Occasionally our Core Services don’t quite fully fit the needs of a client or project scope. Sometimes a project’s requirements are not quite fully formed, are misaligned, or need rationalising for funding. And sometimes, there’s simply more information needed before a project can take off.

That’s why we provide our other services (non-core services), to accommodate a project that just doesn't quite fit – so that any further information, alignment, or other project circumstances or needs can be achieved.

It’s aim is to understand the economic viability of a particular project brief and site parameters, ultimately to verify whether an outcome is achievable and feasible.

The study is then presented as a series of analyses, diagrams, and/ or sketches, to communicate the relevant findings and any recommendations.

We’d normally consult a quantity surveyor to determine current costs and, depending on the scale and nature of a project. The process may also require engineering, other consultants, or stakeholders, to determine project viability, ensuring a clear holistic understanding of factors affecting project feasibility.

Architects cannot legally say they are provide "Project Management' services. What we can say – and do – is to curate the process, including coordinate a team of consultants, collaborators, to best suit the specifics of your project, including site constraints, construction cost and time. 

Understanding the specific project requirements is key to client success. This leads to optimum problem solving.

Understanding, and experience in, the whole of the process including design, planning and building permitting, and construction is key to reducing the risk of time and cost blowouts.  

Understanding, curating and implementing a well coordinated set of design documents and specifications to communicate form, quality and performance required. Better the project documentation, should mean a better built outcome, with no room for mis-interpretation.

And understanding and experience with builders, the building and construction process, is key to successful collaboration between builder, client and architect. 

Think architect as advocate.
Design is only a small portion of what we do, understand, and advocate for.

This approach proves especially valuable when a client brief lacks clarity in defining or prioritizing design or briefing objectives, or when a client organization is diverse, presenting apparent conflicting interests.

A design workshop serves as a collaborative session involving client, architect and key members of the design team, and any other relevant stakeholders.

In some cases, the charrette (workshop) may yield a preliminary design for the project.

A Master Plan outlines a long-term vision for staging a project, or a specific site. It’s intended to explain the staging of a project in the short, medium and long term, so that you can be assured the staging of your efforts and financing will work for you every stage of improvement along the way.

Much like a business plan, it provides a coherent strategic framework at the project's outset. Its intent is to future-proof your project, enabling progressive informed development, adapting to evolving needs and opportunities while safeguarding future options. It’s intended to minimize abortive work and costs, facilitating informed decision-making based on a clear development vision.

(And just like a business plan) regular reviews ensure ongoing relevance, responsiveness to demands, and alignment with the overall vision.

For an individual home, alterations and additions to an existing home, or site review, a master plan will require an experienced architect (along with a Costing expert). In the case of a larger site Master plan, this process often involves a multidisciplinary team, including architect, landscape architect, engineers, and stakeholders, ensuring a holistic approach.

Existing Conditions Survey and Record Documents.

Any project that requires alterations (or additions) to an existing building, will require a comprehensive measure up, photographic survey, and drafting of building and site to create “Record Documents”.

This process is essential to understand scale, feature and services before any design can begin.

The Record Documents are drawn to scale, capturing size of spaces, condition of and construction features (if accessible), details and finishes, other information to be recorded may include visible services, adjacent structures and buildings and that may influence the future design.

Certain projects, especially those involving heritage restoration or alterations, may require testing and extra documentation. This may include requiring specifics of construction methods, materials, previous work and evaluation and impact on heritage values, finishes and any changes over time, and a thorough examination of existing records.

Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) usually occurs can early on the design stages. This allows the builder (Contractor) to provide their opinion on design, detail, staging and or costs, before the design is finalised.

This collaborative process involves contractors and designers sharing responsibilities, enabling valuable input on major design and construction decisions, particularly beneficial for complex projects. ECI methods are intended to mitigate project risks through design reviews, buildability analysis, value engineering, site logistics, and material handling and delivery.

Value Management (VM) generally involves assessing design and construction options, involving all stakeholders, including the client, in the decision-making process. The process effectively shares the decision-making responsibilities, while informing project stakeholders about critical design and budget constraints.

It emphasizes project-specific value, not just cost savings, by evaluating client requirements within the project context. It also provides a disciplined approach to identifying cost-saving opportunities, design options, and select the best value solution while balancing conflicting criteria.