Design Philosophy and Process...

Good design is a process, not a ‘style'. It is the result of careful and detailed interaction between a client and the design professional. It also involves teamwork. We are of the firm belief that the best projects are the result of a ‘team' approach by a group of professionals, working with a client, and all working towards a common goal; the best design solution for the client. 

The process usually starts with a site visit for a ‘determinants study' and detailed discussion with the client to understand their vision for the project. The idea is to establish a ‘verbal picture' of what an owner would like to accomplish on their site. This is followed with a ‘conceptual organization' of the various components, over-laid on the owners' site. If this phase of the design process is done well, it forms the foundation for the design concept and sets the stage for the balance of the design work. From this ‘conceptual organization' of the various components, a preliminary floor plan starts to evolve followed by the elevations, site plan and roof plan. The owner is very much involved throughout this process and is the central member of the team. At this stage, we usually suggest that the owner include their interior designer as a team member as well. As the process evolves and the design begins to develop, changes and modifications are incorporated into the design. This is also a good time to bring the builder on board as a team member. A good builder can provide preliminary cost estimating at this stage. When the preliminary design is fairly well thought out, we start the model. The model gives the client an opportunity to see the project in three-dimensions. We prefer to use the model as a design tool, not just a presentation piece for a preliminary submittal. Consequently, the final design analysis usually occurs with the model and any adjustments are done first on the model, and then translated to the preliminary design drawings. When this stage is complete, the client has a very clear picture and a detailed understanding of their project.

After any preliminary approvals are obtained, the next step in the process is the creation of the construction documents. These are, by their nature, very technical and involve the coordination of many consultants such as the structural engineer, mechanical engineer, electrical engineer, civil engineer and any other consultants needed to satisfy the clients' requirements. The construction documents are the ‘directions' utilized by the builder to construct the project. As a general rule, the more accurate and complete the set of documents, the easier and more cost efficient the project will be. We strive to provide a very complete and accurate set of documents for all of our clients. When the construction process begins, we are normally on site every few weeks as the clients' representative.