PRE-DESIGN PHASE
During the Pre-design phase, we set the agenda, including specific goals and anticipated hurdles, for the overall design effort. We research codes and uncover problems that may influence budgets and schedules down the road. Most importantly, we work with our client to define the project program. A clearly defined program serves as a roadmap to the entire process and helps bridge between theories, ideas, drawings and built forms.

Important Pre-Design Considerations:

Your goals/predilections
What are you trying to accomplish with this project? What is your vision for the completed project?

Project criteria/program
How will the building be used and how can architecture and design support that use now and in the future? Building size, room size, adjacencies, lifestyle considerations, family size, business needs, design preferences, site access, views and many other issues are discussed and recorded.

Cost
What is your budget? Have you considered all of the costs involved? Hard project costs include construction materials, labor and contractor's profit and overhead. Soft project costs include design fees (architecture, structural engineering, civil engineering, site surveying) and permit fees. Depending upon the complexity of the project, you may consider other consultant services such as lighting design, landscape design, acoustical design or mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineering.

Schedule
Timing is a critical component of the building process. Some schedule items are within the bounds of Architect control, such as time required to provide schematic design options for client review. Other items, such as duration of Building Department review, are not.

Site
A building’s site may be the single most important factor influencing built form. Views, building access, landscape and indeed overall cost are greatly affected by the site topography. A thorough site analysis is often an essential part of any successful project. We can perform an architectural survey of existing structures to initiate the design process, but we must rely on a licensed Land Surveyor to provide an accurate survey of the site and a Geotechnical investigation to understand the soil conditions.

Building Codes/Zoning Ordinances/other Regulations
Local, state and national codes have an immense impact on design, influencing decisions as big as the size of your building and as small as the space between your guardrail pickets. For most projects, a minimum of two submissions for agency review (planning and building) are required.

Community concerns
Depending on the scale of the project, pre-design public workshops, meetings with community activists and/or public hearings may be required.

Building technology
Sustainable building practices and other technologies are now readily available. We welcome the opportunity to help you push your project toward sustainability, cutting edge technology or high-concept design. If appropriate, we will perform the necessary research during this phase.

   Program Data for Our Future Tots | Detail