Working with Ulatus on the translation of our architectural book was an absolute game-changer. Their translation services went above and beyond, consistently exceeding our expectations."
Our client is a distinguished private, autonomous, and non-profit academic institution with a history spanning over 50 years. This leading academic institute boasts affiliations with esteemed organizations such as the CFA Institute, the University of London, and the Project Management Institute, solidifying its reputation for excellence in education and research. They sought a language services partner specializing in book translation, particularly in architecture. They were eager to collaborate with a provider known for flexibility, receptiveness to feedback, and a commitment to ongoing enhancement through client input. The primary goal of the client was to release this book in the Spanish language.
With the client's extensive architectural book covering diverse topics such as Historical Architecture, Sustainable Design, Modern Architectural Trends, Urban Planning, Interior Design, and Cultural Heritage, we encountered the task of translating these materials into Spanish. Ensuring seamless alignment between the client's requirements and the linguistic team's proficiency across these intricate architectural domains posed a challenging yet pivotal mission. The success of this endeavor hinged on our capability to synchronize linguistic precision and specialized architectural knowledge, ensuring that the translated architectural books accurately conveyed crucial design concepts and historical context in a manner resonating with diverse linguistic audiences worldwide.
The client's book comprised 18 chapters, each delving into distinct facets of architecture. In their pursuit of the highest precision and quality, the client implemented a thorough review process for the Spanish translation, involving experts affiliated with the educational institution. This underscored the need to create a robust tracking system, ensuring the efficient management of incoming deliverables by all parties involved. Translating architectural books requires preserving the unique style of the original text. Translators must skillfully capture the author's tone, keep the narrative flowing smoothly, and safeguard the book's overall structure to ensure readers in the target language have a cohesive and engaging experience. This process also involves maintaining cultural sensitivity, especially when dealing with architectural works reflecting cultural heritage and values.
For clarity and understanding, the client supplied a range of EPS files containing diverse architectural drawings. These were non-editable and needed to be translated into Spanish and meticulously reconstructed to convey the information in Spanish. The importance of these visual elements, such as images and infographics, cannot be overstated; maintaining the original formatting was crucial to preserving their impact and integrity.
At the project's outset, we established a solid foundation for success by initiating a project kick-off call with the client. In this conversation, the client provided invaluable guidance regarding the preferred tone, including both formal and informal aspects to be applied at various junctures throughout the book. To ensure the utmost cohesion among all participants, a proficient project manager was entrusted with a pivotal role. Given the client's request for each chapter to be delivered upon completion, the project manager's strategic planning, comprehension, and foresight proved indispensable in laying this groundwork. The project manager took proactive steps to brief the translators, delivering a comprehensive overview of the project's significance and aligning them precisely with the client's expectations.
Upon delivering each chapter to the client, we received revisions/suggestions from their in-house expert reviewers. These revisions were then entrusted to the linguistic team responsible for the translation. Incorporating these revisions for a specific chapter, while simultaneously managing the translation progress of the current chapter, posed a significant project tracking challenge that necessitated a foolproof tracking mechanism. Fortunately, we successfully addressed this challenge by leveraging industry-specific Project Management practices, including Gantt charts, Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), Project Baselines, and a well-defined communication plan. Additionally, the revisions necessitated an additional review and editing process led by a native Spanish linguist. This step aimed to enhance the overall readability and linguistic fluency of the content, culminating in a final check before approving the client delivery. As a result, all chapters and files were promptly delivered to the client without any delays, maintaining the highest quality standards.
During the translation of this architectural book, the EPS files included a diverse range of architectural drawings such as floor plans, cross sections, landscape designs, engineering sketches, structural blueprints, and various other diagrams. These diagrams contained specific names and labels that needed translation into Spanish. Maintaining the original layout of the source files was of paramount importance throughout this translation endeavor. Considering the source files were non-editable, our DTP Team successfully embarked on the meticulous task of recreating more than 260 images to precisely match the original format and presentation using various tools such as Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW & AutoCAD.
