At any given time we have a large number of projects under construction. During the construction phase of a project questions invariably arise. That is the nature of the work, whether new, or more frequently, renovation work. At times those questions are best answered by a specialist even though architects have a broad depth of knowledge.
By design we have a large array of professionals on staff. Over the course of one day last week I consulted with our in-house structural engineer about a field change to a column in a custom residential project. Had a quick chat with our lighting/interior designer about some challenges on a public client remodel project. Consulted with our mechanical (HVAC) engineer about some increased scope on that same remodel project and spoke with one of our civil engineers about the grading permit on another custom residential endeavor.
In most other architectural offices I would have had to pick up the phone in order to contact consultants and hope they got back to me in a timely manner. Some of our projects are very fast paced. Thanks to our structure all I had to do was walk down the hall or up the stairs to have a one-on-one conversation. This allowed me to in person, review photos, drawings and create sketches to arrive at a solution.
Another great perk is that we all enjoy working together and work well together. That is a win-win for any project.
