PLM College of Architecture and Urban Planning PROFESSIONAL

PRACTICE I
Laws Affecting the Practice of Architecture MID-TERM CLASS
ASSESMENT
PILAPIL, Ma. Rosher S. August 12, 2014
2011-11024

CIVIL ENGINEERS CAN NEVER PRACTICE AS ARCHITECTS
At the present time, the term civil engineer and architect are often argued
which is which and who should be and what would the role of which. This is
because there is a considerable overlapping of work descriptions between these
two professions whom the laypersons dont clearly understand. It is still an
issue of perception. People generally cannot distinguish between the practice of
civil engineering and architecture. Architecture and Civil Engineering are being
used identically because of their nature similarities. But if we are to broaden our
views and comprehension, these two have a very much distinction by
principles, functions, ideas and application of those governing knowledge to
which it stands for. They are both designers but they just have different scope.
Architecture is generally to do with buildings. They decide on what the
building looks like, keeps the lines of the building elegant, and makes the
building a beautiful and interesting place to be. They take courses in design and
architectural history and design the floor plans and appearance of the building.
The architects actually usually decide the materials of the building, as well.
Architects have as their primary object providing for the spatial and
shelter needs of people in groups of some kind by the creative organization of
materials and components in a land- or city-scape, dealing with mass, space,
form, volume, texture, structure, light, shadow, materials, program, and
pragmatic elements such as cost, construction limitations and technology, to
achieve an end which is functional, economical, practical and often with artistic
and aesthetic aspects. This distinguishes architecture from engineering design,
which has as its primary object the creative manipulation of materials and
forms using mathematical and scientific principles.
Separate from the design process, architecture is also experienced
through the senses, which therefore gives rise to aural, visual, olfactory, and
tactile architecture. As people move through a space, architecture is
experienced as a time sequence. Even though our culture considers architecture
to be a visual experience, the other senses play a role in how we experience
both natural and built environments. Attitudes towards the senses depend on
culture. The design process and the sensory experience of a space are distinctly
separate views, each with its own language and assumptions.
From there, the architectural plans go the civil (structural) engineer.
A civil engineer can get involved with designing buildings, but they also
do roads and bridges as you say, and other stuff like drainage. Engineers tend
to end up specialising in certain areas. Civil Engineering is a professional
engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction and maintenance
of the physical and natural built environment, including works such as bridges,
roads, canals, dams and buildings.. The length of study for such a degree is
usually four or five years and the completed degree is usually designated as a
Bachelor of Engineering, though some universities designate the degree as a
Bachelor of Science. The degree generally includes units covering physics,
mathematics, project management, design and specific topics in civil
engineering.
Within the framework that the architect provides, the structural engineer
must design the infrastructure, the skeleton, of the building. Engineers must
train a long time, usually need both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in
order to practice.
The architect has a more diverse education than does the engineer. They
studied scope that covers a broad scope of subjects, both functional and
aesthetic. And engineering scope of study, in contrast, addresses a single
technology focused that a building comprises.
Scope of the Civil/Structural Engineer:
Global stability.
Design of all structural elements for strength, deflection and any
other requirements such as vibration design and seismic design.
Foundation design & geotech.
Being sure that the design can be physically constructed (level of
involvement varies depending on the contract and the country)
Maximising safety at all stages of the building life
(construction/use/maintenance/demolition) as far as is reasonable.
Calculations to demonstrate compliance with all design standards
covering the scope.
Coordination with all other disciplines.
Scope of the Architect:
The Architect is often the "design lead."
Building envelope - "the shape."
Making the building fit with the surrounding environment.
Meeting all planning requirements.
Colours, finishes, fixings, fittings, etc.
Disabled access requirements.
Minimum door widths, head heights, etc.
Whether the building provides a comfortable space for its users.
(For example - if there are two strong horizontal lines on opposite
walls that are 10cm apart, this space will feel uncomfortable - they
need to be either the same or substantially different.)
Thermal performance.
Acoustic performance.
Walking route lengths to the fire escape within code requirements.
Natural light within code requirements.
Pedestrian and vehicle traffic flow routes and congestion issues
Landscaping & planting.
Coordination with all other disciplines.
(They may sometimes bring in specialists for some of these,
particularly at the latter end of this list.)
Additional skills of an amazing architect:
Adjust the whole building at the earliest design stage to optimise:
Use of natural light (taking into account direction and strength of
the sun.
Natural ventilation.
Natural heating/cooling.

In RA 544 (Civil Engineering Law), they are allowed to design buildings,
CEs never and could not design a single building.
Civil Engineering Law aims to strengthen the civil engineering profession
through peer recognition of specialization. But under the laws definition of
terms, consultation, design, preparation of plans, specifications, [and]
estimatesall commonly done by architectswere included in the general
practice of civil engineers.
The law sets upgrading the competence of civil engineers as one of its
objectives but touches nothing about the basic education and training for the
profession. Theres still confusion between the role of the architects and civil
engineers in the design and building of projects which could affect the industry
in the long run.
Civil Engineering students could immediately take the board examination
after graduation. Others like the Architects, Electrical, Mechanical, Sanitary, and
Chemical Engineers, Doctors, Teachers, Dentists, and Lawyers-- they have to
take another two or more years of apprenticeship to prepare and orient
themselves to become professionals. This is not necessary to Civil Engineers
because there is no apprenticeship in DPWH or any other government agencies
and they dont transact with clients. Like all civil servants, their duty is to serve
the Filipino residents in general. (Arch. Celso C. Nieves, FUAP, CAAIF)
The subjects on the board exam of Civil Engineers are Structural Design,
Surveying, Hydraulics and Mathematics only-- all academics in nature. They
cannot be any of these because each is a master degree.
There is not a single subject of architecture in Civil Engineering course.
If they cannot even draw a perspective of a simple match box, how then can
they present their ideas to their clients? Is this not a clear exercise of
deception? This is crystal clear that Civil Engineers are definitely unqualified to
practice architecture and to do so is a moral and ethical flaw.
In the board examination of architecture, there are subjects in
professional practice and code of ethics. As there are none of those in Civil
Engineering, they are therefore not knowledgeable to deal, to transact or
negotiate with individual clients. They can violate and mess around with the
code of ethics of the architects without inhibitions; and theyve doing that for
the last 50 solid years. Clients or owners are not therefore protected from these
servers fraudulence. As civil servants, they may not necessarily be competent.
Take this for proof:

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 544 (Civil Engineering Law)
Article III Examination and Registration
Section 16. Refusal to issue certificate. The Board of Examiners for
Civil Engineers shall not issue a certificate to any person convicted by a
court of competent jurisdiction of any criminal offense involving moral
turpitude, or to any person guilty of immoral or dishonorable conduct,
or to any person of unsound mind. In the event of a refusal to issue a
certificate to any person, the Board shall give to the applicant a written
statement setting forth its reason for such action, which statement shall
be incorporated in the records of the Board.
Section 17. Suspension and revocation of certificates. Subject to the
approval of the Secretary of Public Works and Communications, the Board
shall have the power, after due notice and hearing, to suspend or revoke
the certificate of registration for any cause mentioned in the preceding
section. (Nothing follows)
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 545 (Architectural Law) Article II Registration and
Examination
Section 27. Refusal to issue certificate. The Board of Examiners for
Architects shall refuse to issue or renew a certificate of registration to
any person convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction of any criminal
offense involving moral turpitude or to any person guilty of immoral or
dishonorable conduct or to any person of unsound mind. In the event of
refusal to issue certificates for any reason, the Board shall give the
applicant a written statement setting forth the reasons for such action,
which statement shall be incorporated in the record of the Board.
Section 28. Suspension and revocation of certificates. The Board
shall have the power, upon notice and hearing, to suspend and revoke
any certificate of registration of any registrant for any cause specified in
the preceding section, or for the use or perpetration of any fraud or
deceit in obtaining a certificate of registration, or for gross negligence or
incompetency or for unprofessional or dishonorable conduct: Provided,
however, That such action of the Board shall be subject to appeal to the
Secretary of Public Works and Communications whose decision shall be
final.
Civil engineers want to prepare building plans even if they do not have
the skill set to do such. Sure they do have courses on structural design for
timber, steel, and concrete, but sadly none for building design. And I have yet
to meet a civil engineer who can draw. Despite this I have due respect for civil
engineering as a profession. The fact is that the courses in civil engineering do
not equip their students with knowledge equal to that earned by architects
through school and experience. It is bad enough that there are architects who
produce bad designs for buildings, but it will be worse if civil engineers who are
four or five times as many produce worse designs for buildings. It is
unfortunate that the plight of the civil engineers have gone for the worse over
the last years, but architects have nothing to do with it. It would be useless to
educate architects with the latest technologies and could not practice it because
the civil engineers are doing the designing already.
As for civil engineers, what options do they have? Work for the
government? While many have made a career in civil servant posts there is still
too little prospect in government offices. That is why the majority choose the
other pathpracticing as a builder. Practically it is what civil engineers are
known for. Some start as employees of big construction companies while others
find small-scale construction as their niche. This is where the friction with
architects starts. Architects want to build for the private residence client, but so
do civil engineers.
Honestly I felt disrespected in this law. We studied and specialized in this
field, given the time, effort and hard work and with just that law, our precious
future profession is taken away for those who didnt study or invest in the field
of architecture. Im for everything that will define the limitations of every
profession.
Only the architect studies man and his environment in this sense. The
ultimate distinction between the architect and engineers that the architect I
strained and conditioned to begin the process of design with the requirements
of the human being, while the engineer to strained and conditioned to achieve
result almost entirely by the application of the principles of mathematic and
engineering to problems with similarly dimensioned.
These are the great difference between the architects and the civil
engineers. Professional must practice only the knowledge they acquire and learn
in their respective schools. In this particular case, civil engineering to civil
engineers, and architecture to architects.