5 tips for writing an Architect’s Design Brief
It can be daunting knowing where to start on a project. The good news is that if you’ve had an idea to build then you’ve passed the first hurdle and you have forward motion. Now you need to build up momentum and try to give your ideas some structure. That’s where a brief comes in. The brief is a vital tool to help express ideas and clarify aims. It is something that explains your feelings and that you can refer back to as the project progresses to make sure you keep on track.
It’s essential to get your brief right as it will become the bible the the design team refers to.
Here are 5 tips to help you focus on what is important when developing a brief:
1 - Lifestyle and use
How will the building and spaces within and around it going to be used? Consider day to day, seasonally and through the life of the building.
Good architects aim to understand the lifestyle or requirements of each individual client. We each experience space differently - often subconsciously - we know what we like, but don’t know how to express it. It’s the architect’s job to find out what you want and what you need.
How You Live
Describe your current home. Who lives here? What do you like and dislike about it? What is missing, and what would you change?
Who will use this space? Think about all generations of your family, tenants, clients and so on.
What is your 5/10 year and long-term plan?
What are your ideas about design and materials? Do you have images from magazines/the internet that illustrate a style thatyou like?
What kind of architectural styles do you like?
Are there particular design features that are important to you?
Do you have a particular time scalesfor your project?
Do you have accessibility requirements, for a disabled family member or friends?
Do you have anysustainability and energy efficiency goals for the project?
What are your budget requirements?
Your Site
Why did you choose this site? For example are there any views or aspects particularly important to you?
Is there anything about the site that you like or dislike?
Your lifestyle:
Describe your lifestyle, daily routine and the kind of spaces thatyou need? Are you planning to work from home? Do you entertain often?
How much time do you spend in the different areas of your home, both indoors and outdoors?
What type of entertainment systems do you require? Music, TV, projectors, speakers throughout the house
What type of storage do you require? Do you have special hobbies that require lots of storage space? Would you like walk-in wardrobes?
Indoor spaces:
What would be the number of floors/rooms/spaces and use for each?
Do you intend certain areas to be more private than others? Or particular rooms that you would like to be connected?
Do you have any preferred room layouts/relationships or orientations – a south facing kitchen for example?
Outdoor spaces:
Do you have ideas or plans for the outside spaces that you would like us to consider?
2 - Budget
Budget is probably yournumber one concern. “How much will it cost?” is often the first question we’reasked. It’s one that can’t be easily answered in the initial stages. We’d say it’s far better to look at the question the other way round– decidejust how much you want to invest in your project. And doremember it is an investment. A firm honest budget provides the constraints that an architect needs when designing. When deciding your budget these are some things you should consider:
Be realistic: And be honest about what you can afford. Your architect will try to match your design ambition with your budget so it’s important to be realistic about how much you can spend.
Be aware of ALL the costs : Whatever you’re building you need to remember not only the Construction Costs but also:
Fees: Consultant and statutory fees such as planning and building control.
Fixtures and fittings: These are items such as kitchens and lighting which are fixed to the building but not always included in the construction costs.
Loose fittings: Items such as furniture or carpets that may not be installed by the builder.
VAT: VAT on building can be complicated and makes a big difference to project costs. There are different rules and refunds for self-builders, professionals and refurbishing – we can help you make sense of this. The important thing to remember is that construction costs are often expressed excluding VAT. So alwayscheck and add 20% to whatever cost you are quoted if it hasn’talready been added.
Contingency: Building can be an art as much as a science. Despitebest endeavours to manage all the risks there always unforeseen costs. We advise clients to factor a 5-10% contingency fundintotheir budget andaccept that it will probably be spent. This is a good thing - it means unforeseen risks have been managed.
There is a separate post on Budget and building costs here.
3 - Timescales
Building requires stamina and perseverance. Clients are often amazed at how long a project can take from start to finish. It’s tempting to try and save money by reducing the timescales. Butrushing a project can actuallycause more problems and cost more money, like a doctor starting surgery without a thorough diagnosis. Some things you should consider when thinking about project timescales:
Key dates: Are there milestone or key dates you need to consider? Family events, mortgage or borrowing requirements or local constraints on when building can take place? If factors are known they can be built into the programme.
Project Duration: The design and construction process is divided up into stages (there is a separate post here about the design stages).The length of the project depends on the length of each stage..As we develop the brief we will be able to draft a programme based on our experience of similar projects. Once the brief is finalised we can finalise a programme.
4 - Sustainability & Energy Efficiency
We are passionate about the environment and encourage our clients to take a sustainable approach to all design decisions. Creating an energy efficient building is just good sense. Whenthis is combined with sustainable and healthy materials it creates a building good for you and the environment.
More information on sustainability and energy efficient design can be found here.
5 - Design Style
Everyone has their own design and style preferences. As we develop yourdesign and brief these preferences become more apparent. Our job is to explore how these can be embodied and reflected in the architecture of the building.
In the early stages it’s very useful to look for visual inspiration: findbuildings andstylesyou like or don’t like, and gather your ideas on a mood-board, in a scrap book or through a website such as Pinterest.
Get in touch now for a Free Consultation to discuss how we can help you.