Examples of Expert and Dispute Work

CONFERENCES, PRESENTED PAPERS, DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND WORK AS EXPERT

Apr 82	Chaired two-day seminar on "Changing Style in Architecture" in Nicosia for the Cyprus Architects' Association.

Jun 83	Presented paper "Stylistic Reconstruction" to plenary session, Second World Biennale on Architecture, Sofia--paper awarded third prize out of about 100 ("Honour Diploma" from Union of Bulgarian Architects).

Nov 84	Invited lecturer on architectural theory to Mimar Sinan University, First Technical University, and Trakya University schools of architecture, Istanbul, Turkey.

Feb 86	Participant sponsored by my institution at Teaching Architecture and Engineering conference, Havana, Cuba. Delivered paper and was conference panelist.

Nov 91	Expert report on historical character of window installation for a domestic listed building Grade II*in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.

Jun 92	Architectural consultant to Troika Productions Ltd for television film "The Empress and the Architect"—about historical architectural work by Charles Cameron in St Petersburg for Catherine the Great. Director: Anna Raphael.

Nov 93	Expert consultant to building firm on party wall bylaw requirements and construction performance requirements.

Apr 94	Expert report on imprecise construction cost estimates on a listed church for dispute between the church council, Riverhead, Kent, and architects.

May 95	Expert report on likely amount of lost earnings by a principal architect who suffered critical injuries in a road accident. Instructions to support a loss of future earnings claim.

Sep 95	Expert opinion to Planning Service Committee of Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea on environmental impact of proposed extension to the Thamesbrook Elderly Persons Home in Chelsea. Instructions from an ad hoc group of neighbours and local residents.

96-98	Expert opinion on lost earnings by a leading principal architect deliberately run over in a "road rage" case who was incapable of continuing work. The case turned on the question of the value of architectural talent and the anticipation of very high future rewards.

Jul 96	RIBA-appointed Senior Architectural Assessor for South Hill Park Competition, an arts centre in a listed building in Bracknell, Berkshire. I wrote the brief, shortlisted competitors, and chaired the jury that selected the overall winners.

Jan97-May 98	Expert opinion on shortcomings in the work of architects previously employed by a property company, on a listed building Grade II* in London N20, advising on the merits and quantum of an appropriate claim.

Apr-Oct 98	RIBA-appointed Senior Architectural Assessor for Limavady Arts Centre and Museum Competition, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. I wrote the brief, shortlisted competitors, chaired the jury, invited finalists for interview, administered the choice of winner, and wrote the post-competition jury report for professional and public information.

Oct 98	Jointly appointed adjudicator to settle a reasonable basis for fees where there were vague terms of agreement between a London architectural practice and an international film company. The professional quality of work had to be taken into account. The parties had the option of taking the decision to arbitration or litigation, but agreed my adjudication.

Aug-Nov 99	Expert opinion on defects in a large domestic building extension with roofs of different heights, pitches and materials at Dulwich that led to water penetration and condensation. I was instructed to analyse the extension’s design, its metal and other materials, the supervision of the building contract and the construction, assessing the professional standard and the architect’s duty of care for a claim. I also advised on various tests and works as remedies for the problems.

Nov 00	Expert opinion for a restaurant critic whose kitchen of professional standard had been defectively built. She was in disagreement about fees with her architect and contractor. My analysis avoided litigation by clearly analysing the design, stating facts, duties, responsibilities and limits, and led to an equitable settlement.

Oct 01	Expert opinion on fire hazards in occupied premises in Enfield. Solicitors required my expert opinion about whether the construction conformed with relevant building and/or fire regulations.

Feb 02	Single joint expert on a dispute between an international architectural practice and an international construction firm for an airport hotel in Granada, Spain. The issues were planning approval, design quality, professional liability, and fees. The parties settled after my report, before litigation.

Nov 02- Aug 03	Expert opinion on failure of roofing systems at a prominent seafront building, Brighton. My expertise concerned some technically complex issues involving roofing, roof pitches, drainage provisions, condensation and vapour. The case involved the relative financial exposure of four different parties.

Mar 03	Expert investigation and opinion on negligence and liabilities involved in faulty skylight and other design, interior design and construction issues, large domestic addition, Wimbledon.

Feb 04	Expert for dispute over fee claims and negligence involved in unrealised planning application for a tall hotel building at Vauxhall. Involved my making a reasoned assessment of what an achievable planning application should have secured, related to fees and liability.

Aug 04	Joint negotiation with opposing expert and report on behalf of owners of a converted property whose architect had been refused building consent after commencing work. Involved liabilities that had to be assessed and cost-scaled over six years.

Sep-Oct 04	Expert for professional indemnity insurance company in a case on behalf of an architectural practice. The claim alleged the 04 practice’s miscalculation of allowable development in planning a housing subdivision, and alleged negligence.

Jul 05	Single joint expert in dispute between client and architect over fees and professional competence, West London residence.

Feb 06	Expert concerning issues of competence, professional standards, negligence and duty of care in the architect’s design and submissions for approval for a house extension, reconstruction and renovation in Surrey. The house was in danger of collapse as a result of the architect’s mistakes.

Jun 06	Advice to retail client about enforcement notice for alleged listed building violation concerning signage in Victoria Station concourse. My work included negotiations with Westminster Council and submission of an agreed retrospective listed building consent application.

Dec 07	Advice to owners of a large house in London and action on their behalf about party wall notice infringements by the hospital next door. The hospital’s insurers fully settled the owners’ claim.

Aug 07	Single joint expert in a dispute between the architect and the owners of a large restaurant, Birmingham, concerning fee charges and alleged professional negligence in interior design and certifying workmanship and completion of builders’ work. Asked to act as mediator midway in the proceedings, I set the terms, mediated successfully, and drafted the signature agreement for full settlement between the parties.

Jan 08	Client Design Advisor to condominium management committee of a large converted former docklands warehouse. My ongoing brief includes advising the committee on planning a complete maintenance and improvement programme, preparing a budget and advising on value, establishing priorities and settling on a work flow plan consistent with the desired expenditure over time, writing general and particular briefs (including performance specifications when necessary), advising on interior design, assessing design quality, advising on building regulation requirements and health and safety regulations, advising on the selection of surveyors, builders and others for the works’ execution, advising on materials and methods in the context of costs, managing, assessing and reporting on the work of others, conducting site visits for supervision and post-completion examination of works for defects to be remedied.

Apr 09	Expert for dispute over adherence to building regulations by a design-and-build team on a contract with a charitable community housing association set up by a local authority in the Midlands as an arm’s-length affordable housing provider.

Nov 09	Expert opinion on liability, costs and damages due to the negligence of the architect arising from the inefficacy of his specification for waterproof tanking in building works on the claimant’s property.

Nov 09	Adjudicator in dispute between architects and the building committee of a university on a claim for damages against the architects’ skill, competence and adherence to building requirements.

Jan-Aug 10	Expert opinion on fees; the fair quantum meruit payment to an interior designer who had been discharged before the work was complete. The work was an elaborate and costly interior in London for the foreign chairman of an international oil company, and my complex instructions included the preparation of a Scott schedule for all rooms acceptable to the court that both parties would agree on.

Apr-Nov 10	Expert for owners of a large listed domestic property in a case centering on overcharged professional fees. The case required investigation of the architect’s multiple failures including comprehensive violations of the professional code, allegations of collusion with the contractor, not warning the client about the contractor’s financial difficulties prior to insolvency, and allegations of criminal damage.

Dec 10	A piece of modern furniture I designed—a dining chair on wheels—was acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum for their permanent collection. It will be in a design show at the museum commencing Sep 2011.

Jun 11	Report to the Tuxedo Park Architectural Review Board, Tuxedo, New York, on the structural risk implications of proposed nearby blasting. I considered the impact and explosion stresses on soil slopes, retaining walls and footings with respect to the architecture and site structural security of a large historic house built into a cliff face hanging out over a dropping gradient.

Jun 11	Consultant on restaurant property development, improved design and efficient business management for a popular restaurant in Belvedere-Tiburon, Marin County, San Francisco Bay.

Jan 12	Appointed by the Society of London Theatre as panellist for the Olivier Awards 2012 in Opera.

Aug 13	Expert for an architectural practice as defendants in litigation about the fire safety of their modified industrial standard building that they had adapted for use as a student hall of residence.