The 3 key phases of the architectural design process

The 3 key phases of the architectural design process comprise the base for innovative architecture in professional practice, they include:

Phase one: Client perception, view of his project

This phase is the key of the three stages. The client’s perception and view of his project could be just an idea, an image of a project, or a set of concepts that he wants to be translated into a physical object and a functional building. Clients give signals of what they want in terms of the final form of their building and even the layout depending on the project scale. From my personal experience working in the Middle East for the last 25 years, clients reduce the number of images given about their project the more the project becomes large scale. With small projects like villas and small buildings, clients provide specific ideas or concepts by indicating what type of style (existing villa), photos of a project from a magazine or webpage, or just the materials used, and some external elements. In many cases, clients cannot express what their unconscious mind stores about their preferred form, or they do not want to give any idea to keep the architect working until they like one of his submitted designs.

For large-scale projects, clients give signals like existing development, building complex, urban space location, and building elements types like precast elements. In one of the mega projects, I worked on the client did not indicate any specific image or idea about what his development looked like. But he indicated the development program and any style will be accepted. For the core project, he wanted a landmark design that competes highly with others in the city and region. The development design work took many phases of alterations before approving the final design.

Understanding client perception and view of his project have several benefits. It specifically defines the direction that the firm should approach in the architectural design process, reduces the number of design meetings and discrepancies of understanding about views and ideas in the discussion, finally reduces the phase cost and reduces the stress on the client. For more details about the perception theory in architecture and urban design in you can read my previous paper review.

Phase two: the concept design and project context

This phase is built of many cycles of design, alteration, development, and amendments. The firm to define the required elements of the concept design in terms of local context. Local context means the area government rules and regulations, authority, and urban development strategies and plans. The architect involved in the design process and his firm have certain approaches, directions, methods, and styles whether in work or the architecture produced. The complexity here comes in coming out with innovative design, being creative with these elements and forces that affect the process of architectural design. Many firms in the world could fail to produce what the client has in perception about his project or development because their style and approach do not fit the client’s desire. In this event, the firms will suffer in reaching the final desired outcome through an exhausting cycle of design alterations and meetings.

The final concept might not be accepted fully by the client, but because of various alterations and contractual issues, he accept one of the certain cycles. The client, if this happens, might not proceed with firm to the subsequent phases causing a great loss for both sides of the contract agreement. The architect and his firm will defiantly divert from their style ( see sample work for a firm in the USA below) and method of work to satisfy the client which is considered with many firms against their principles. You can read my previous article about innovation in architecture for more details.  

Phase three: the project realization

This phase is a very critical phase of the architectural design process. This criticality comes from defining the technology and methods of construction to turn the design into a real physical object. Many firms in the world use world-advanced technology in producing the design in the second phase of the architectural process. This includes but is not limited to CATIA software and BIM software for various reasons. This software simplifies the structural design process by transferring the concept design to structural design software like STAD. The preparation of the building envelope and building elements becomes easier to engineer and to transfer to manufacturing plants with technical drawings and details. Simplifies the preparation of paper and bidding documents for the construction phase. Adding to that it will assist the construction company to prepare a construction plan based on identical and clearer construction and detailed drawings for realization.

The firm based on the produced drawings and bidding documents can estimate which type of listed construction companies to invite for bidding. And to prepare criteria for judging the winning bidders for the project. Many architects in the world who do not focus on the role of advanced technology used in the architectural design process will face several construction and manufacturing problems within the process. These problems will add extra cost, to the time required for project completion. Also, the paperwork and specialist involved in the construction and design variations when raised to the client and the firm. You can read my BOOK where I have included a chapter about the methods of architecture analysis and building indicators to judge any part of architectural work