I recently was part of an elementary school career day and had the opportunity to really boil down what does an architect do and who we are. What is an architect????
At its most basic, an Architect designs buildings. Our job is to protect the public by designing buildings that are safe and strong. Beyond that we want to make building that look good, that make the world better. Where does that start? We often start as a guide, someone comes to us with an idea, a vision. It could be a family wanting a new house or a businessman wanting a new location for his business. They often have a vague idea of what they want and little knowledge of how to get from that idea to a finished building. That is where we come in, acting as a guide to the process as we begin by filling in the picture. We ask questions to help both of us understand what does the building need to do? How much space does each activity need? What is important to you? We help flesh out the idea into a concrete list of needs. Now our problem is defined and we can begin to solve it. We begin with a concept, the big picture idea of how big the building will work and what it will look like. This is an exciting part of the project as we begin to show you how your vision can become reality. Now that the concept is nailed down we begin turning that idea into a set of building plans. Details large and small are discussed and decided and begin to find their way into the finished plans. The finished construction set contains all of these decisions as a set of instruction for the builders. Throughout the process we will use our expertise to guide you through every decision. Having designed and documented the project we continue to be a guide through the permitting and construction process.
This is what we do, we have the technical knowledge to design your building but just as important, we are here to answer your questions and guide you through the process. I hope you consider us when you are ready to take your vision from dream to reality.