Feasibility Studies
An early Feasibility Study can be the making or breaking of a great idea – but neither result should be feared. A positive outcome can clear the ground for making offers, for raising finance and forming an appropriate team. This exercise is very important and can save enormous wasted expenditure. For Commercial and Industrial projects, all we need is a Site Plan and the barest outline of a brief. We can then establish how well the site can deliver the required product; this in turn quickly establishes a financial value as well as the appropriateness of the choice of site. In particular, we specialise in ‘proving’ layouts for Residential developments; these can quickly establish housing numbers, forms, densities and the site’s ‘sale per acre’ potential.
Architectural design
Architectural design is the essence of the practice and it’s at the core of what we do. We care passionately about design, but it isn’t just about how things look. It’s about how buildings operate and how things last. It’s also about running costs and how we affect our environment. Proper architectural design offers efficiency as well as elegance. Good design doesn’t just happen; it’s the result of analysis and understanding and then the detailed consideration and testing of alternatives. Architectural design doesn’t happen easily or quickly either; the oft-quoted adage of ‘5% inspiration and 95% perspiration’ is not far off the mark. Good design matters. It really matters. It’s vitally important to the success of any venture because design quality alone can lift a project above the mundane. Good architectural design imbues value, organisation and delight. A commitment to design is central to our practice and sets our projects apart; it’s what we are about.
Working Drawings
Working drawings are a key part of the architectural service we offer. Architecture is not an abstract notion and should never be divorced from building. In our practice, we embrace the responsibility of giving form and substance to our designs. We have a long track record of working closely with Tradesmen and Contractors, producing comprehensive and well-researched packages of drawings and specifications that turn our design work into 3-dimensional reality. We can show many successful buildings that have been delivered on time and within budget thanks not only to our interest in the detail of our designs but also to our ability to understand and anticipate the needs of the Building Contractor as much as the Building Owner. We can point to buildings that stand the test of time. Looking forward, we positively embrace new and emerging technologies and we’ve been at the forefront of many construction initiatives. We’re as comfortable at construction stage as we are at the very front end of the design; to us, they’re just different parts of the same process.
Project Management
As Architects, we are uniquely placed to manage the entire development process. We are comfortable operating at all stages from inception and briefing through design development and tenders all the way to construction and handover. As leaders of the Design Team, we routinely control the input of all the other professionals from highway and civil engineering to structures and services all the way to interior design and landscape architecture. Our lead role is based on a mutual respect for all the contributors to the development process as well as a thorough appreciation of how those team members interact to create the reality. It’s also based on our pivotal position in relation to design matters and to our fundamental influence on all aspects of the building process. We are used to balancing aspirations with budgets and we understand the sometimes conflicting preferences of Clients and Contractors; in our view, that is the essence of Project Management.