NBS Building

NBS Building enables you to write concise, technically accurate and up to date specifications for building projects.

Future specifiers

NBS Technical Author and Architect, Paul Swaddle, responds to the article on The fall of skill, the rise of automation by John Gelder. As a recent graduate and recruit to NBS, he is in a position to encourage the new generation of specifier.

'We learn through experiencing, and no one teaches anyone anything. If the environment permits it, anyone can learn whatever he chooses to learn; and if the individual permits it, the environment will teach him everything it has to teach.' Viola Spolin (1)

Major changes to the way architecture is taught and studied have occurred in a staggeringly short period of time, relative to the centuries-old legacy of architectural education that preceded it. Most of these changes can be linked to technological advancement, CAD and 3D modelling in particular, but it can also be suggested that this shift reflects a necessary change in socio-cultural priorities and the development of a skill set more readily applied to the modern construction industry and perhaps, the global business economy as a whole. It is important that students are ready to react to industry evolution.

Limitations in study

More than any other qualification, architecture provides graduates with a range of methods with which to communicate; using both visual and verbal expression, they have the potential to adapt their abilities into a number of analytical and interdisciplinary roles, in design and beyond. Interestingly, despite the current uncertainties of recession and unemployment, again this year a record number of people applied to study Architecture (2). Increasing numbers of these applicants see it as an excellent 'base' from which to move into other pursuits, sometimes without intending to become an architect. Still more are genuinely optimistic and passionate about the subject and believe they can best influence sustainable global design as an architect. The role of the architect in the UK has been altered and focused in recent times, but through diversification and collaboration, it has the potential to flourish and be invaluable in the future development of buildings.

The introduction of 3D CAD has meant that few students will ever learn perspective or orthogonal projection in studio, instead using various design programs for everything from sketchy massing models through to detailed flythrough animations. However, this is a product of convenience and timesaving, not of a superior design tool. Ideally, CAD should always be used as a means of optimizing the production of predetermined ideas and should not be allowed to limit the design itself. Even despite ubiquitous technologies, drawing will never be a dead art. The ability to sketch forms and ideas on paper is still the starting point for any creative work and now sketchbook contents are scanned, shared and discussed online, whilst tablet-based sketching software becomes more fluid, intuitive and reliable. In a similar way, architecture schools and studios alike, all over the world, still choose to use card and glue to represent their buildings, and that is unlikely to change until 3D printing and rapid prototyping technology becomes more affordable. The pursuit of perfection in hand-drawing is a long process, which few students would believe they could afford, but in reality, the study of perspective would benefit their spatial awareness and sketching ability greatly. If a student did want to learn perspective drawing, it would now only be in their own time, as few courses will invest the necessary teaching hours. In addition to this, the once-familiar sight of a drawing board in a studio is now rare.

As John Gelder's article made clear, the in-depth study of construction technology and detailing is absent from many architecture courses – in fact, school-leavers would be well advised to research the foundational 'structure' of a course before applying, rather than judging studios on the often high quality of final degree show presentations. Mostly though, it is a sad reflection of courses that are arranged to provide basic, general knowledge across all elements of a very broad subject and despite best intentions, are no longer able to deliver fully-formed architects at the end; ready to detail, specify and supervise.

Potential in practice

Some relatively fundamental principles of design process are left to be learnt in practice: fee and cost calculation, site management, construction sequencing, building-team interaction, health and safety, time planning and legal requirements. This assumes a great deal. Students at any stage of year-out industry experience are unlikely to be given the time, responsibility, access to project information and, principally, the mentoring and skill-sharing that each of these subjects demand. The professional development involved is now expected to take place over a number of years. Furthermore, this presumes that students are able to find placements at all, and it is no surprise that in the current economic climate, some students choose to embark on unpaid internships to gain industry experience. Many have deferred studying for RIBA Part III exams altogether as they are unable to find practices with opportunities.

The majority of students will have a good grasp of CAD and excellent computer literacy, especially in the production of documentation and presentation work using graphics programs, as a result of regular use and the integration of IT into daily life. Many students, especially on their year-out or working towards their Part III exams, reading this article online or in practice, may be considering how to further develop useful skills that will translate well in practical work. One possibility is learning Building Information Modelling (BIM) software.

There is no doubt that BIM has enormous potential to shape the future of architectural design and project management. In the same way universities implemented CAD training in the past, so BIM will probably become commonplace in architectural courses in years to come and there are already early signs of this. This is an important development; as existing BIM software grows in use globally, UK students risk trailing behind the rest of the world in the application of these programs. As the software evolves, it will completely redefine design processes and building lifecycle management for many practices. However, the ability to produce high-quality BIM content across the project timeline requires knowledge of building design, construction, maintenance and use.

Unlike CAD which, despite some intelligent abilities, is little more than a tool to replace pen and paper, BIM is intuitive and reactive. The addition of an object in BIM, with particular features, aesthetics, a precise location, annotations, inherited information, future management instructions and its relationships to other objects, relies on that element being understood and described in certain ways. The detailed description of elements in this way shares many features with specification, so it can be argued that an understanding of specification is a useful foundation from which to make the most of BIM.

Learning to specify

All students working in practice should watch for opportunities to learn how to write specifications. More importantly, the function of specifications and their place and use within a project timeline should be understood. Specification writing provides a good framework from which to investigate individual building elements, the regulations that apply to them and how they relate to other elements in construction. A good place to start is NBS Educator, which includes three RIBA CPD assessed presentations:

There are also useful links and further reading references there.

There are three other presentations covering contract documentation, briefs and schedules of work, alongside information on a range of other documents such as health and safety plans and bills of quantities. Also, in the Resources area there are numerous articles and links providing news and guidance on a range of topic areas key to developing familiarity with construction industry information.

If you are a student in a practice that uses NBS products, ask for the opportunity to learn how to use the software. Although you may not be producing specification content for a while, it is extremely useful to learn what information should be included and omitted for a particular set of project requirements. If you're studying at university and specifications aren't taught as part of your course, investigate the possibility of getting a visiting speaker (perhaps from the NBS) to talk about specifications to your year group.

The value of experience

The Part III examinations can be compared to the driving theory test – not the level of difficulty, but the stage of experience. Both are a good assessment of the capacity to retain important information and provide correct responses based on existing knowledge, but are no reflection of a person's awareness, temperament and ability to navigate the road ahead.

In the same way, experience is the most valuable learning tool for any student of architecture. Reflecting the quote at the top of the article, successful learning requires the combination of an environment willing to disseminate information and a student willing to work hard. Especially at a time of recession, it is paramount that architects and other specification specialists pass on the information, skills, knowledge and judgment they have learned; also that students strive to gain a level of understanding that will help them to further their careers, managing time, cost and design across the spectrum of work stages, in all aspects of a project, however the industry evolves. In other words, specifying the future.