architectural design and construction supervision Construction Supervision projects

The Engineering Department that we belong to is called the Engineering Function within the company, and is a team that mainly performs the so-called "Construction Supervision" work at construction sites. This "Construction Supervision" job allows us to know better than anyone else how the building is actually built and how it fits together. In today's world where the division of labor and subdivision of construction work is progressing, I think it's fair to say that we have a better understanding of the entire building than anyone else. For me, the appeal of this job is that it's close to the site.

It's interesting to see how the process of turning blueprints into an actual building reflects the individual preferences of each person involved as Construction Supervision. Even if the final surface color and shape are the same, the fit and construction process behind the surface will never be the same.

正直、学生の頃は、設計者が図面を施工者に渡したあとは、ほぼ「お任せ」で建物が「建つ」ものだと思っていました。でも、就職活動をする中で、設計図と実際に建つ建物の間をつなぐ「監理」という仕事があることを知って興味が湧きました。法的にも工事監理者は定めなければならない存在ですよね。施工者と違う立場で、工事中も建物の安全性などの性能確保に日々留意しながら、図面の意図を汲み取って品質を守る方法を考える……、そんな重要な役目を任されてみたいなと。でも、工務職能的な仕事の募集は、ゼネコンなどの「施工管理」がほとんど。設計事務所の「監理」もキャリア採用が多い中で、三菱地所設計は新卒の採用をしていたので応募しました。

Our company has continued to hire new graduates with engineering skills from the time of its predecessor Mitsubishi Estate to the present day. There is no other organization like this in Japan, and it is a sign of the important role that the engineering function has played within Mitsubishi Estate Group.

We also need people with on-site experience who can contribute immediately, so of the 40 or so people currently in the Construction Department, about half joined the company with experience. However, conversely, one of our company's characteristics is that about half of our employees are new graduates. In our Construction Supervision work, we not only consider design, but also how the building will be used (functionality and safety). If you join the company as a new graduate, you can work with clients, designers, and contractors from a young age and hone your manufacturing mindset as Construction Supervision.

When we enter a site, we often form a team of several people, so the skills of members with various backgrounds are combined. When it comes to large sites, we assign veterans, mid-career employees, young employees, and newcomers in a balanced manner. I think that by being exposed to the work styles and values of various people as a new employee, you can grow into Construction Supervision with a broader perspective.

For one large-scale redevelopment project that our team was in charge of, I joined the project from the end of the design development stage in early 2016. Demolition work began six months later, and construction of the new building began in January 2018. I was in charge of Construction Supervision for over four and a half years until completion in September 2020.

The design started several years ago, so it was a fairly long-term project. In the construction department, designers consult with us about construction plans and methods during the planning and schematic design stages, and we calculate approximate construction times. For example, when designing a building right up against the site boundary, we consider and advise on whether the plan can actually be built and how long the construction will take.

In many cases, we only get fully involved in a project when it is time to select a contractor. One of our first important tasks is to identify the prerequisites and constraints for construction based on detailed design development drawings and other documents. If there is an existing building, as in this redevelopment project, we check the interior and identify any special notes for ordering demolition work. We also sometimes assign separate contractors to suit the client's needs, so we also prepare construction conditions, such as creating rules for that.

When the contractor submits the construction cost and construction proposal, we work with the Cost Consulting Department to confirm the appropriateness of how much and how they plan to construct the structure. Since the contractor will present the construction cost and period with an eye to several years in advance, it is not an easy decision to make, but you cannot be too safe or take too many risks. We support our clients in their construction contracts by determining the appropriateness of the construction period, plan, and construction cost.

Once construction actually begins, we will consult and coordinate with the contractor and monitor the schedule and construction costs on a daily basis to ensure there are no fluctuations, so I feel that the more accurate our assessment is, the smoother the subsequent project management will be.

However, the construction industry is currently facing a series of waves, including rising material prices, work style reforms, and labor shortages. Even if we conduct thorough research based on our know-how, there are still some aspects that we cannot understand until we try them out. Until now, there was a tendency to believe that "we should stick to the construction period and construction costs that were initially decided until the very end," but clients are increasingly understanding these drastic changes, and I feel that the times are changing.

What we value most is "commitment to quality." Our roots lie in the architectural design and construction supervision department of Mitsubishi Estate, so we have always been very conscious of achieving higher quality by taking a stance that is closer to the client. We don't just understand the intent of the blueprint and maintain quality, but also add our own flavor by using our know-how and experience to suggest "it would be better if we did it this way."

One thing that contributes to this is the "after" work, which is done to deal with problems after construction is completed. Even for things that were deemed the best course of action during construction, this post-completion follow-up can lead to realizations like, "If only we had done it this way..." There is no absolute right answer in Construction Supervision, so we will continue to use these realizations at the next site.

Similarly, the builders also have their own preferences based on their experience, so there are times when opinions clash over how to actually deliver the work. As they are all engineers, they have strong preferences, but they all share the same goal of "making something better" and "avoiding making something that will result in high repair costs later," so they share their wisdom.

At times like these, the know-how accumulated in the company is also helpful. I check the vast amount of drawing archives to see if there are any past cases that I can refer to, but the drawings do not include the basis for the dimensions. I interpret it in my own way, check with my seniors, and sometimes discuss it internally as I move forward. The atmosphere at the Construction Supervision office for the previous redevelopment project was great, and I still remember it. When we went out for drinks after work, we would bounce technical theories off each other, regardless of whether we were seniors or juniors.

As for office buildings, which account for the largest proportion of our architectural design and construction supervision work, I believe that our track record and know-how in Construction Supervision are superior to that of our competitors. In addition, Mitsubishi Estate Group 's tenant leasing projects are often "simultaneous completion," meaning that the tenant areas are opened almost at the same time as the building is completed. For example, the "FUKAYA-HANAZONO Premium Outlets®," which I was in charge of, was fully opened just three weeks after completion. I think that our management ability to open stores at the same time as the opening while coordinating design and construction with over 100 commercial tenants is a strength that our competitors do not have. Sometimes we are suddenly asked to make unreasonable design changes during construction, but the tenants are "customers to our clients." We coordinate with the contractor, designer, and client and make the utmost effort to make it happen.

Once work begins on site, the most important thing is the process of deciding what to do. "If we don't decide this by a certain date, we won't be able to complete the project in time." It is us Construction Supervision who manage this on a daily basis from a neutral standpoint, and we often act as the flag-bearers for the project.

In particular, hotel projects, which have been increasing in recent years, involve many people involved, such as the client and the hotel operator being different, or having their own in-house interior designer, and there are many decision-making processes. Without a wealth of experience and know-how, it is difficult to compete. We handle everything from urban business hotels to foreign-affiliated five-star hotels that are making their first foray into Japan, and resort hotels, so we would like to make this one of our areas of expertise in Construction Supervision work.

You can learn a lot by working at one site for several years until delivery, but if the facility's purpose, structure, and size are different, the quality control points and the process of deciding on items will be completely different. Therefore, I think you should experience as many sites with various facility purposes as possible. Another attractive feature of joining the company as a new graduate is that you will have the opportunity to experience many new construction sites as Construction Supervision.

I think that being able to experience Construction Supervision at a variety of sites, large and small, at the same time is one of the distinctive educational policies of our company's Construction Supervision work. This allows the amount of knowledge to increase exponentially.

Currently, my main job is the massive and challenging TOKYO TORCH Torch Tower (approximately 540,000 m2), but I am also in charge of smaller projects (approximately 2,000 m2) at the same time.

I am currently mainly in charge of a 90,000m2 site in Tokyo, as well as a 20,000m2 and 1,500m2 site in the Hokuriku region. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, my work environment has changed dramatically, with meetings and on-site quality checks now being done remotely and drawings now being shared on the cloud, allowing me to use my time more effectively.

It doesn't take 10 years to be entrusted with Construction Supervision of a construction site. If it is a small or medium-sized site, you will be able to handle it by yourself. When you are a new employee, you are usually assigned to a Construction Supervision office for a large site, so I tell them to observe how their superiors and seniors work. And I make them aware that they will be in charge at the next site, aiming to become a full-fledged employee in a few years.

At my first job, I watched my boss and did image training to think about what I would do if I were in that situation. There are many things about Construction Supervision that you can't learn by yourself. I often worry about things, but there is an OJT system, and my seniors are all good at explaining things on the job, so it's easy to consult with them.

Needless to say, a building is not something that can be built by one person. I believe that the mission of the construction industry is to build partnerships with the builders, on-site craftsmen, people who make the parts, and people who transport them, and to create an environment where everyone involved can demonstrate their abilities. This cannot be learned at a desk. What is necessary, as is the case in all jobs, is communication skills. It is not enough to be "friendly," as in other words, but it is good to have different approaches, so it is important to cultivate the communication skills to become friends with the people in front of you.

Our company has a tradition of having a sense of responsibility and a mindset that never runs away from anything by saying, "This is not our job." As a company that responds to various questions and concerns that arise in every aspect of construction work, I think we have a very large capacity to handle them.

Over the years, I have come to understand better what my first boss told me: "Construction Supervision is a service industry." This mindset tends to fade in modern society, but it is one of the strengths that our company has cultivated over the years.

This also relates to the "after-sales" work I mentioned earlier. When problems arise after completion, the contractor is often the first to deal with the issue, but many clients consult with us, Construction Supervision, first. I think that active follow-up and advice on whether repair methods are appropriate are traditions that have been passed down since the days of Mitsubishi Estate Estate.

Moreover, in our case, clients often speak directly to Construction Supervision, not to the designer or sales department. I think this shows how our Construction Supervision are at the forefront on site. We are proud to know every detail of the building, from the design to the details of the construction.

The best part of Construction Supervision work is the fun and excitement of being at the forefront of on-site manufacturing, but at the same time, there is also the tension and excitement of every single decision you make every day directly affecting the quality. Although a Construction Supervision officer is neither a designer nor a builder, it is a role that allows me to confidently say that I was the most involved in the process of building a building. That is what I find rewarding about my work.