Over 70 percent of public buildings belonging to the private and state sector in the country are not designed by qualified architects, said Head of Department of Architecture, University of Moratuwa,Professor Harsha P Munasinghe at a conference held yesterday on Social Inclusion at the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo.
He said that many popular super markets and private hospitals contribute to this high percentage and that the safety aspect of these constructions are often compromised until severe adversities occur.
"People must be made aware of the need to seek professional architectural approvals prior to construction to ensure safety for all" he said.