The Detroit times., 1914-10-01

OF known honesty and competence.
The agreement between the owner
and the competitors should be den-
mite a. becomes plain statement of
business relations. q
The Judgment should be based on
knowledge. and since ideas presented
In the form Of drawings are intel
ligible only to trained mind. judg-
msnt should mot be rendered until
the owner has received competent
technical advice a. to the merits OF
those ideas. This Judgment should
be rendered by jury. the majority
Of which should be practicing archt
tects.
Question o. commission.
For many years the architsct's com
mission was considered standard ~
ave per cent. Gradually his work be-
came more complicated. The num-
Der OF drawings and specifications
and their character became more and
more complicated. Building opera
,tions became hedged about with
many requirements. insurance asso-
Citations az well as municipal depart
ments. The character Of buildings
themselves became more and more
complicated. All OF this has had the
tendency OF making the architects
work very much more costly. until Il
became necessary that the standard
or fees be raised. and II II now con-
sidered standard Ct six per cent I'm
stead Of ave. For complicated work
the fee IL necessarily increased. II
has heen proven ON many occasions
among architects OF standing, that
| the actual cost to the architects Of
ordinary building operations 1t the
present time b oftsn in excess Of
ave per cent. showing that on the old
basis OF making his charges. he would
4 be actually suffering loss.
Some Of the rules which architects
are called upon to observe emphasize
this opinion. These precepts may be
read with advantage by prospective
builders. The architect. for instance
IL to regard his relation to the client
as primarily that Of professional ad
E wiser, . relation that continues
Throughout the entire course Of mis-
service. When. however, . CONTRACT
has been executed between his client
and contractor. by the terms Of
which the architect becomes the ON
cial interpreter of It's conditions and
the Judge Of Its performances, an ad
ditional relation II created under
which II IL incumbent upon the archi
tect 10 side neither with client MOI
contractor, but to use his powers un
der the contract to enforce its saith
full performances by both parties. The
fact that the architects paymen,
comes from the client does not in
4 validate his obligation to act with I'm
psrtiality to both parties.
stringent Code o. PrsetIes.
| II Is pointed out that on AL work
Except the simplest. II II 70 the inter
est OF the owner to employ : super
intendent or clerk Of the works. II
many engineering problems and n
certain specialized esthetic problems
II n 70 his interest to have the serv
ices Of special experts. and the archi
ltect should 10 inform him. The q
Iperience and special knowledge Of thu
Iirchitect make II to the advantage o
the owner that those person., a
Though paid by the owner, should b
selected BY the architect under who's
direction they are to work. WheI
RETAINED 40 an expert. whether II con
nection with competitions or other
wise, the architect h to receive . com
lpensatieR psopestionats 10 thu rsspon
lslbiifty and di6hculty Of the service
mo duty 10 more exactins than sucl
service. and the honor of the profes
sion IL involved In II.
/ IL 10 further provided that the archi
fleet should advfss ths cfteut IN tht
IseIection Of bidders and in the awar'
Of the contract In advising that nom
hut Trustworthy bidders be Invited AMI
1.-THE award be made only to contractor
who are reliable and competsnt tn
farchitsct protects the interests Of hil
client Al the architect decides
whether or not the intent Of his planl
land specifications 10 properly carriet