When embarking on a commercial or industrial building project, you may be considering engaging an architect to design and consent to your new facility rather than a design and build company.
At Attika, we have worked with several architects over the years and we also have our own in-house architectural designers. Calling on these years of experience, we have put together some key considerations and things to watch out for when choosing a commercial architect.
In this article, we highlight some key questions to ask yourself and the architect to help ensure you select the right person for your commercial or industrial building project.
Getting the design done independently of a construction company could be the right thing to do. For certain types of projects, this gives you the freedom to determine what you need, rather than fitting into what a design and build company wants to do. We explain more about this in our article “Design & Build or Architect Design; Which Approach is Better?”
However, if you want to engage an architect, maybe you even have one or two in mind, you probably have a few questions, such as:
Having the right design team is critical for the success of your project as problems not resolved in the design stage can have massive cost and time implications.
Evaluating an architect's past work is a fundamental step. Their portfolio can reveal their experience and proficiency in handling projects like yours.
Secondly, check who will be part of the team actually doing the work on your project. If you're talking to a principal or senior architect, will they be doing the work? Or will your job be passed onto a junior designer ‘post-contract’?
A junior doing the drafting work isn't necessarily a bad thing but find out what the processes are to ensure you get the service you are engaging the firm for.
There can be a lot required so it is important to know what consultants are required for your commercial building project. How these other engineers and consultants work with the architect is usually the single most important thing to get right to ensure you have a smooth design process.
The first thing to know is if the architect will engage them or if you will be required to engage them separately. The next is to confirm who is managing the flow of information between each party, especially if you are engaging the consultants, as there can be a lot that can go wrong if this is not confirmed early on.
For example, you may wish to ask the architect the following questions:
For most people, becoming the go-between of engineers and architects would be right out of their expertise so it is essential to know what your architect will do/manage and what they will not. Ideally, there should be a lead consultant who is responsible for coordinating all elements of design.
For the total design cost, it can be around 3-6% of the total project value but this is a crude way to calculate cost. Instead, it should be based on the design complexity, not the value of your project.
It is important that there is a clear timeframe outlined with the deliverables at each step. No one wants a design process that drags on and on and feels like it only gets worked on when there is time.
It is also wise to check their engagement process for consultants. Does the architect manage who needs to be engaged first and what consultants are part of the critical path and are dependent on others? For example, structure is dependent on geotech and often fire, so it is critical to get them engaged first to reduce the chance of delays or re-work.
The last thing you want to be told just before consent lodgement is that there is another report that needs to be completed which may take another month to complete. A clear project timeline helps you plan and manage expectations, ensuring your project stays on track.
Effective communication and collaboration are key to a successful project. Understanding the architect's approach can help establish a smooth working relationship.
It’s important to understand, how the architect will communicate with you throughout the project and what level of involvement you can expect to have. Are there regular updates from the architect and meetings throughout the design process to ensure all your needs are captured and considered?
Choosing the right architect for your commercial or industrial building project is a significant decision that requires careful consideration. By asking these key questions, you can assess an architect's experience, capabilities, and compatibility with your specific project requirements. Remember to review their responses, portfolios, and references to make an informed choice that aligns with your project goals and vision.
If you wish to talk to an experienced team about your upcoming project, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Alternatively, you can view our resources page for more information on the cost per m2, selecting commercial land and more.