The week that was 29th March – 1st April 2016

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The week that was 29th March – 1st April 2016

Singapore, Weekend 2-3 April 2016

Finally a week back in the office…and what a productive week it was! A number of projects were about to issue full DD stage (2), another thre were being prepared for tender issue, another 2 have reached final site installation and a last one is due for commissioning and handover in 3 weeks for which the necessary preparations are needed. Another two who were on hold due to payment issues that had caused some frustration on both sides , now rekindled after mediation with payment on the way and even additional works on the way. Just another “ordinary” week in our practice. While all that was playing out I doggedly used my free time in between to chip away in finalising my presentation for Lux Live in Abu Dhabi mid April. The interesting thing was the different way each of these stages are being worked and the deliverables expected, due to different contract conditions, varying scope and different client expectations, let ‘s have a closer look:

Design Development stage
Two of our projects, in 2 totally different locations on the planet, are issuing for completed design development this week; one in Oman the other in Tahiti. The contrast could not be bigger. On the first one the client’s project management is keeping a very tight ship in regards to deadlines and is looking over everyone’s shoulder to keep track of progress. As a result each consultant is highly “reclusive” in order to focus on the work at hand with the aim not to be distracted and deliver “a” DD package in time. Since we depend on the input from the interior designer, architect and landscape designer, we are left with basic minimum info most of it issued last minute with communication proving to be difficult, mostly because they just don’t have the time (and are worried we will come up with things to change). Not surprisingly, because of their rush, we found many missing crucial details, non-matching plans and sections and non-updated now obsolete design in the interior and landscape DD packages issued to us. I needed to make a captain’s call on whether to move our DD package with what was issued to us or spend extra time sorting out the missing information against our own looming deadline. I decided to move with what we have but engage the consultants in parallel and see what we can integrate along the way…
The second one has a far lower level of communication and detailing for the simple reason that the foreign consultants (interiors and lighting) are engaged to provide the locally based lead architect consultant with the necessary DD info following which they will issue the final package. So this DD info is more a guideline that a full specification or recommendation. We understand that they will take our info “translate” that in their drawings and source for local equivalents.
The impact and outcomes are different. In the first case we are anxious to issue as close to reality as possible also knowing that we will need to follow up to a successful commissioning ultimately. In the second project we are more relaxed as we submit our package in the knowledge they will take what they feel they need, substitute with local alternatives and follow up themselves. We are unlikely to be involved in the final implementation or commissioning

Tender stage.
A critical stage in every project as that is where the pedal meets the metal. That is where the final light fixtures are being selected, reviewed and approved. Hence making sure the base package with our specifications are locked in as good as possible is critical. Three projects, one in Singapore, one in Malaysia and another one in China, again each with their own characteristics. The one is Singapore (a lounge bar renovation) is pushed by a project manager doing his best to steer the project within a pre-estimated time schedule without fully comprehending the inter relationship and dependency of the various disciplines, but still requiring the packages to be complete. Each consultant is capable enough to take care and deliver in their core discipline, but where it runs short in this project is in the core inter-disciplinary areas. In this specific project we need to develop a suspended structure strong enough to span 7 to 9 meters to which standard off the shelf light fixtures are to be integrated. As we are lighting designers we feel it is the structural engineer’s responsibility to come up with the structures specs. The structural engineer does however not want to take any responsibility claiming it is a lighting fixture. The architect somehow stayed on the side line…We decided to spec as we felt was related to the lighting leaving the structure’s engineering and the finishes to the respective consultant’s. It is interesting to see that when it comes to “grey” areas some people do not step up to the plate…afraid of what? The project in Malaysia somehow sneaked straight from concept into tender stage, likely due to it’s complex nature (high end casino and mall) and quick fire completion target. The whole project is done from inside a fast running train with no stations until the end destination! Changes and adaptations are done on the fly…not surprisingly we find ourselves suddenly in tender mode. Our hotel project in China is following a more regular and normal path with all the necessary breaks and coordination along the way, all measured and controlled. The big question will be whether we will be able to hold specs…the ever occurring challenge in nearly every project.

Commissioning
Two projects are in commissioning stage, one golf resort in Malaysia, one hotel resort in China, both with their own little issues. My team went up their this week only to find that contractors work was not really completed, despite assurances it would, while some of the work could be completed, a second run will be needed before the end of the month, keeping the contractor in line and on track in the meantime. Our China project is a bit more harrowing as the opening date (end of April) has been officially marketed with room and events booked so there is no escaping. The coordination and consultation between site team and consultants has been rather left wanting, mostly due to the client not having appointed a real project manager and leaving architect and contractor sorting things out, each of course having their own agenda’s. Not surprisingly the feedback of the onsite condition (specifically the seemingly non-compliance between LED lights and dimmer system) is reaching panic state. Our recommendations and directions have been generally ignored so it sort of stings if the client feel you are responsible for it. Anyhow preparations were made this week to go out there and since the contractor has shown a habit of not following up the client agreed for my team to remain on site till completion as to make sure there are no excuses…All in all a bit of a pressure cooker week which showed again how important a professional and experienced project manager is to bring a project to a good end.

Banking in the new world?
As we live in a new world with continuous terrorist threats around the world, government scrutiny on the activity of every day’s man is also becoming more apparent. Yesterday I received a call from our banker questioning an inbound payment (just an ordinary fee progress payment) to our account. The amount being less then $10K I was surprised by the call, the first of its kind. We have been called before to confirm incoming or outgoing transactions but never to clarify the nature of the transaction! Perhaps the project and payment origin which is from Salalah in the South of Oman has something to do with it? Besides coming from the Middle East, Salalah is just North of the Yemen border…what bugged me most was that the questioning was camouflaged under the banner of the bank wanting to know their customers better…after banking with them for more then 15 years, they still don’t know us??? Describing the nature of your business is part of the bank application form! I can only deduce they are investigating any transactions that may potentially be linked to terrorism…don’t trust anyone, even long term customers! Where is this world going to…

Have a great weekend.