the architect to ensure that every stage from the planning, designing and construction of spaces, they ensure that the final product is functional, aesthetically pleasing and safe for its intended occupancy.
The architectural design is the primary defining aspect of any building and it plays a crucial role in the performance, aesthetic look and sustainability of the structure.
The design of a building affects the way people interact with the space, the comfort and safety of its occupants and the environmental impact of its construction and operation.
A well-designed building can enhance the quality of life of its occupants, increase productivity and efficiency and promote health and resilience.
In short, a building’s architectural design refers to various elements, including its layout, form, materials, colours, textures, lighting, acoustics and ventilation.
These elements should be carefully considered to create a cohesive and functional design that meets the needs and aspirations of its users. As an example, a residential building should have a layout that allows for privacy, comfort and natural light.
However, a commercial building should have a layout that facilitates communication, collaboration and accessibility. The choice of materials should also consider factors such as need for minimal maintenance, durability, energy efficiency and environmental impact.
All this can be achieved through various strategies that the architect can employ including the use of locally sourced and renewable materials which can in turn reduce the carbon footprint of a building and support the local economy.
It is essential to remember that architectural projects often mean large investments, in terms of time, effort and money. Therefore, the margin for error or oversight is minimal. Here, the architect and their team of specialist consultants (Quantity Surveyor and Engineers), play a vital role in guiding you to avoid errors or oversights that could later translate into substantial safety concerns or financial burdens.
Once one gets an appreciation of the width and depth of the myriad of considerations that have to be balanced in the execution of a building project, the realisation that follows is the need for adherence to the applicable laws and regulations that are meant to ensure that all buildings meet certain minimum standards in their design and construction.
This is one of the key reasons why you should have a registered architect involved in your building process, to ensure that your buildings satisfy the building regulations.
The need for early engagement of a specialised professional familiar with the local building regulations becomes fundamentally clear when navigating the intricate landscape of development and construction and your architect will act as a pivotal guide in keeping your projects within the boundaries of the law.
In any construction project, safety is paramount and non-negotiable. Building regulations safeguard occupants and users of buildings by providing minimum standards on structural integrity, fire safety and adequate sanitary facilities.
They aim to minimise the risk of discomfort, injury and even death through accidents, fires and other potential hazards, creating a built-environment that is safe and secure for the users of both private and public buildings.
Maintaining compliance with the building regulations in Zimbabwe, as is with other jurisdictions, is a strict legal requirement that is not optional in both our major urban areas as well as planned farming, tourist and rural settlements.
Non-adherence could lead to a compromise in the safety and sustainability of the project and significant legal consequences including prosecution. There is an extensive set of Acts of Parliament, National Building Bye Laws, Municipal (Local Authority) Regulations and in some instances strict neighbourhood buildings standards and zoning considerations and limitations that can affect your project’s viability and success if not adhered to in the design and construction.
The laws that affect the design of the project range from the national levels with the Regional Town and Country Planning Act (RTCP Act, Chp. 29:12), to the Model Building Bye Laws (1977) down to the particular Municipal and Rural District Bye-Laws of the area where your project is located.
As our cities, towns and villages continue to develop at an ever increasing rate due to urbanisation, we are finding ourselves faced with a global challenge of diminishing resources and the burden of our own development putting the future of the planet at risk of extensive environmental damage.
The guidelines of the Environmental Management Act (Chp 20:27) has gained increased relevance and applicability to the design, construction and even operations of building in daily use, as the nation does its best to contribute to global efforts to mitigate environmental degradation and loss of wetlands.
A quick search on the internet reveals various building construction related disasters (including fires, collapse or demolition orders being issued) in Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria among other nations.
Locally we have had our fair share of the same with outbreaks of building fires and catastrophic building collapses leading to loss of innocent lives of users.
The Regulatory Authorities both at Government and Local Authority levels keep doing their best to mitigate against uncontrolled development yet there continues to be challenges of those who proceed to execute building projects as per their own ‘home grown’ standards in disregard of the fact that the purpose of Building Control Regulation is not to stifle Innovation, but rather to ensure that any innovations we execute in the Design & Construction of buildings is tampered by the primary concern of Architecture, that is to provide buildings that are safe built-environments for the activities of life for all their occupants both during design and use whether privately or for public use.
As a nation the Architects have been entrusted to assist the public in ensuring that this goal is achieved through the Architect Act (Chp 27:01) on each and every project that you hire a Registered Architect for.
Flint. Mangurenje Svunurai is a Registered Architect with the Architects Council of Zimbabwe and a member of the Architects Institute of Zimbabwe, He is also a Design Studio & Construction Technology Lecturer at the Department of Architecture, Faculty of the Built Environment, Mr. F. Svunurai has also developed and delivers the Elective Module on Construction Industry Regulation at Masters of Architecture level at NUST. He writes in his own personal capacity. Contact details: Cell: 0774 320 564 Email: [email protected]/[email protected]
Bongani Ndlovu