Author's supervision

What is author's supervision and why does it protect design quality?

Author's supervision (Slovak: autorský dozor) is expert oversight performed exclusively by the original architect or designer throughout the construction process to ensure the design is faithfully implemented. The architect supervises all aspects of construction that directly affect design intent: materials, finishes, colors, proportions, technical solutions, and aesthetic decisions. This service protects design quality by ensuring the architect's vision is preserved during construction, when unforeseen conditions, cost pressures, or contractor preferences might otherwise compromise the design.

Unlike construction supervision (stavebný dozor), which focuses on legal compliance and overall quality standards, author's supervision is a design-focused service. It allows the architect to make real-time decisions about materials and finishes, approve or reject modifications proposed by the contractor, and ensure the building matches the approved design documentation and the architect's aesthetic intent.

Author's supervision is particularly valuable in residential and sustainable design, where material choices, thermal performance, color coordination, and spatial proportions directly affect the building's final quality and the client's satisfaction. The architect's ongoing presence on site prevents costly errors and ensures that design decisions made during the design phase are properly executed.

How does author's supervision differ from construction supervision?

Both author's supervision and construction supervision are forms of expert oversight, but they serve different purposes and are performed by different professionals.

In practice, a builder might engage both services: the original architect for design-intent oversight and a construction supervisor (who may be a different professional) for comprehensive quality assurance and regulatory compliance. The two roles complement each other. The construction supervisor ensures the building is legally sound and meets all standards; the author's supervisor ensures the building reflects the architect's design vision and maintains quality in aesthetic and technical details.

Who can perform author's supervision and what qualifications are required?

Author's supervision can only be performed by the original architect or designer who created the project documentation and design. This exclusivity is fundamental to the role: the author's supervision is the right of the architect who authored the work, not a service that can be delegated to another professional.

Under Slovakia's new Building Act (Act No. 25/2025 Z.z., effective April 1, 2025), authorized architects are entitled to provide author's supervision and oversight according to special regulations if they are the author of the design. The qualification requirement is that the architect must be authorized by the Slovak Chamber of Architects (Slovenská komora architektov) and must be the actual author of the architectural work being supervised.

This requirement exists because only the architect who designed the building understands the design intent, the rationale behind aesthetic decisions, the technical solutions chosen, and the relationships between different design elements. A different architect, regardless of qualifications, cannot adequately represent these decisions. The builder has the right to engage supervision by the original architect if they wish to protect their investment and ensure design quality, but they cannot use a substitute.

What are the core responsibilities of an architect performing author's supervision?

Author's supervision is an active, engaged service in which the architect makes ongoing decisions to protect design quality. Key responsibilities include:

• Inspecting materials, products, and finishes before installation to verify they match approved project specifications in quality, color, and technical properties
• Reviewing and approving material substitutions if proposed by the contractor, or rejecting them if they compromise design intent
• Supervising the execution of technical details, proportions, and spatial relationships to ensure they match the approved design documentation
• Making aesthetic decisions on site, such as approval of paint colors, surface finishes, fixture placement, and other details that may be subject to final decision during construction
• Recording supervision activities in the construction diary (stavebný denník) and maintaining documentation of approvals and decisions
• Coordinating with both the site manager (stavbyvedúci) and any construction supervisor to resolve design questions and ensure quality
• Approving completion of construction phases and verifying that all design details have been correctly executed

The architect's role is not merely observational; it includes decision-making authority over design-related matters. If the contractor proposes a material change or a different execution method, the architect decides whether it is acceptable within the design framework. If an aesthetic detail is not specified in the project documentation, the architect can provide guidance on site to ensure consistency with the overall design intent.

How is author's supervision different from site management?

Author's supervision and site management (stavbyvedúci) are often confused but serve distinct functions. Site management is performed by the contractor's on-site representative and focuses on organizing, coordinating, and directing daily construction work. Author's supervision is performed by the architect and focuses on ensuring the design is properly implemented.

The site manager is responsible for logistics, scheduling, workforce coordination, safety on behalf of the contractor, and ensuring the work progresses according to the construction plan. The author's supervisor focuses on quality of design execution, material choices, aesthetic decisions, and design-related problem-solving. The site manager reports to the contractor; the author's supervisor reports to the architect (and ultimately the builder, since the architect is serving the builder's interests in design quality).

On a well-managed project, the two professionals collaborate. The site manager ensures the work is coordinated and on schedule; the author's supervisor ensures the work meets design standards. Conflicts may arise if cost pressures or schedule constraints prompt the contractor to propose corner-cutting that affects design quality—in such cases, the author's supervisor advocates for the design, while the site manager represents the contractor's operational constraints.

What is the legal basis for author's supervision under Act 25/2025?

Slovakia's new Building Act (Act No. 25/2025 Z.z., effective April 1, 2025) establishes the legal framework for author's supervision. The law recognizes that the constructor of a building which is an architectural work (an expression of architectural creativity) is obligated to allow the author of that work to supervise the construction if requested, provided such supervision does not conflict with the constructor's legitimate interests.

This right applies to authorized architects who are the author of the design. The law does not mandate author's supervision for all projects, but it grants the architect the right to request it and obligates the builder to permit it unless there is a genuine conflict of interest. In practice, most architects offer author's supervision as a service that clients can choose to engage, usually by including it in the design contract or as an optional add-on.

The legal recognition of author's supervision reflects the principle that design is intellectual property and that the architect has a legitimate interest in seeing their design properly implemented. The law balances this with the builder's right to control their construction project, but creates a clear obligation to permit the original architect to supervise if they choose to exercise this right.

How is author's supervision organized and compensated?

Author's supervision is typically organized through a separate service agreement between the architect and the builder, though it may also be included as part of the overall architecture contract for the project. The architect and builder negotiate the scope of supervision, the architect's on-site visit schedule, and the compensation.

Cost-sharing arrangements vary. In some cases, the architect includes author's supervision as a percentage of their architecture fee. In others, the builder pays separately for supervision on an hourly basis. Some architects offer scaled supervision for budget-conscious clients: regular visits during critical phases (foundation, envelope, systems) and less frequent visits during fit-out and finishes.

The value of author's supervision is often measured in prevented errors and avoided cost overruns. An architect's early intervention on material quality issues, construction method problems, or aesthetic deviations can save considerably more than the supervision fee, particularly on complex residential or sustainably-designed projects where details significantly affect performance and appearance.

What is the practical process for author's supervision during an implementation project?

Author's supervision typically begins once an implementation (construction) project is underway and continues through practical completion. The architect and builder have agreed in advance on the supervision arrangement—frequency of visits, scope, compensation, and communication protocol.

During pre-construction, the architect reviews all final project documentation, verifies that it reflects the approved design, and discusses the construction plan with the site manager and any construction supervisor. Once construction begins, the architect makes regular site visits according to the agreed schedule, typically more frequent during critical phases (foundation and structural work, building envelope, mechanical and electrical systems) and less frequent during fit-out.

At each site visit, the architect inspects work in progress, reviews materials and finishes, and makes decisions on design-related matters. If issues are identified—incorrect materials, deviations from specification, color mismatches, or spatial inaccuracies—the architect documents the issue and directs correction. If the contractor proposes a substitution or modification, the architect evaluates it and approves or rejects it based on design impact.

Throughout the process, the architect maintains records in the construction diary and communicates findings to the builder. Upon completion, the architect verifies that all design details have been correctly executed and signs off on design compliance. This documentation and sign-off provide the builder with assurance that the project was constructed according to the design and protects the architect's professional reputation by creating a record of supervision activities and decisions.