Design Tools
Our design process combines time-honored techniques—listening, critical problem solving, and hand sketching—with the latest computer visualization and analysis technology. To further enhance a collaborative exchange of ideas and a singular vision for your project, we also use the following techniques.
Charrettes:
A charrette brings together project team members, clients, and stakeholders to jointly brainstorm ideas during a 4 to 8 hour session. Focused on specific project issues, these group meetings are conducted throughout all design phases. Participants sketch, build models, write and discuss options. Taking advantage of the collective input and multiple points of view, charrettes enable us to quickly develop a design direction based on thoroughly vetted ideas.
3D Rapid Prototyping:
During early programming, this interactive design tool allows stakeholders to participate in building design by quickly testing different functional layouts. As specific information is acquired during client meetings, we build a working 3D model of each functional area. By evaluating massing and spatial arrangements in real time, we immediately see how different decisions impact flexibility, adjacencies, and overall building form; then we correct deficiencies as we go. Using this tool, we avoid later changes that can impact cost and schedule and greatly reduce project risk.
Deep Dives:
The "deep dive" process involves studying a key issue in much greater detail than is typical for a particular phase of the project. This early investigation often uncovers opportunities that may have been overlooked due to late integration into the project design schedule. For example, in one project, we reduced the overall building area by 15 percent while increasing the lab bench top space available for research. During programming and early schematic design, we worked with each lab user group to specifically lay out each piece of equipment to achieve this considerable savings.
Conceptualizing:
Once we have a basic understanding of programmatic, contextual, and aesthetic issues for your project, we start to investigate the project's formal architectural expression. We develop massing, materiality, and exterior/interior spatial relationships. To generate multiple options or solutions, we use quick-study 3D software such as GoogleTM SketchUp. Through internal design reviews and interviews with you, we refine options until a single direction is identified.