1. Design

"Places are spaces that you can remember, that you can care about and make a part of your life"  - Charles Moore

Most buildings are perceived through the framework of Real Estate, which assigns value based only easily quantifiable rubrics such as the number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, square footage, lot size, proximity to amenities, and so on.

However, there are deeper and interconnected qualities of space & design that are not captured by that limited perspective. Here are some examples:

• • Rooms that are proportioned carefully to their purpose and scale, and stand as serene and uncomplicated volumes of space.

  • Circulation that allows for natural and intuitive movement throughout a space, while being arranged effciently to maximize the portion of square footage that is habitable.

  • Windows, skylights, reflective surfaces, and proportions of rooms that create spaces animated by natural light through changing seasons.

  • Artifical lighting with even illumination, warmth, and control of mood by users.

  • An intentional calibration of private and public space to support gathering and connection, as well as retreat and solitutde.

  • Storage that is plentiful but seamlessly integrated into each space, to help keep the items of daily life close at hand but organized without clutter.

  • Ergonomic design of the many things we touch (the size, swing, weight, and location of doors, cabinetry hardware and pulls, window treatments, handrails, countertop heights, light switch locations, fixture controls and accessories, floor transitions and thresholds) so that all feel comfortable and pleasant to use.

  • Spaces designed for occupants to make their own over time, through use, arrangement, decoration, expression, and memory-making.

Design represents a constant push and pull to balance many such qualitative characteristics, all of which have to integrated with each other and the larger whole. This push and pull is not easy to achieve, and requires careful study throughout the design process.

Two houses might be carry a similar property value in dollars within the limited perspective of real estate and construction (similar size, similar property value, same number of bedrooms, etc) but have a vast difference in the quality of life they offer to their occupants. One house might even be more valuable as real estate, but inferior to actualy live in (such as when a builder awkwardly crams an extra bedroom or bathroom into a layout that becomes hobbled by it).

In all of these cases, the difference is design.

2. Construction

Construction is a complicated, expensive, and risk-rich undertaking. Homeowners who assume direct supervision of a contractor without a high level of related expertise or a trusted representative can be at a major disadvantage.

Here's a few examples of common pitfalls that can occur:

• Verbal descriptions and simple sketches of design intent can be understood differently by Owner and Contractor, resulting in built work that doesn't match expectations.

• Demolition often uncovers unexpected existing conditions, and owners are unlikely to be able to make technical judgments about whether the contractor should have anticipated the problem or whether a change order is justified, creating a dispute.

• Contractors will regularly submit Requests for Information (RFIs) during construction to clarify how a design should be reconciled with field conditions. An Owner will have to make consequential decisions quickly or risk delays.

• Products and materials may need to be substituted due to long lead times or unexpected unsuitability, and it may be difficult for an Owner to assess whether the Contractor's proposed substitutions are truly equivalent in quality.

• Change orders will be proposed on almost every project, but can easily turn into disputes when an Owner is required to evaluate the reaonsableness of the content or pricing on their own.

• A contractor's payment requests should be evaluated against the progress of work finished and the budget remaining for incomplete scope; misjudgement can risk overpayment and the contract sum running out before completion.

2.1 Complete design documentation creates clarity and defined benchmarks for both Owner and Contractor

A comprehensive set of architectural drawings and specifications more fully capture an Owner's design intent as binding contract documents, establishing clear expecations for the scope of built work and standards of quality.

The greater clarity of this same documentation allows Contractors to bid more competitively with fewer contigencies, as unknowns are minimized and expectations are explicit rather than interpretive.

2.2 Architectural construction administration provides informed, impartial decision-making

The Architect has the understanding of design intent and professional expertise, as well as a third party position indepedent of a profit motive for construction costs, to evaluate RFIs, substitution requests, unforeseen conditions, and change orders—protecting the Owner from uninformed decisions and uncessary expenditures while ensuring the Contractor receives fair consideration and communicating legitimate Contractor needs to the Owner.

2.3 Ongoing independent observation and documentation keep the project on track

During regular site visit, the Architect verifies quality and progress for the Owner and provides the Contractor with answers in the field to questions that could otherwise stall work. This real-time coordination can prevent costly delays, and the Architect's independent documentation (site reports, meeting minutes, and responses to RFIs, substitution requests, change orders, etc) protects both parties should disputes arise about what was built, when, and to what standard.