Richmond Townhouse Project: Built Environment Professional Practice

This project focuses on the design and construction of two townhouses located on Buckingham Street in Richmond. The design incorporates living/dining areas, kitchens, bedrooms, and study areas for each house, considering site dimensions and zoning requirements. The project proposal by Atelier International Architects outlines various service modules, ethical considerations including copyright and RAIA codes, and a letter of agreement detailing the design brief, services schedule, professional fees, and payment terms. The total project fee is estimated at $850,000, covering preliminary evaluations, cost estimation, design concepts, detailed drawings, project documentation, and project management. The project emphasizes compliance with ethical standards, copyright laws, and RAIA codes of ethics, ensuring sustainable and responsible architectural practice.

Built Environment Professional Practice
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CONDITIONS AND TERMS OF REFERENCE & PROJECT FEE
The services that Atelier International Architects in planning to offer come along with a fully
packed package of design, documentation alongside an examination of projects of buildings. The
specialization of Atelier International Architects encompasses architectural design that
guarantees safety in terms of the structure of the building as well as ensuring sustainability and
conservation of the surrounding is given a top consideration (Mason, 2013). Still, Atelier
International Architects is as well as a specialist in the generation of new ideas of building and
redesign that is aimed at attaining high feasible of an existing building for a specific intended
role. The requirements of the design of the two townhouses residential building located in the
Melbourne City encompass:
Providing:
Two townhouses at Buckingham Street in Richmond
Each of the houses has to include:
 Living/ dining area
 Kitchen
 3 bedrooms
 3 bedrooms
 Study area
The site is enclosed by the access road of the region including Little Buckingham Street,
Buckingham Street and well as Lambert Street on the three of its four sides.

The dimensions of the site that is to be used in undertaking the project measures 9.30M in width
and 21.37M in length with either of the longer sides surrounded by developments.
The area that is available for the construction where the above-mentioned elements of design are
to be incorporated is about 334m2 for every floor and there are to be two floors that are to be
used in the entire buildings (Alharbi, Emmitt and Demian, 2015). The design will provide for
parking facilities on the ground floor for two cars for each of the houses. Note should be taken

that the space available that is available for the functionalities needed is ideal for medium
townhouses or townhouses for used in the accommodation of medium families. The following
figure may be used in the illustration of the design detail of the two townhouses.
The above figure illustrates and offers an idea on the spatial organization that may be used in the
attainment of the best design for the townhouses. The total space that is available to be used for
the purposes of the design is 648m2 (Fenwick, 2016).
Since the budget of the project is not predefined and left open as negotiable, the bundle that is
provided by Atelier International Architects may use in coming up with the most suitable project
fee form that is dependent on the total amount of space that the project will cover (Moran,
Jewkes and Lorne, 2019). The various modules of services that Atelier International Architects
offer include:

 Module 1 has the whole design as well as the supervision of the building alongside
suitable services of construction management. It entails all the amenities in the project
right from the beginning until completion of the construction of the two townhouses.
 Module 2 is made up of a comprehensive design and generation of the permits that are
ideal in keeping the buildings. It is most useful in cases where the architect and the
contractor are treated and actually different stakeholders (Green, 2018)
 Module 3 involves having the full design, project documentation alongside permits from
the start until completion and is best suited in circumstances where the client needs the
design and supervision of the project.
The diagram below is an illustration of the details of the services that are offered by Atelier
International Architects

 The entire budget for the two townhouses at Buckingham Street in Richmond will be
$65/ sqft and hence the cumulative service fee for the project to its completion is
approximated to be roughly $850, 000 inclusive of both value-added taxes and other
taxes (Green, 2018). The charging of the fee is done with regard to the number of areas
that are to be taken into consideration since the project does not have a predefined
budget.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Ethical obligations by the copyright commitments as well as RAIA a highlighted by the
Australian Institute of Architected are the ethical considerations that are related to the project
that is to be undertaken (Pineda-Zumaran, 2018). There are moral alongside professional
standards and considerations that have to be adhered to in the course of the dispensation of the
duties and such include:
 Architects are expected to comply with the regulations of ethical conduct in support of
equal open chances for all skills and professionals (Johnson and Gore, 2016)
 Architects have to illustrate confidence in public equity system and deliver with
aspirations of brilliance and determination as well as professional surrounding
 Architects are compelled to abide by the architectural codes and organize their activities
using the clauses as they are
Construction of the townhouses at Buckingham Street in Richmond, the Atelier International
Architects will be conducted by the copyrights of the plan, services, and designs provided by:
 Reproduction of the plans designed by Atelier International Architects is not allowed
whichever circumstances and the advice of legal systems is required in case of a
contravention of the same
 The attention of Atelier International Architects has to be sought in case of any needed
alterations in the current plan before the changes are enforced (Jones, Michelfelder, and
Nair, 2017)

 The plans, designs and working drawings by Atelier International Architects are an art
piece and inventiveness of the architects and engineers of Atelier International Architects
and therefore the property of Atelier International Architects that must not be changed or
copied through any means without prior information to Atelier International Architects.
 Atelier International Architects claims the copyrights of the design without adequate
notification or clarifications (Salama, 2018)
The following RAIA codes of ethics are among the codes that the expert architects are
anticipated to be observant of:
 The designers are recognized to be serving in such a way that their work is consistent
with the natural laws and should focus on guarding the culture, legacy, and condition in
the plans (Miloradova and Ishkov, 2015)
 Architects have to enhance their enthusiasm for honesty and openness and work
according to their experience, expertise, and skills in activities

LETTER OF AGREEMENT
REF NO.: 18th April 2019
Kumeanya Property Developer & Merchants
Subject: Services Details for 2 Townhouses Design
RE: Services Inquiry
This letter is drafter in seeking further direction that Atelier International Architects would like
to welcome the opportunity to offer the administrations of Atelier International Architects for the
design and construction of townhouses at Buckingham Street in Richmond. Among the services
offered by Atelier International Architects include a comprehensive range of services touching
on management as shown by the highlight necessities of the reference terms alongside our
details. The perspective services as offered by Atelier International Architects are detailed in the
brief as discussed:
Design Brief
The suggested development is located at Buckingham Street in Richmond and is inclusive of a
design of two townhouses that will majorly concentrate on the listed building components:
 Living/ dining area
 Kitchen
 3 bedrooms
 3 bedrooms
 Study area for each of the houses

Services Brief
The main structure of the outline on which the design and construction of the two townhouses
will be carried out by Atelier International Architects is extensively explained in this section.
The cost of administration is elaborate and is inclusive of all the requirements. Note should be
made that the service fee charges, as well as the cumulative spending plans of the project, may
be changed and is likely to be under the influenced of unpredicted conditions and hence the
renegotiation plan is ideal. The services needed for the design and construction of the project is
among them:
 Living/ dining area
 Kitchen
 3 bedrooms
 3 bedrooms
 Study area for each of the houses
Needed Services
 Project documentation
 Estimation of costs of the needed designs
 Permits required
 Concept designs development
 Survey of the prevailing site conditions
 Management and evaluation of the project

An estimated service fee of $120 per square feet of the cumulative area is needed for such
required services with the total fee inclusive of the taxes being projected at about $850,000 for
effective completion of the project.
Services Schedule
Elaborations on the various services in a sequential manner in every design and documentation
are conducted in this section with the details of the sources offered from the beginning until the
completion of the project as shown:
I. Pre-Design Phase
Preliminary studies and examinations are done at this stage in which information is collected on
the conditions of the site and a lot of cost approximation is done with the aim of estimating the
cost of the project. Also included in this phase is coming up with the various design ideas and
concepts through the evaluation of the services which are ad well performed at this stage.
II. Major Design Phase
This is the epicenter of the design and is made up of elaborate and detailed designs of the
concept designs that had got the green light from the client during the initial stage. The drawing
of the design of the two townhouses is generated at this stage for the execution of the
construction works. When the design of the proper plans and drawing of the two townhouses os
completed successfully, the client gets an opportunity to have the designs and thereafter make
any reserved recommendations and give the final approval to enable the process of processing
the documentation and certifications of the designs works of the two townhouses.

III. Documentation and Permits Stage
The designs, drawings, and plans of the two townhouses are ready for execution and beginning
of the construction works and the next phase would involve the generation of the various
certifications that are required for the design. This is done through taking the designs and
drawing through the relevant authorities and legislative bodies which would give the authority
for the commencement of the construction process. Project appraisal and management
documentation is as well carried out in this stage
Professional Fee
The details with regard to the fees as charged by Atelier International Architects for the project
being considered is inclusive of a fixed rate of $120 per square feet of the works of design. It is
made up of estimation of costs, surveying services, project design as well as documentation
alongside the evaluation and management of the project.
The cumulative fee of the project is $850,000 that may be divided into various phases as shown:
 Preliminary evaluations and surveys of project
 Project cost estimation
 Design concepts
 Detailed working drawings with accompanying elevations in 3D and 2D
 Documentation of project
 Management of the project

All the phased summed up together will provide the cumulative charge for the design. It should
be noted however that the quoted prices may change owing to unforeseen conditions such as
delay in the project and as such will have to be renegotiated
Payment Mode and Terms
 The initiation of every phase of the project has a down payment of 40% of the total cost
and the rest payable upon completion of the specific phase
 The transactions must be cleared at the conclusion of each of the stages as failure to do so
may result in the delay of the project
 Payments have to be done upon the completion of each of the design phases
 Clearance of the payment of all bills must be done within 7 days of generation of receipt
 The transaction will be invoiced by the start of every phase of the project services as well
as at the conclusion of each phase
Final Remarks
The requests forwarded and accepted are contemplated as an integral aspect of the contact and
may be deemed as a strong ground for the beginning of the successful running of the task as
agreed up by the stakeholders involved.
Mentioning of the task brief in detail is very important prior to the beginning of a specific task as
it would serve to provide the specific details of the services that are required besides ascertaining
that the aims of the services required are made clearer and more understandable
Working on the project of design and construction of townhouses at Buckingham Street in
Richmond is one such opportunity that Atelier International Architects would most welcome and

perfectly usable in the illustration of its ability to provide the very best and beyond imagination
solutions as needed by the client. Furthermore, in this specific letter, the extent of the services
that Atelier International Architects is competently able to offer as far as the project is concerned
is effectively clarified as cross-examined against the ethical consideration and copyright laws.
Yours faithfully,
Atelier International Architects

References
Alharbi, M., Emmitt, S. and Demian, P., 2015. What is architectural management? Towards a
pragmatic definition. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 22(2), pp.151-
168
Fenwick, T., 2016. Professional responsibility and professionalism: A socio-material
examination. Routledge
Green, S., 2018. Sustainable Construction: Contested Knowledge and the Decline of
Professionalism. Sustainable Futures in the Built Environment to 2050: A Foresight Approach to
Construction and Development, p.172
Johnson, B.J., and Gore, N., 2016. What do the professions ‘profess'? Comparing architecture
and planning codes of ethics. Architectural science review, 59(6), pp.449-464
Jones, S.A., Michelfelder, D. and Nair, I., 2017. Engineering managers and sustainable systems:
the need for and challenges of using an ethical framework for transformative leadership. Journal
of Cleaner Production, 140, pp.205-212
Mason, J., 2013. Ethics in the construction industry: the prospects for a single professional
code. International journal of law in the built environment, 1(3), pp.194-204
Miloradova, N. and Ishkov, A., 2015. Environmental ethics as a social, professional and personal
value of the students of civil engineering university. Procedia Engineering, 117, pp.246-251
Moran, D., Jewkes, Y. and Lorne, C., 2019. designing for imprisonment: ARCHITECTURal
ethics and prison design. Architecture Philosophy, 4(1)

Pineda-Zumaran, J.S., 2018. Exploring practitioners’ perception of ethical issues in planning:
The Peruvian case. Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space, 36(6), pp.1109-1132
Salama, A., 2018. Post-professional Architecture and Academia. Neo-liberalism and the
Architecture of the Post Professional Era, p.271