Architecture + Design llc
OUR PROCESS
PHASE ONE
Discovery - Preliminary Design
Let’s jump in!
What is your story? What are your hopes and dreams?
We are here to listen and learn about you, your project and project goals. We begin this process with our client questionnaire, Pinterest boards, inspiration images, property information, a site survey and any other information you would like to share.
We will discuss your project in further detail with you including programmatic needs, budget and time frame. We then schedule our first visit to your project site
to understand its surroundings, views, and constraints. Property boundaries, existing structures, topography, wetlands, shoreline, zoning, and building codes will be considered and will help to inform our designs as we move into the next phase of our process.
PHASE TWO
Form and Function - Schematic Design
The discoveries made during the Preliminary Design phase allow us to begin designing, sketching, and massing your project. With three dimensional modeling, we share conceptual and contextual renderings with you, along with corresponding floor plans.
Presenting two to three unique designs, we are able to speak to the “raison d’être” of each scheme.
Keeping your programmatic needs in mind, the designs during this phase respond to the site and also explore scale, volume, and light. We discuss the opportunities and significance that each scheme presents, and how each may influence the structure and budget of your project moving forward.
PHASE THREE
Refinement - Design Development
Using 3D modeling and drafting design software, the size, spacing, and massing of your project begins to come into focus and you will be able to see your project through realistic exterior and interior renderings.
As we develop the structure’s building envelope, we consider energy efficiencies, mechanical needs, material selections, window fenestration, etc., which allows us to further develop your drawing set.
Coordination with team partners, such as structural engineering, landscape design, audio-visual design, building envelope consultants, and interior designers— depending on your project’s needs—also happens during this phase. We will continue to have regular design meetings and review the project’s budget and schedule.
At the end of the Design Development phase, you will have an architectural drawing set that will illustrate enough information to provide to contractors for soft bid pricing.
PHASE FOUR
The Best Fit - Bidding and Negotiations
With whom do you want to spend the next year or two?
The design and construction process will be one of the most challenging and rewarding highlights of your life. Based on a foundation of trust, communication and teamwork, success is inevitable. We highly value close relationships with you, and also with contractors and industry trade partners who work very hard to ensure your project is executed to the highest standards. We recognize that a stool without three solid legs will collapse.
During this phase, we will help you navigate the contractor selection process to find the perfect fit for your project needs. Our preference is for you, or us, to bring a contractor on board early in the Schematic Design phase to assist with pricing your project as it evolves. Alternatively, at the end of the Design Development phase you will be able to provide multiple contractors with the architectural drawing set should you wish to obtain competitive soft bids.
PHASE FIVE
It’s all in the details - Construction Drawings
At this phase in the design process, we have a solid understanding of your project inside and out. We are refining the interior elevations and assisting with selections. We continue detailing the special elements of your project such as the stairs and fireplace, along with the unsung heroes of your project, including roof, window, and wall details.
With over 70 years of combined experience, our attention to detail and building knowledge are what elevates our work above the ordinary. Our design principals are involved in the drafting and production of every project. They are thinking through these details in anticipation of questions from the contractor, ensuring your project will be built as you had planned. Thinking through these details is what makes your project sing, and us sing along too.
PHASE SIX
Getting Real - Construction Administration
Using the final construction documents, your selected contractor will be able to provide you with a hard project cost along with a construction contract and schedule. With permits in hand, it is time to break ground.
During this process, we will schedule regular progress meetings with the entire team, and will review various shop drawings, including but not limited to: foundations, trusses, windows & doors, steel and cabinetry. Site visits will be made weekly, monthly, or as needed.
Often regarded as effective counselors and problem solvers, we will be on call to help facilitate questions from you and your contractor for the duration of your project. We are excited to be a part of this journey with you, and if we are lucky, even long after.
