TRAYECTORIA PROFESIONAL

Aparejador.

Me considero Aparejador, me parece un nombre propio de la profesión y que no genera confusión en el mundo de la edificación. Hasta la fecha todos los profesionales y veteranos del mundo de la edificación tienen en mente al Arquitecto, el autor del proyecto y al Aparejador, quien dirige el proyecto del Arquitecto.

Desde julio del año 1997 empecé interviniendo en la elaboración de proyectos y direcciones de obra con la correspondiente gestión que conlleva el llevar hasta el final una obra. Me considero un privilegiado de la vida por el placer que origina levantar un edificio y saborear todas sus anécdotas, prefiero almacenar las positivas, la verdad es que en estos últimos años superan a las negativas, a pesar de que alguna vez no he dormido a causa de las lluvias y con una cimentación abierta en pleno pueblo histórico de Jávea rodeado de medianeras de piedra y barro.

Regrese al pueblo para constuir las tierras que nos dejaron nuestros abuelitos respetando nuestro entorno y nuestra gente por el amor que tengo a estas tierras javienses.

 Fotografía profesional terrestre

Mi trabajo como fotógrafo profesional empieza de verdad en el año 1992 al adquirir mi primera cámara réflex una Nikon F60, aprendí de mis errores al proyectar mis diapositivas y leer mucho, con los años fui cambiando de ópticas y cuerpos de cámaras, la Nikon F70, y la última analógica otra Nikon F80.

Al poco tiempo de disparar empecé a tener un punto de vista diferente ya que se entrena mucho el ojo al cazar rápidamente instantes fotográficos.

En julio de 2006 dejé ya los carretes de diapositivas, harto de pasar horas y horas en mi archivo de unas 18.000 diapositivas y me lance al desafío digital con una Nikon D200. No tiene ningún misterio, todo son ventajas a la hora de seleccionar fotos. Recuerdo las horas que pasaba buscando fotos en mi archivo analógico, hoy es cuestión de minutos. Después de dos años y miles de disparos ahora en agosto del 2008 empieza la era con mi nueva Nikon D300, todo un juguetito. Esperemos que esta no se ahogue.

En el año 1993 empecé a publicar mis paisajes de Jávea en las portadas de la revista, Semanal de Jávea, era muy gratificante para mi llegar de Alicante el viernes y buscar rápidamente la revista, se me hacían menos duras las asignaturas atascadas y me motivó para finalizar todas aquellas asignaturas atascadas.

El primer concurso fotográfico celebrado por el colegio de aparejadores y arquitectos técnicos de Alicante obtuve el primer y tercer premio sobre temas de construcción, fue precioso recibir los dos premios en la cena de hermandad, que en ese año 1998 se celebró en Jávea, salones Carrasco. Recuerdo la anécdota de los derechos de autor, ya que posteriormente se divulgó la foto ‘botas de hormigón’ en varias guías de hormigón y hubo promotor que se quejó por no haber indicado la promoción donde fue tomada la imagen.

En estos años no he dejado que la fotografía se convirtiera en un trabajo, solo en una pasión para que no pierda el encanto.

Fotografía submarina

Mi trabajo como fotosub empezó en el verano del 2001 con mi Nikon F80 y una carcasa y flash Substrobe 200 Ikelite, pero no conseguí grandes logros, en comparación con la fotografía terrestre. Desde febrero 2008 estoy desafiando de nuevo las profundidades con mi cámara Nikon D200 y una carcasa Ikelite y Flash Substrobe 200 también de Ikelite. Ya no es la película lo que condiciona una inmersión con 38 disparos, ahora en fotografía submarina digital todo son ventajas, en dos inmersiones continuas puedo disparar hasta 250 fotos, todo una revolución, pero no todo es bueno ya que confiaba en los avances de los fabricantes y me falló la estanqueidad del frontal de la carcasa, en la barrera de coral de la isla mejicana de Cozumel y se me inundó la Nikon D200 con tan solo 1000 disparos debajo del agua.

Ahora en agosto 2008 empiezo otra etapa submarina, con una carcasa Aquatica con alarma de humedad y por supuesto asegurando el equipo ya que uno cuando lee libros y manuales de fotografía submarina nunca piensa que se le va a inundar su equipo, a mí me ha llegado ese día y espero que no se repita. Es tremendamente triste ver el agua dentro de la carcasa.

Marzo de 2009, curso taller en Tenerife con el tri-campeón mundial de fotografía submarina, Carlos Minguell, catedrático de los diafragmas subacuáticos.

Coincidiendo con las fiestas del Nazareno en Jávea, el día 2 de mayo 09, me lanzo al agua yo solo en Calablanca y una araña se me pone a tiro, le lanzo el flash y me rodea como un cohete muy violentamente todo el cuerpo, menos mal que llevaba un traje cinco mas cinco, de lo contrario no podría escribir este comentario, estaría en el hospital, CREO QUE EL NAZARENO EXISTE.

El verano y el otoño han sido satisfactorios por el dominio de la fotografía ambiente, la más difícil por los cálculos de luz que uno debe hacer en poco tiempo. Pero me falta afinar más la angulación del flash para evitar la odiosa suspensión de partículas, tan característica de las aguas de Jávea. Lo tendré como meta en la temporada 2010.

 

TRADUCCCION AL INGLES DE LA PROFESION PROPIA DE APAREJADOR

 A BRIEF HISTORY OF A GREAT GUILD

ANTONIO VILLACASTIN, A ROLE MODEL

The solemn inauguration (as required for these occasions) on July 2nd, 1944 of a granite monument -promoted by the highest Body of “aparejador”- in honour of fray (friar) Antonio de Villacastín, rendered homage to a maximum representative and role model of a man, especially provided with the mastery of promotion, oversight and management of labour, materials and equipment on a construction site.  A professional who entirely devoted his skills to building projects from their first stages to the laying of the final stone, dealing with the technical and managerial control of the building work.  This new model of surveyor diverted from and exceeded then, the traditional managerial guild prototype, however still afar from the current practice.

Although highlighted in Spanish history -for his contribution in the building of El Escorial Monastery- as a maximum representative of the trade, there are many other distinguished “aparejadores” worth of mention who, unquestionably, outstand in the history of Spanish Monumental buildings, former to his age as well as those who have, subsequently, inherited a masterful legacy.

 

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION AND INITIAL REFERENCES

The evidence of a professional account of “aparejador”, which although not an academic qualification, appears on a long list of records concerning the undertaking of outstanding building works promoted by the peerage and royalty in the mid-sixteenth century.  In those days, the training of project managers -Maestros- or skilled workers, stemmed from the knowledge and the experience of a number of building guilds and trades, however, much referred to as a self-taught practice, were first academically reported as qualified stonemasons.

The professional qualification of “aparejador” was only granted if, and only when, professional skills were proved before senior general contractors.  Records, former to the 16th century, state that the above mentioned were requested to prove their technical knowledge before a jury made up of the most outstanding artists, qualified experts in architecture, sculpture and painting.  However, the first reference to the so known public competitive examination for “aparejadores” is found in records dated 1620, referring to the appointment of Francisco de Potes for the undertaking of the Royal Works at the Alhambra de Granada, having proved his mastery in technical and practical assessments as well as holding the title of general contractor of the Alcántara Order.

The first appointments on the “aparejadores” duties are to be found in the 16th century, usually stated by Royal Decrees for outstanding Royal and Aristocratic Buildings.

The “aparejador”, as from the early times of the profession, is a skilled technician -acknowledged between the terms of intellectual and the workforce-, committed to the estate.  In many cases, he could be taken for a civil servant when commissioned by the State or the building site manager when at the service of a building promoter or constructor.

 

ADVERSE PURSUIT OF A VERSATILE QUALIFICATION

Following a long path of social-professional unfolding and the establishment of the Royal Academy of Noble Arts in 1757, led the traditional Maestro building guild to a model featured by giving a professional status to the architect-artist-designer of the project.  This new framework placed the “aparejadores” on a higher social and professional standard than that of the guild which they were intending to replace, sometimes even, promoting to general contractors or architects of outstanding Royal Works.

In 1855, the so-called Luján Decree, established the title of “aparejador” superseding the former term -main contractor.  Following the establishment of the Academy and over one century, disputes over the professional assumptions on behalf of main contractors would arise constantly.

Architects claimed the sole rights over the project and management of works conferred by the Royal Decrees, September 1845 and December 1853.  However, the main contractors appealed that the exclusivity of the above mentioned rights, were to only be applicable to public buildings and monuments, the rest to be operated under the rights of the free market concerning the professional practice.

The State resolved the difficult situation with the withdrawal of the title -main contractor-, introducing a new official entry -“aparejador”-, the latter unable to bid rights or privileges, aware of the subjection of their activity to that of the architects’.

The Luján Decree brought about a great uproar on behalf of the main contractors who showed their concern for their endangered practice.  Two years later a new Decree was passed -Ley  Moyano, 1857- re-establishing the qualification of main contractor on a same professional equation as that of the “aparejador”.  After years of controversy and hostilities between the bodies concerned, in the aim of stating each other’s rights and duties, the title of “aparejador” was officially re-established by Decree -issued August 20th, 1895-, however the terms of practice were not to be totally conferred until 1902, 1905 and 1912.

It is not until the Royal Decree, 1905, that there is first written evidence of the political achievements attained by an advisory committee of the trade: “aparejadores”, holders of an official degree, will be entitled to work on projects conducted by Estate architects, under the authorisation of a Ministry.

The Royal Decree passed on March 28th, 1919, meant a great achievement for the trade as it stated that “aparejadores” were bound to take part in works -estimates over 15.000 pesetas- conducted by Estate, county or town architects and could undertake -in cities lacking an architect- any project with an estimate under 10.000ptas, except those which involved repair works and not required any alterations on the structure or makeovers on the façade.

Moreover, the Decree also alludes, for the first time, to the “aparejadores” criminal and civil liabilities result of their practice under the architect’s management.

 

TECHNICAL-SURVEYOR-CONTRACTOR

Obvious, as it is, that the management and the day-to-day overseeing of the construction is one of the main implications of the trade, new horizons are opening and lay ahead.  The technical skills and academic knowledge intended for the practice of construction was already stated as compulsory in the Official Document issued by the MOPU (Ministry of Public Works) in 1978 and can be understood in the text which reads as follows: “… the “aparejador” is the engineer for the materials and building works, that is, the technical builder who, submitted to the architect’s suit, is to inspect the accuracy of the execution of the works.  The technical procedures of the “aparejador” address in two directions, as technical builder and as delegate of the architect conductor of the works”.

The Decree, 1934, aimed to solve a problem which had arisen two years before upon the instauration of the II Republic when, a Bill proposal on the authority conferred to qualified “aparejadores” was first considered at the Congress of Deputies.  The later stated that qualified “aparejadores” were to oversee any building works in the design and management of the project in works with an estimate under 30.000 pesetas.  The passing of the Law ignited the students’ unrest. In consequence, a committee made up of three architects and three “aparejadores” were commissioned to draw up a new Bill which was to state as follows: “… “aparejadores” are to oversee any new construction, renovation, restoration, extension or demolition works taken out on contract, not to exceed a specific amount, according to the type of city”.  The Decree stated a mandatory participation of the “aparejador” as a delegate of the architect conducting the building works, commanded to inspect and oversee the works, responsible for an accurate progress of the project in compliance with the architect’s instructions.

The Decree also acknowledged the “aparejadores” own particular authority in restoration or repair works, entitled not only to oversee and develop the project but also to undertake the designing works of the project, when and only if, it were not to alter the structure or design of the building.  Moreover, the “aparejador” was to be the one and only person entitled to oversee the construction works of a project in cities lacking a resident architect.  Such a great achievement for the building industry, in general, was rapidly withdrawn, degenerating, once again, into a controversial situation; the trades involved striving for the assertion of their own duties.

The state of affairs resulted in the appointment of a joint committee made up of architects and “aparejadores” entrusted to draw up a new Bill which, once again, reasserted the “aparejador” as the technical constructor of the project as well as stating his mandatory participation in its execution; however, was unable to certify the “aparejador” as a qualified constructor, due to, mainly financial interests.

Finally, the Decree drawn up in July, 1935 established that architects were ascribed the project and the management of the architectural works; the “aparejadores” appointed as technical delegates for the inspection and conduction of the works, liable for an accurate progress of the project; and the constructor was to undertake the construction works, as well as provide material, labour, equipment and services required for the construction of the project when conducting works for government agencies and provide material, management and financial assessment for contract projects.

The policy of engagement on behalf of the “aparejador” in the project, guarantees the inspection of materials, its proportions and mixtures, as well as providing surveillance on the site and engineering, making up for under-qualified constructors -if that were the case.

In time, new regulations concerning the title of “aparejador” have been established, such as those which rule the restructuring of the Schools of “Aparejadores”; the establishment of Professional Associations, in 1935; the renaming of “aparejador” to technical architect in 1964, due to reforms introduced in technical degrees; the incorporation of Schools to the University in 1970; and the assertion, in 1970, of the technical architect’s duties, the most outstanding of which are the designing works -which do not entail an architectural project-, the management and inspection on a construction site and finally, teaching.