Lacrosse Fire VCAT Decision
In the coming weeks, the ACA will explore the detail of the Lacrosse Fire judgement and possible implications for architects.
Many architects would have already heard of the decision handed down yesterday by Judge Woodward of VCAT regarding the 2014 fire at the Lacrosse Building in Melbourne, which found that the Architects, Certifiers and Fire Engineers were proportionately liable for damages relating to the fire due to the use of non-compliant cladding.
You can find the full decision here.
It makes sobering reading, and reinforces the complexity of relationships, responsibilities and liabilities in contemporary building practice.
In response, the Association of Consulting Architects has commissioned a series of articles over the coming weeks on the judgement and the possible implications on the roles and responsibilities of architects. The VCAT decision is related to a particular set of circumstances, but it coincides with the expected response of the Building Ministers Forum this week to the Shergold Weir report on changes to the regulatory environment for the construction industry.
The ACA hopes to promote a careful and considered discussion on these issues and their importance to the whole profession.