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Architects urged to keep up

tradition of creating

everlasting monuments

NISAR AHMAD SHAIKH

ISLAMABAD: Architects must live up to their traditional responsibility of creating some monuments of everlasting importance.

This was the outcome of a seminar, held here on Friday, along with the habitat exhibition. The seminar was organised by the Institute of Architects, Pakistan.

Speakers, presenting their papers, stressed that the architects have to prove, by their deeds, that they are useful part of the society at large and for this they must be good in their architectural knowledge and pursuit.

It was also pointed out that since the entire world is moving towards free marketing, with competition hardening, the architects in Pakistan should also equip themselves satisfactorily to be part of this competitive marketing world.

During the question hour it was emphasised that five years' education to obtain a degree in architecture is not enough. After passing the degree examination, an architect must spend at least four years on the job training to become proficient in his work. As a matter of fact," 10-year period is required to make a degree holder an efficient architect," participants said.

It was observed that, in Pakistan, fortunately, there had been no unemployment among the architects. If anyone was not able to land a government or private job, he would not starve, as he could start his own business, though on a small scale. However, it was stressed that real expertise was needed to attain a high position in the field of architecture. "The market is not saturated for architects in Pakistan in spite of the recession," it was opined.

In reply to a question, a senior architect said that it was essential to share vision and knowledge of architect.

About business strategies in the present conditions, architest Salman Mansur noted that no sizeable projects were coming up while the ongoing projects had been shelved. There was also cash flow problem as a result of recession in the construction sector. He said there was also revenue shortfall, with the result that technical hands were being laid off. He said the real estate business was declining because of the overall economic recession, with the result that the architectural business was not growing.

He pointed out some positive aspects, including the large informal economy of more than Rs 200 million. This cash flow, he said, was coming from the construction of bungalows, hospitls and schools. He suggested that big architectural firms should diversify their functions and move towards smaller towns to benefit from their architectural skill.

He also put forward possible courses of action for a sustainable business approach, including exploring business in non-traditional areas; passive and active advertising with the use of internet and computers, and exploration of overseas markets. He further suggested that architects should set up specialised architect/building firms to compartmentalise the profession.

Architect Ainul Haq Rohilla, in his paper on 'Re-defining domain of Architectural Profession', said that architectural domain "is so vast, versatile and dynamic" that it was not possible to re-define its future domain and dimensions, but if the suggested pursuits were focused a foundation for development in the area could be laid. He requested the Institute of Architects, Pakistan, and sponsors of seminar to help in establishing a virtual-reality laboratory to replicate a historic site and promote it internationally for the benefit of tourist. This would generate foreign exchange which the country needed badly for its development programme.

He also suggested long and short-term programmes for the betterment of the architects, as well as the country's uplift. These included career development programme, international collaboration and joint venture, research and development, industrial development and quality controls and technical training programme.

Architect Javed Iqbal suggested 4 to 10 years practical training after obtaining the degree in architecture followed by five years of higher educaiton, to become a really good architect. He pointed out that working in a government department "turns a fresh graduate into a letharigic persons", with very slow promotion, low salary and almost no chance of further education. But, in the private sector, the prospects are better, particularly in the architectural consultancy firms, developer and construction companies, in the cosntruction field there are good chances of learning on the job along with good salary.

He said that other job opportunities for an architect included becoming an architect lawyers so as to provide legal aid to architects, advice on contracts and draft contracts.