ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET, GO!!!

This was my debut week as an Architectural Intern. I accepted an offer Monday morning, half and hour later got to the office and not long thereafter was off to council - all before noon! The next two days I settled in, got acquainted with the daily running of things, bonded with a few cats and made coffee from a gas stove for the first time. I started draughting on autocad 2006 (a later version to what we are accustom to). The two projects I am busy with are minor renovations and extentions to existing residential houses. Who knew for such minor things one needs so much detail and information. I learnt on Monday-will chating to those at Council-that alot of information/detail is needed at the zoning counter regarding the purpose/function of the building(s) proposed. Example, if you are building a creche, thay need to know the schedule pertaining to play time and nap time so that the neighbours are aware of its daily operations and that they are not disturded. You also require a whole sherbang of documentations. I always knew Architects had a lot on their plates but when I heard that in the UK they need to summit site diagrams to show where they are going to mix cement and so on because you can't just mix it anywhere i.e. the road, because you will get dust on the nextdoor neighbours property!!!  So now we have to do more unnecessary work. This has however been an interesting first week, learnt alot, got to explore on my own for two days while the architect was away, and got to sleep early this week and wake up a WHOLE hour later!!  long hours in front of the computer is un cool though. Until later. Chow