Design Process

priority

Client participation is paramount in the design process, and integral to the richness of any project. The goal is not simply to create a design, but to reflect the client's program needs in a satisfying and sustaining project.

Jay is involved in all phases of the development, guiding it from initial program discussions with clients through the different design phases toward the detailed information needed for permitting and construction.

approach

We take the time to understand our clients' needs and gain insight into their lifestyle and design preferences. Questioning all of the early conceptions opens up the design process and helps us appreciate our clients' subtle desires, which will bring full life to the finished project.

sequence

Our schematic design work starts with concept layouts and hand-drawn sketches. The goal at this stage is to provide our clients with the means to easily question our initial concepts, thus guiding them toward specific responses. We often use computer modeling to give clients a sense of the project's form — exterior and interior — from many points of view. By the end of the schematic design phase we expect to have a clear concept that all parties agree upon.

Good communication between client, architect, and builder is critical to bring out the full range of aspirations and desires. We value choosing a contractor early on, so that project scope, budget, and materials can be addressed as soon as possible. Lighting, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems are integrated into the design; we work out all the detailed information necessary for the contractor.

Ideas coalesce and become more refined as we develop the plan and elevation drawings. At that point, we work with our clients to help them choose materials, finishes, colors, and other details to unify the final design.