Short-term administrative procedures for the approval of investment projects, electronic transmission of projects, online issuance of building permits, increasing the role of the architect in the overall process of project implementation, effective interaction between the industry and the administration. These are some of the good foreign practices in the architecture and construction sector that were presented at the round table “Practicing the profession of architect in Spain and Germany”. The forum was held on April 2 in the Vivacom Art Hall on the initiative of the Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria (CAB). The purpose of the event is to contribute to the understanding of the responsibility and scope of the architectural profession, which has a key role in shaping our living environment. The forum was attended by representatives of industry organizations, academia, state and municipal administration in Bulgaria, Spain and Germany. The chairman of the Board of Directors of KAB, Arch. Vladimir Milkov. You can watch a video recording of the event here.
Approving projects and issuing building permits
In Bulgaria, the process of approving investment projects is extremely complicated and a building permit can take several months or even a year. Municipalities coordinate a huge volume of project documentation, but at the expense of this, inspections of construction sites and newly constructed buildings are fewer in number. The approval of projects can be delayed on the basis of vague and subjective remarks, which creates conditions for corruption, the foreign guests were told arch. Martin Hristov, deputy chairman of the KAB and arch. Nina Tancheva, chairperson of RK Haskovo to the KAB, who were moderators of panels in the discussion.
In Spain and Germany, the architect bears the primary responsibility for the quality of the project, overseeing the entire implementation from start to finish. He is both the composer and the conductor of the architectural work, because he possesses the necessary multidisciplinary knowledge for the management of the investment process. The architect attracts the necessary consultants and specialists for the individual parts of the project, coordinating their activities.
In Germany, the procedure for obtaining a building permit is the responsibility of the municipalities in the federal states, which check the compliance of the project with the so-called building code. From January 1, 2024, project approval procedures are fully digital, with documents being sent online in the form of pdf files with an electronic signature. In this way, time and costs are saved, the interaction between the participants in the process is improved, he explained arch. Eng. Axel Heinrich Muttert, Vice-President of the Federal Union of Architects in Germany. Approval times vary from province to province, usually between 1 and 2 months, but no more than 3 months. In some states, such as Saxony, a registration regime applies instead of a permit. In this case, all responsibility for the legality and quality of the project rests with the architect, he added arch. Eng. Andreas Rauterberg, Executive Director of the Lower Saxony Chamber of Architects.
In Spain, investment projects are first examined by the Association of Architects, which assesses whether they meet the requirements of quality, sustainability and aesthetics. After that, the project is approved by the municipal administration, he explained arch. Guim Costa Calsamilla, President of the Official Association of Architects of Catalonia. For this purpose, a pilot digital platform has been introduced in Barcelona that coordinates the project approval process. The system enables fast and efficient cooperation between the branch organization, the municipal administration and the investors. Building permits are obtained online, usually within a week to a maximum of 3 months by law.
The good example of Spain: Law on the quality of architecture
In 2022, the Spanish Parliament unanimously adopted a new Law on the Quality of Architecture, said arch. Iñaki Carnicero, General Secretary for “Urban Planning, Housing and Architecture” at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development in Spain. This is the first law in Europe that enforces the principles of the new European Bauhaus – aesthetics, sustainability, inclusion. The law is an example of dialogue and consensus because 165 organizations and institutions participated in its creation. The process is public, engaging professionals from various sectors and receiving many proposals. The law affirms architecture as a cultural asset that has social and economic value, supports the development of cultural identity, the well-being of society and improves the quality of life.
“The Spanish law on architecture is a good example for Bulgaria, because here we have serious problems in the sector. The excessive administrative burden and the separation of the sector create prerequisites for corrupt practices. The complexity of the investment process with many participants and disciplines led to the limitation of the role of the architect, who should be a generalist of the process. There is no other profession that carries such responsibility towards the environment. Because of this, the CAB took an initiative to reform the legislation,” explained the deputy chairman of the CAB, Prof. Dr. Arch. Borislav Borisov, who hosted the panel.
Scope of the architectural profession and upskilling
What is the scope of the architectural profession in Spain and Germany and how do architects improve their professional qualifications after graduating from university, addressed questions to the guests arch. Konstantin Peev, deputy chairman of the KAB and arch. Vasil Vassilev, chairman of the Sofia city RK at the KABwho moderated panels in the discussion.
The professional qualification of architects is multidisciplinary and the architect must possess broad knowledge of multiple disciplines, the foreign experts were emphatic. The training for acquiring a higher education in the specialty “Architecture” lasts 5 years and includes an internship that prepares students for the real professional environment. After completion, the license to practice the profession is granted by the relevant architectural chambers, he explained María Dolores Galán Alvarez, Legal Advisor of the Supreme Council of the Associations of Architects of Spain (CSCAE).
In Germany, there are long-standing traditions that assign a central role to the architect in the investment process. The architect has the necessary competences to develop individual parts of the project, such as energy efficiency and fire safety, but can also entrust their implementation to external consultants. Architectural organizations maintain registers of professionals (architects and engineers) who have gained additional qualifications in energy efficiency, fire safety, public procurement, sustainable development and others. A high degree of qualification is required from the architects involved in the preservation of the architectural heritage.
The architectural chambers in Spain and Germany offer numerous professional development courses on a variety of topics, often conducted in an online format. Working groups have been established to analyze the continuing education interests and needs of the architectural college. The purpose of the courses is to familiarize with the most current innovations in the sector and guarantee the quality of the architectural profession. Continuing education is expected to become mandatory in the future.
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