CONCEPT DESIGN

Understanding you is the key to a unique and successful design

Every design needs to express and celebrate your individuality and the nuances of your lifestyle, your site and your project requirements.

We begin the process by developing clear, creative design strategies that are easy to understand and simple to communicate to other stakeholders throughout the whole design and construction process.

Concept Design is explicitly set up into two distinct parts:

Before we launch into the design we need to ensure we have all the information. This is the research and project analysis stage, also called “Concept Design: Pre-Design”. Once we have established these parameters we can begin the design process, “Concept Design: Design”.


PRE-DESIGN – THE PROJECT ANALYSIS STAGE

Before we launch into the design, we gather up all the information about you, your project motivations and your site. This is the part where we listen to, look at and learn about you, your site and your project. 

Our Pre-Design Service identifies and records your project requirements, gathering the necessary information to support the subsequent Concept Design phase, and beyond.

The Pre-Design tasks usually include:

    • Identification of your design brief and understand your construction budget
    • Visiting your site and its surrounding area to best observe and understand the opportunities (e.g. aspect), constraints (e.g. mature trees) and nuances of your site. We’ll take photos, make sketches and assess site conditions.
    • An analysis of your design brief, including cost, time and site opportunities and limitations
    • Making initial inquiries regarding  authority regulations and relevant site requirements and considerations
    • Providing recommendations for the appointment of specialist consultants required at this stage, such as a Land Surveyor
    • Organising, attending and recording meetings with you and other parties involved at  this stage of the project

“Cathi and her team were incredibly organized, professional, strategic and considered all details. They had great vision for our renovation project. Cathi guided us through ideas that we would never have thought of ourselves (and are now delighted with!).”

AM, Brunswick

THE DESIGN COMPONENT

This phase investigates, explores and defines the framework of your intended project, how you want to live now, and how you want to be living in the future. Our process tests and translates your project requirements into key design strategies and concepts, giving your project clear direction, personality, and added value.

This design phase usually covers the:

    • Confirmation of your brief (once tested against your construction budget, your site and local authority requirements)
    • Creation and testing of overarching project strategies by exploring multiple design options, such as bringing in more light to the living areas 
    • Preparation and presentation of sketches, diagrams and other information to adequately explain the key concepts of your project
    • Preparation of design briefs for other consultants
    • Coordination of a preliminary estimate of the cost of works (your construction cost)
    • Presentation of the Concept Design to you. This verifies that we are understanding your key project criteria that will form the foundations of the design moving forward into the next stage of the development

“Cathi had listened to our requirements, addressed them, and came up with some really interesting ideas for our apartment. I was impressed with Cathi’s attention to detail and professionalism. The work she did exceeded my expectations.”

DON. C, Toorak