Conference Call Notes: May 20, 2009

Attendance:

• Kimberley O’ Dowd
• Eugene Da Silva
• Christine Lara
• Isaac Mugumbule
• Oana Stanescu

Dialing in Reference: US 978.964.0031

Guest Code: 3232346#

General:

• Elaine joined call to share lessons learned from Siderec
• Communications and Project Structure
• Successes:

Simple communications team has contributed to success

Design autonomy

Opportunity for community engagement and workshops

• Lessons Learned:

Disconnect between design architects and MYSA – use of workshop to bridge that gap

Design Ownership – design arch. Vs. local architect

How to empower local architect because they are focused solely on production – project roles – handover – role definition

• Recommendations:

Local Architect and Design Architect to be in close contact

Explanation of roles for architects in both direction

Have a design fellow on the ground

Clear explanation of when and how the handoffs

Khayelitsha:

• Adjudication Continued

QS/ARG will meet to figure out values

Going into construction next week after the QS adjusts the numbers

Dollar dropping creates new unforeseen challenges

Eugene recommends to change program and include growth model

• Meeting with VPUU in relation to greenfields pitch and building update

Building pitch according to standards

Accurate measurements

Sub-drainage system

• Ground Breaking Event Monday May 25th

Namibia:

• Paul and Nina will finish the site documentation to include in the MOA

Will need to include this work in the MOA between SFW and the City

MOA to be signed end of May

• No confirmation of who will help out as far as design fellows
• Awaiting land agreements
• Design brief submitted for final approval on May 20th
• Stay-C and Paul met w/someone from the Ministry of Transport who can facilitate any potential hiccups
• Who will contruct sub-base, FNB will fund the sub-base

Engineer has experience with greenfields

Oana to pursue getting quote for sub-base

Mali:

• Interviewing design fellows – Marc (Eugene did not speak with Marc, only via email)

can only feasibly start in a month

Kimberley will look at other options

• Habib and redesign submission, still awaiting Kimberley to provide update
• Souadou must be contacted about current issues including design fellows. AFH will discuss during internal call tomorrow with SFW about proper procedures
• Contractors, Engineers, Solar World consultants need to be contacted

Kenya:

• Land survey will be complete and funds will need to be disbursed
• April has all the necessary information including agreements
• Isaac and Dr. Omenya will meet on Thursday May 21

General:

• Communications
• New Procedures discussed with on the ground team
• On the ground team will meet directly and transfer knowledge to others, if there is an issue, Jan and Kate can sort it out in a private call
• FFH/SFW requested AFH to clarify budget matters, Eugene will discuss with AFH San Francisco

Moving forward, FFH want to deal on the ground first, then report to their respective teams internally

On the ground team agreed to new communication procedures for efficiency and in order to respond to client requests properly

• Payments

On the ground team awaits Kate's response to how payment dispursement will be handled for contractors, arG and other local architects, design fellows, and any other team members that will require timely payments

• Due to the experiences of all, nobody can confirm how and when the contractor can be paid
• Eugene stated if the contractor is not paid on time, he will pack up and leave site
• On the ground team suggested this be handled in San Francisco and have more than one person who can issue payment to contractor in case Kate is traveling
• Site visits will require confirmation of work and application of payment will be filed after completed work is verified by site report
• Eugene will provide document to AFH San Francisco of how payments are handled locally
• On the ground team awaits Kate's response upon return from travel
• Unifying Element
• Presentation was held on Tuesday May 19th at 10am

Client responded enthusiastically to concept and presentation of unifying element

• On the ground team stated that although numerous requests for imput, notes and responses were only received on the day of the scheduled meeting, team clarifies that the email clearly indicated partial package
• On the ground team stated that this will be a future problem
• As a result the team then presented the tower as the unifying element
• Kimberley requested design items be filtered through San Francisco, on the ground team responded that sufficient time considerations is the minimum we can ask, same day response to cancel meetings after several requests have been made is not a good future strategy
• Moving forward we will continue to develop the tower and simultaneously incorporate the community art workshop into the unifying theme

FFH requested the tower package be distributed for comments

• Overall discussion with client was positive and collaborative