Dear readers, as I am sure you know, us architects from time to time are obliged to get your plans approved by the local authority. This sounds harmless and uncomplicated yet it has proved to be the most infuriating and frustrating part of my job since I began practising architecture.
At this moment all architects reading this blog are sighing heavily and chewing on their fingers (their fingernails already at the quick). The mere thought of the municipality sends shudders down the spine.
Now before I go into a 5 page rant listing each grievance I have, I will narrow my focus onto one topic. The topic is: Why are the twelve departments required for submission of building plans not housed in one building? And why are these buildings 30km apart from each other? Oops this is a question too? And we know how the government answers questions; with more questions.
I arrived at the townplanner really early, he still had egg yolk in his beard and the faintest hint of brandy on his breath, this I knew was the first bribery meal of his day and not the last.
I handed him the seven thousand pages of information and drawings; he stares at me as George Bush would do were he to find a word in the dictionary that he could pronounce. "Jammer mevrou, sorry ma'am", this needs to go to these twelve departments. He points to the form. Locations nor phone numbers provided.
So Sherlock Holmes, sans a knowledgable sidekick, heads for the open road in search of 12 smudged stamps and a signature.
Suffice to say dear readers today I have forked out more money for petrol, increased my carbon footprint, dirtied my clean car and still not found the water department.
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