Pre-Design: How to Conceptualize
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In our last article, we discussed designing additions and renovations. Both additions and renovations are unlike traditional design projects in that they must operate according to an existing set of rules, as dictated by an existing structure. In this way, additions and renovations can be either a fun challenge or a complete nightmare. In ‘Designing Additions & Renovations’ we discuss both potentials (as well as how to avoid the latter). There are a host of considerations which, when taken before the design process begins, can facilitate a streamlined design process. It’s important to decide the scope of the project, along with the budget, before delving into concerns like minutiae of designing. Big picture: What are you hoping to achieve? Small picture: What are your design concerns? Finally, we listed the major pros and cons of renovating and adding on to your home. If you’re interested in either yet unsure where to start, our last article is definitely for you!
Today, we’re zeroing in on an aspect of any design process, regardless of the scope. That is the pre-design phase. The pre-design phase is characterized by a lack of concrete action and an abundance of imagination. Many architects and project builders consider this to be the most enlivening time during the entire design process. For an in-depth overview of the design process, from beginning to end, you should check out our two-part series, ‘Drafting Architecture: From Blank Page to Finished Design.’ Part one goes into the pre-design phase somewhat, in addition to the schematic design and design development phases. While part two continues on into the construction documents phase and ends with the construction bidding and permitting phases. The pre-design phase includes the initial meeting between the client and the architect. This is when the client expresses for the first time (out of many) their vision for the project. It’s important this vision is as fully conceived as possible. Therefore, today’s article is dedicated to fleshing out initial ideas into full-fledged concepts. If you’ve been daydreaming about a build for years, this is how you can begin to turn your dreams into a reality!
Defining Project Goals
Project goals are broad. Their purpose is to reign in exactly what kind of project is being designed. For example, is this a residential or a commercial build? What’s the ultimate purpose of the building? Where will the building reside when it’s completed? The answers to each of these questions, of course, come with their own ramifications. If your goal is to sell after the project is built, this in and of itself is a project goal. The pre-design phase, from the vantage point of a professional architect or firm, is concerned with site selection, zoning analysis, budgeting, and a host of other preliminary processes which will facilitate later stages in the design process. From a client perspective, the pre-design phase is concerned with clarifying the scope of the project and providing the designer with as much specificity as possible.
Project goals might also be considered design objectives. Design objectives are simple, yet encompass a full concept, such as: accessible, cost-effective, secure, sustainable. If your project goal is to build a house in which you never have to worry about storage space and everything is designed for efficiency, then your design objective is functionality. If you’re looking to update a historic building with modern fixtures and ventilation, but want to maintain the old-timey charm which dates the building, then your design objective is preservation. Universal design is becoming a highly popular design objective, as we mentioned previously in our The Future of Residential Architecture article. Universal design is defined as “the design and composition of an environment so that it can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people regardless of their age, size, ability or disability.” Take great care to recognize and verbalize your design objectives, especially during the pre-design phase.
Project goals for a commercial development will be different from project goals for a residential development. Usually, commercial projects already have an ideal number of square feet, a tentative plan for parking, and an idea of how their building will contribute to the surrounding area. We recommend giving our How Buildings Can Give Back to Their Community article a read. In said article, we explore how buildings can be “healthy” by taking into account their potential social, economical, and physical impact on both residents and members of the surrounding area. When defining project goals for a commercial project, you must take into account a great many factors.
How to Conceptualize
We all know how to dream. We dream instinctively. Many of us daydream when we should be occupying ourselves with other matters altogether. However, in the case of the pre-design phase, dreaming is the point. You have free license to imagine, so long as your imaginings are guided by your design objectives. The reason defining project goals is so important is because these goals provide us with a sense of direction. Within these larger constraints, we’re able to conceptualize a design which is ultimately pleasing, regardless of its minute aspects. Now, most architects have their own methods of conceptualization, which they have learned from their many years of school. It isn’t necessary for clients to approach the same level of rigor and specification when conceptualizing their project. Instead, let’s focus on a few methods you might’ve already begun.
Vision Boards
Contrary to how they might be perceived, vision boards aren’t a fruitless pastime. In fact, there are few methods of visualization as effective at solidifying a concept than vision boards, especially with the advent of sites like Pinterest. Bringing together and storing sources of inspiration in one place is advantageous to not only you, but also your design team. Often, it’s difficult to articulate your ideas into words. Perhaps you have a clear conception of how you’d like your kitchen to flow into your living area, but this conception was gleaned from a few seconds of a television show? Use this! Any visual reference which correlates to your design objectives is helpful. This is another reason it’s important to identify your design objective first—as these keywords can help you during your search for references.
Drawings
Not everyone is an artist and not everyone needs to be. It’s recommended you draw up designs of your own, but these designs do not need to be technically sound or even pretty. What drawing your own designs does is give you a better understanding of your own desires. Perhaps you’ve been imagining a specific layout for years but, when you put the layout to paper, you realize this concept wouldn’t work in real life. Drawing can also give you an appreciation for how intricate the design process is, with seemingly straightforward details (such as the placement of doors and windows) requiring much in-depth thought. Drawing is the basic, rudimentary tool architects use everyday to turn dreams into reality. When you join in on this creative process, you take up the tool of the greats and come one step closer to the realization of your vision.
It can take years for the initial seed of a design idea to grow into its fullness. However, even if you’re early on in the process, you’re still taking part in pre-design. We wish you the best of luck in conceptualizing your next project and hope we’ve been of help. If you’re interested in learning more about our work, please take a look around our website or reach out to us. For more information on architectural design and building, keep up-to-date with the Architecture Plus blog! If you’re ready to sit down with an experienced team of designers and hash out the elements of your next project, reach out to us! We’re eager to hear from you. Until next time, thank you for reading!