Each Project has it's own unique required Project Quality, defined as the "Ability to satisfy stated and implied requirements established in the Contract Documents."
This Project Quality is affected by a number of factors.
Prime determinants are the requirements of the Owner:
- Facility Use or Purpose, The Program;
- Schedule
- Budget
- Aesthetic
- Sustainable
Additional factors come into play:
Climate, scenic and environmental requirements or attributes unique to the facility location;
Planning codes and standards of the Authorities Having Jurisdiction;
Community response to the facility, whether environmental, political, etc.
Each of these factors can affect the facility's level of quality. Determination, prioritization, and embodiment of these constraints into the final design are the work of the Architect and his consultants as directed by the Owner.
The required Project Quality is thus established by the Contract Documents prepared by the Architect, and achievement of this quality becomes a requirement of the Contractor undertaking the work described by those Documents.
In today's painting by Hieronymus Bosch, titled "Vanitas" we see a woman admiring her reflection in the mirror, complimented by the demon of Vanity. The Owner's needs and even whims, are paramount here.
This image is simply intended to illustrate that the Owner's requirements have first claim on the program of any facility, after the various codes and standards are met, and should be given priority by the Project Team, whether Architect or Contractor. Attributes which may not make sense in the initial concepts can be very important to the end user.
Describing and guarding Project Quality through the design and construction processes requires constant attention by the Parties to ensure that the Owner's needs (and perhaps whims, as well) are met in the final work.
Vanitas (Detail from The Seven Deadly Sins) Hieronymus Bosch, 1480
Next post: Quality Assurance and Control.
