How We Work
Philosophy
In each project we make an effort to fit the new element to its larger environment. This may mean a new room to its house, a new house to its neighborhood, or a country house to its landscape. Whatever the scale, the relationship between the part and the whole is key. In 1999 we started taking these ideas about context to the logical next step to consider the implications of what we build in relationship to the health of our planet. We are increasingly concerned about issues of sustainability, and work to make our clients aware of these issues.
We value proportion, refinement and beauty. We believe that these qualities can and should exist in any project, regardless of scope or budget. Every aspect of our approach supports this belief, right down to the meticulous production of drawings.
Collaborative Process
We see the design process as a collaboration between owner, architect and builder. Its success depends upon each bringing his essential knowledge to the effort. After defining program requirements and budget, the process continues with a review of alternative approaches, laid out in diagrammatic sketches, along with a preliminary budget. Pros and cons are evaluated with the owner, and a general design strategy and firm budget emerge. From that point forward, increasingly specific questions and decisions are considered and incorporated into the drawings and specifications. The contractor is brought into the process as early as possible for his input on budget and construction details.
Fees
Although fees are different on each project, from first sketches to final inspection you can expect our fees to total as much as 15% of construction costs.
Surprises
It takes a leap of faith to believe that your architect can transform your sketches, collected clippings, musings and notions about your house into built form. That is why most people like to buy their houses as they buy their cars: ready-made. When you can kick the tires of a model home, you know exactly what you are going to get. There are no surprises, and no one likes surprises when dealing with the amounts of money that it takes to build a house.
Surprises come in three flavors: construction, design, and cost. Construction surprises occur when a design is not fully thought out and properly translated into the construction documents, leaving the contractor scratching his head — or worse, the architect scratching his head when he sees what has been built. Design surprises occur when what the client thought he saw in the drawings is not what the architect thought his client saw. Cost surprises need no further explanation. All these surprises have one common denominator: bad communication.
We minimize construction surprises by meticulous detailing of all conditions that are unusual or could cause confusion. We essentially build a three-dimensional computer model of the building that integrates structural, electrical and mechanical systems. Most potential construction problems are revealed and solved during this process.
We minimize design surprises by communicating as much visual information as possible to our client, and involving our client in all of the design decisions. We do not assume that every client can visualize a space or a building from two-dimensional drawings, so we often use three-dimensional drawings and models to further explain a design. These can be as simple as an exterior perspective sketch, or as elaborate as computer-generated “walk-through.” Not only do these help our clients better see what they are getting, but they inform us about issues of scale and proportion, and invariably lead to the kind of tweaking that improves the final product.
Finally, we minimize cost surprises by using realistic square footage cost figures, based upon recently completed projects, for our early estimates. Once the basic design is laid out, but before working drawings have begun, a contractor — either a bidder or the contractor the owner has already selected — is usually brought into the process for input on project costs. Our client thus confronts the hard issue of reconciling wants with budget realities early rather than late in the process. The design is then tailored accordingly before a big investment in construction documents has begun.
Much of the work we do is by reference. People come to us because we have high standards for design and execution, and they expect that from us. In turn, in everything we design, we design as if it is we were to live in it. Because of the kind of clientele we serve and the approach we take, the product is usually something we can all be proud of. Client and contractor references are available upon request.