A building design and construction project takes a variety of disciplines to turn vision into reality. And it takes a spirit of partnership among those disciplines to make the project a success.
Prior to leading Four Point Design, our three partners—Jamie Raymond, Diana Ricks, and Victoria Numbers—all gained experience working at firms with both architectural and interior design services in-house. Today, 70% of our projects are completed as a consultant to an architectural partner. More than half of the 15 architectural firms we’re currently working with have in-house interior designers, but for a variety of reasons, engage Four Point Design—whether to provide a specific type of expertise, to help diversify their project teams, or to collaborate with their interiors teams.
This experience adds up to a unique insight into the relationship between architecture and interiors and keys to a successful collaboration.
1. Clearly defined expectations of scope and deliverables among architecture and interiors teams. Between architecture, interior architecture, and interior design, there can be some overlap where one discipline ends and another begins. That’s why it’s important to create a detailed scope and outline of deliverables expected by each firm, rather than making assumptions that can result in gaps or in duplicated efforts.
2. Early and ongoing coordination among specialty consultants. Many projects will include specialty consultants, such as kitchen designers, acoustical designers, and lab planners. Including the specialists in coordination between the architect and interior designer helps the team create a seamless experience, both for the overall project process and in the resulting space.
3. Timely and proactive communication. The mantra, “communication, communication, communication,” is repeated for good reason: most issues arise out of a lack of communication. In addition to simply committing to better communication, work to understand how each firm communicates and determine the frequency and format of information sharing.
4. A comprehensive and well followed BIM execution plan. Building Information Modeling provides countless benefits to project teams. It enhances communication (see above!), improves coordination, and wards off potential issues by modeling the functional and physical characteristics of a facility. By developing and following a BIM execution plan—including live sharing of updates to the model—teams can fully tap into the power of BIM for the benefit of the project owner.
5. Mutual respect. Each discipline provides expertise and experience that add value for the owner and enrich the project. By having empathy and respect for one another—as well as all the stakeholders involved in the project—it results in a positive experience and a strong partnership, like the one we enjoy with John C. Dickinson, AIA, REFP, founder of Dickinson + Partners.
“At Dickinson + Partners, we have found Four Point Design to be a great partner,” John said. “Their enthusiasm and engagement in learning about the entire new field of deaf space and blind space design is remarkable. The Four Point Design team has shown amazing interest and respect for the needs of this population. They care deeply and go out of their way to be responsive and respectful of our expertise, as well. Together, we have forged a great partnership.”
The Four Point Design team is thankful for our relationships with strong architectural partners that embody the above traits, and more. What would you add to this list?