9/15/2020 Understanding the Architects Design Phases: Schematic Design; Design Development; Construction Documents

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UNDERSTANDING THE
ARCHITECTS DESIGN PHASES:
SCHEMATIC DESIGN; DESIGN
DEVELOPMENT; CONSTRUCTION
DOCUMENTS
IT IS IN THE DETAIL

Understanding the Architects Design

Phases: Schematic Design; Design
Development; Construction
Documents
in It is in the Detail (/posts?category=It is in the Detail)
it's in the detail (/posts?tag=it%27s+in+the+detail), architect blog
(/posts?tag=architect+blog), frisco (/posts?tag=frisco), colorado
(/posts?tag=colorado)

The Architect’s Design

Phases
 
Working with an architect seems like a complicated process,
am I right? But, did you know that most architects utilize a
typical design process to complete the design services for your

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9/15/2020 Understanding the Architects Design Phases: Schematic Design; Design Development; Construction Documents

new home? By knowing just the basics before talking with your
architect, the process will seem a lot less daunting.

There are typically 5 phases that an architect practices to

complete a project.  However, in smaller projects such as new
homes, I usually employ only 3 of them:

 
Schematic Design:
Schematic design is the rst phase.  In this step, an architect
talks with the client to determine the project requirements and
goals.  The architect usually starts with rough study drawings
that illustrate the basic concepts of the design.  This most often
includes spatial relationships as well as basic scale and forms
the owner might desire.  Also, initial research of  jurisdictional
regulations is completed at this time.  Initial cost estimations
are also investigated based on total project size and complicity.

Schematic Design often produces rough drawings of a site plan,

oor plans, elevations and often illustrative sketches or
computer renderings.

Design Development:
Design development collects the results from the schematic
design phase and takes them one step further.  This phase
involves nalizing the design and specifying such items as
materials, window and door locations and general structural
details.

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9/15/2020 Understanding the Architects Design Phases: Schematic Design; Design Development; Construction Documents

Design development usually yields a more detailed site plan as

well as oor plans, elevations and section drawings with full
dimensions.  

Construction Documents:
Once the architect and client are comfortable with the
drawings produced from the design development phase, they
can move on to the construction documents. The construction
document phase produces drawings with much more detail
which are used for the construction of your project. These
drawings typically include speci cations for construction details
and materials.  Once the CDs are completed, the architects
send them to contractors for pricing or bidding as well as to the
building department for required permit approvals.

Construction documents often include a complete set of

architectural drawings (site plan, oor plans, sections, details,
etc.) that are combined with structural drawings (and possibly
mechanical and electrical drawings) that have enough detail for
the contractor to build your project.

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9/15/2020 Understanding the Architects Design Phases: Schematic Design; Design Development; Construction Documents

Other Phases:

In larger projects there can be a bid or negotiation phase as

well as a construction phase service.  These typically aren’t
utilized in smaller home projects, but they are an important part
of larger residential, commercial or industrial projects.

 
Construction:

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So, there you have it.  That in a nutshell is the complete process
of an architect’s service.  By being aware of this entire process,
it will hopefully help your overall anxiety of your new home
project!

Bear Rock
(http://canadiantimberframes.com/projects/bearrock) in New
Hampshire, is an example of one of the homes I have designed
with Canadian Timberframes and has its drawings posted.

08 April 2015

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