arc 6989 reflections on architectural design

ARC 6989 Reflections on Architectural Design Carolyn Butterworth Student: Sara Arab Registration No: 110118482

CLIENT INVOLVEMENT IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN PROCESS

ARC 6989 Reflections on Architectural Design

Sara Arab

“Behind every distinctive building is an equally distinctive client”

Michael Wilford 1991


Sara Arab

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................... 4

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN PROCESS ................................................................................................ 5

SITE.............................................................................................................................................................................5 RESPONSE................................................................................................................................................................6 MAKE .........................................................................................................................................................................7

ARCHITECTURE IN PRACTICE ........................................................................................................... 8

RIBA OUTLINE PLAN OF WORK ........................................................................................................ 9

WHO IS THE CLIENT?..........................................................................................................................10

TYPES OF CLIENTS...............................................................................................................................10

SPECULATIVE DEVELOPER.................................................................................................................................... 11 CLIENT REPRESENTATIVES .................................................................................................................................. 12 USER CLIENT........................................................................................................................................................... 13

CLIENT MANAGEMENT.......................................................................................................................16

CONCLUSION .........................................................................................................................................16

REFERENCES..........................................................................................................................................17


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INTRODUCTION

This essay aims to develop the understanding of an aspect of architectural design processes in relationship to my architectural education and practice in my own past experience and my current experience in the University of Sheffield. The essay will start up with the definition of architectural design process and is going to reflect upon my own experience in architectural education and practice. As a MAAD student I have experienced new ways of approaching to my design process in my reflections on architecture module, my studio module and also live project module. I have experienced new strategic ways of working through the different phases of the site, response and make structure, which I learned from the reflections on architecture module, for my design project. As for my main focus, I would like to look into the design process in architectural practices regarding the client’s involvement. I will also argue my personal experience in architectural practice in Iran and the experience with clients I had in my live project group in the UK.

First of all I will frame this essay to do a small classification of each key element of site, response and make as the general designing process in an architectural practice. Hence, this essay will go through the role of client and how they are suggested to act by the architects. This essay will start with the definition of architectural design process in the next part as one of the requirements of this essay.


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Architectural Design Process

Design is a highly complex and sophisticated skill in architecture, it is not a gift to be given but a skill, which for many must be learnt, analyzed and practiced. (B. Lawson 1997) According to Carolyn Butterworth 2011 in the reflection on architecture module in the University of Sheffield, architectural design process reflects on 3 structural phases of site, response and make. The phases act as a linear format (Figure 1) in which one can inevitably move back and forth between them. This flexibility allows ideas and more detailed information to help the architect to influence and modify the overall established design. (C. Butterworth 2011)

SITE RESPONSE MAKE Figure1: The 3 Aspects of Architectural Design Process

Source: Caroline Butterworth 2011

SITE

According to Carol J. Burns, the word site refers to the ground chosen for something and to the location of some set of activities or practices. Architecture’s traditional focus on buildings has led to a tacit focus on the lot as the ground for design intervention. (Carol J. Burns and A. Kahn, 2005) In a design studio course, students are allocated with certain locations with constraints, so that designers cannot change the factors that form the site. At the same time, existing physical conditions, such as Geological, topography and orientation, have huge impact on the final built form. For instance, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water. The same situation is for professional practices with the difference that the majority of their projects begin with clients with pre‐design needs of a property. (Carol J. Burns and A. Kahn, 2005)

As my expirience in the Live Project modul in the University of Sheffield, one of our major problems was responding to the site. As our site was located in a villiage in Zanzibar, we could not explore the site ourselves and very few information was in hand either from text books and other sources. In order to understand the site we had to use pictures and hand skeches which were done by the clients. This process was very time consuming for our group.


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Figure 2: Site Plan of Falling Water House By Frank Lloyd Wright

Source: http://usahomeandgarden.com

RESPONSE

According to Carolyn Butterworth of the reflection on architecture module in the University of Sheffield and from what I have experienced, there have been various forms of responding throughout different architectural movements, styles, theoretical frameworks, etc which hold many common and creative ways to develop response. For instance, sketches, conversations, workshops, brainstorming, prototypes, model making, media, etc are some ways of developing response and can also be communication tools. (C. Butterworth 2011)

One of the traditional and central ways of communicating and describing a theme is through drawing, however, it is also part of the process of thinking in designing. Donald Shön (1983) has described the designer as ‘having a conversation with the drawing’. But in order to separate designing from making, the designers of today can no longer follow a few traditional crafts due to the change of the world and must learn new technology as it develops. (B. Lawson 1997)

Another traditional way of responding in about 1425 was the discovery of scientific linear perspective construction by Brunel‐Leschi and early‐ Renaissance architects worked with this new technique in many ways (Figure 3). (M. Hewitt)


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Figure 3: Della Pittura By Leon Battista Alberti

Source: Journal of Architectural Education Vol. 39/2

As for my background learning process in Iran, I used many tools to respond to the different deign elements, which are very much similar with what I learned in my studio module in the University of Sheffield. However, some new approaches like story telling and narratives seemed very new ways of that I engaged with the design in my studio module. From my experience in practice in Iran, clients bring their narratives as their requirements for the project.

Also from my expirience in the Live Project module in the University of Sheffield, we were to response to many things at the same time. For instanse, responding to the site , to the clients with different cultural back grounds, to the various demands and uncertainty of their needs and also to the tight budget allocated to the project.

MAKE

According to Carolyn Butterworth 2011, the reflection on architecture module in the University of Sheffield, making is the last phase of the deign process whom the designers present the final work through their individual skills, experience, level of craftsmanship, etc with different methods, like drawings, CAD images, models, etc. (C. Butterworth 2011)

In my years of education and practice I have understood that most architects only make the details that makes the building, this means they only exchange data and do not build the building. Making buildings and transforming the data requires knowledge, skill and many other factors which this part of make will take place in architectural design practices.

The next part of this essay will define architecture in practice and define the role of client in an architectural design process in a practice.


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Architecture in Practice

What makes architecture apart from other kinds of art is the effective association of people that more often the motivation of the architect is bind to the imagination and participation of the client and without the clients demands the building will not exist. For example, the Taj Mahal and the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Figure 4) were inspired directly from the client. (C. Blackmore, 1990)

Figure 4:Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank By Ian Lambot

Picture from: www.earchitect.co.uk

In any built project many different techniques come together to accomplish a project; Architects, engineers, construction managers, planners, and developers that are all supported by their educations and their discipline. (S. S. McDonald, 2006) As referring to my education background, the architect studies all areas with a wide‐ranging purpose to help him/her in learning how to balance the many conflicting issues that occur in the act of constructing, for example, to check architect‐client balance to meet as many needs as possible.


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Every architectural design is born with client’s requirements. Rarely a client will be able to see all their need at the beginning and mostly all their demands will approach as the design proceeds. It is likely that the needs of the client might also change and even grow as they reach to the end of the design process in which case the architect should try to solve these client needs or design problems. In order to gain the best result the architect and the client interaction is necessary thus their meetings should carry on through the whole process of design in order to reach the client‐architect agreement. (M. L. Huang, Y. Y. Wang, January 2012).

RIBA Outline Plan of Work

According to the RIBA Outline Plan of Work (Figure 3), which organizes the process of managing, designing building projects and administering building contracts into a number of key Work Stages.

Figure 3: RIBA Outline Plan Of Work 2007

Source: RIBA

The process above indicates a simple understanding of the whole design process for the clients till the end but unfortunately to my personal knowledge many of the clients whom most have only one chance in contributing in the building industry have painful experiences.

One of the first steps of the client involvement is to find a good professional practice. Many of the clients, who do not take time on finding their ideal practice, will end up with large practices mainly because of their fame and mostly because of the multi‐professionals that work there. These practices advantage big and heavy investment because for instance the clients various needs and also information are each handled by specialists. (C. Blackmore, 1990)

On the other hand, as a member of an architectural practice, I realised many of our clients were looking for small dependable practices. Most clients were not pleased at the prospect of dealing with three or more consultants, because some of them


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partly cover their job and some of their responsibilities are not understandable. The obvious reason was that they required working with people that could build up their confidence thought out the project by establishing a good relation between the client and the group. This balance was mostly controlled by our head architect while one of the major issues that occur in big practices is that the architect lacks at financial control or in managerial experience, which are clients biggest concerns, is largely due to the heavy time he/she spends on designing and presenting the work.

Who is the Client?

Clients are simply men and women who are unable to solve a problem or even fully understand it and are seeking for advice and help. Thus the design task is frequently generated and articulated by the client. However in many practices the client has no option than to accept the advice given which might be of many reasons like a breakdown in confidence. (C. Blackmore, 1990)

Michael Wilford 1991 has emphasised the importance role of the client in the design process:

“Behind every building of distinction is an equally distinctive client, not necessarily high profile, but one who takes the time and trouble to comprehend the ideas of the architect, is supportive and enthusiastic, who is bold, willing to take risks and above all can hold his or her nerve during the inevitable crises”.

Types of Clients

Traditionally, architects and clients have worked together to build different range of buildings and monuments. In the Modern life, clients come in different appearances. (C. Blackmore, 1990)

According to Courtenay Blackmore 1990 clients are generally in these groups:

Speculative Developer Client Representatives User Clients


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Speculative Developer

The speculative developer is someone who has short‐term profit in the building and in some instances is with tight budget, is also distant with the needs of users. On the whole they have little or no contact with the designer and without close involvement with the client, the architect is not able to experiment their facts for the need of the users. Many unqualified commercial buildings are the examples of these clients. On the other hand, successful buildings have been designed through tight budgets given that the brief was well researched. For example, Colwyn House, the Lloyds of London press offices in Colchester (Figure 5). (C. Blackmore, 1990)

Figure 5: Colwyn House, Lloyd’s of London press

Source: The Client’s Tale

As for my experience in practice in Iran, I have been both directly and indirectly involved with those types of clients willing to build multi‐user buildings with a limited budget. In these circumstances the client is only concerned in gaining a high profit and rarely shows interest in the design process.


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Client Representatives

The client representatives, whom commission and design buildings, are from large commercial organizations or central or local governments. They are often not close to the needs of the users and it seems difficult for them to see things from the users point of view. However, some excellent buildings like the Courts of Justice have been done these clients (Figure 6). (C. Blackmore, 1990)

Figure 6: The Royal Courts of Justice, London

By George Edmund Street Source: http://www.englishheritageprints.com

Although clients and designers commonly agree that some of the very best designs appear from a trustworthy relationship, many project managers are employed by the client’s to supervise and protect the clients interest in dealing with the architect (Figure 7) while this will make communication complex it will only increase misunderstanding through the process. (B. Lawson 1997)


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Figure 7 Source: How designers think 1997

Another example of client representatives is the one’s who work in a committee team. The problem mostly occurs when the design and construction process is time consuming, so frequently the client committee members are changed which often leaves the architect with the design process up to the current stage. This change can also weaken the level of commitment of the client members to which the architect must survive. (B. Lawson 1997)

User Client

The user client is who personally takes charge of the project. They can be owners, head of academic institutions or senior executives of commercial organizations. (C. Blackmore, 1990)

For example, from Kim Loddo’s presentation in January 2012 in the Arts Tower in Sheffield, from her project in Queen’s Grove Garden House in London (Figure 8), she described her client as an owner of the building whom was interested in making a profit out of redeveloping a garage in her long back garden to a small residential suite. In order to gain the best result she had work by responding to the site layout and complex layers and also by considering the certain restrictions of the site.

She also had to response to the decisions they made by communicating step by step through the phases and understanding the design process through different designing tools like drawing and CAD works. Finally, they came to an agreement of designing a small pleasant residential suite. (K. Loddo, January 2012)


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Figure 8: Queen’s Grove Garden House, London

By IBLA Architects Source: Kin Loddo presentation slides

According to Courtenay Blackmore 1990, architects should certify that all the important facts of the design process until the end are explained to and should understood by the client. The client’s involvement is fully effective in a way that he has to be encouraged to transfer his needs in order to attain the building he/she wants. (C. Blackmore, 1990)

For instance, from Kim Loddo’s presentation in January 2012 in the Arts Tower in Sheffield, from another of her user client’s projects, the Artists Studio in Sussex Town project (Figure 9). Her client demanded a 1‐story workshop in his garden. She suggested that as architects we have to go in details with people especially in domestic architecture. So considering the clients eco‐agenda and regarding size, form and need of the client, also by communicate verbally and graphically with the client, they decided to use local material and crafts for the making of the building, which all show the response to local knowledge of Kim Loddo and her group.(K. Loddo, January 2012)


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Figure 9: The Artists Studio, Sussex Town By IBLA Architects

Source: Kin Loddo presentation slides

According to the above, in my experience of live project module I understood that our client was both user and client representative at the same time. Fortunately, as they were users they were willing to communicate and were committed to their various demands but because of their uncertainty in many ways we had to communicate with them by different ways of presenting physical work.

Another complexity was the client reprehensive whom which we never had any connection and since he was one of the investors in the project we struggled to fully understand their requirements which slowed us down during the process of responding man making. The design conclusions were not specified until trust was established between the client and the designers.


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Client Management According to Colin Gray 1996, a fundamental new approach is needed to reduce costs and increase value in a building. Client management is part of the cost‐saving techniques which clients:

• Must be told what standards are costing him • Must understand the cost‐effectiveness of what he is asking for • Needs to have clear business objectives • Must have full and proper brief at the outset • True understanding of client’s needs by team • Better, more adequate briefing • Define clear rules and responsibilities (C. Gray 1996)

Conclusion

In Summery, as discusses before comparing my experiences from my architectural education and practice in my past in Iran and my current experience in the University of Sheffield with clients, it can be concluded that the architect should consult the brief with the client to ensure that he/she is aware of what is going on and is able to comment and advise on the design proposals where needed. Thus, they will act as a bridge between the project team and the future occupants of the building. Such consultation is both with the user, to ensure that the building will meet their needs, and with those who service the building, to coordinate the practical aspects of the building work.


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References

C. Blackmore (1990). The Client’s Tale, RIBA publications Ltd, 1990.

C. Butterworth (2011). Reflections on Architecture module, Site prompt sheet, University of Sheffield, November 2011.

C. Butterworth (2011). Reflections on Architecture module, Response Prompt sheet, University of Sheffield, January 2012.

C. Butterworth (2011). Reflections on Architecture module, Make Prompt sheet, University of Sheffield, February 2012.

Carol J. Burns and A. Kahn (2005). Site Matters , Design Concept, Histories and Strategies , Routledge, London, 2005.

C. Gray (1996), Value for money: Helping the UK afford the buildings it likes, ICE Publishing, 1996

M. Hewitt (Winter, 1985). Representational Forms and Modes of Conception: An Approach to the History of Architectural: Journal of Architectural Education Vol. 39/2

M. L. Huang, Y. Y. Wang (January 2012). The Communication Feedback Creates a Cognitive Model for Explaining Client Architecture Interaction, Advanced Materials Research Journal (Volumes 430‐432)

Lawson, B. (1997). How designers think. The design process demystified, Third Edition, Architectural Press, 1997.

K. Loddo (January 2012). The Arts Tower, University of Sheffield. IBLA Architects Presentation Slides.

S. S. McDonald (April 2006). Engaging All Disciplines Within the Education Process, American society of civil engineers, AIA, pp. 1‐10

RIBA, (2007). Outline Plan of Work 2007. Last access on 24/04/2012 on: www.architecture.com

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