WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU MEET AN ARCHITECT

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO WHEN YOU GO TO MEET AN ARCHITECT FOR THE FIRST TIME?
Ideally, formulate your project brief before meeting with your Architect and be realistic about your budget or other constraints that might exist but remember to allow yourself a little “room” for the unforeseen.

PREPARE A PROJECT BRIEF:
Include everyone: To formulate the Project Brief, first get all the decision makers together. Include everyone – husbands, wives or even children with an interest in the building. Write down your complete wish list.

Express your ideas: You can visit some finished houses or you can consult professional magazines, catalogues and architecture books to get ideas and to show the Architect what you like and dislike.

Mention the size and theme of building: Your initial brief need not be very extensive but at least contain information regarding broad principles and general priorities e.g. better natural light, more play room, the number and sizes of the rooms, the overall size and theme of the structure, features you would like to have and key functional or special inter-relationships of spaces etc. This will make it easier for the Architect to understand what you’re trying to achieve overall.

Think of future expansion plans: You should have some ideas, future expansion plans, what you would like in your house, etc. This will enable the Architect to assess your project realistically and put forward appropriate design proposals, which will help you make suitable choices.

Refer Project brief periodically: Once the actual project begins, go back to your project brief at regular intervals. It’s very easy to go off track and lose sight of your original goals (and budget).

BE REALISTIC ABOUT BUDGET:
Be realistic and honest about your budget from the start. The relationship between you and your Architect should be one of mutual trust and by being dishonest about your budget might only lengthen the design process thus in the end costing you more in Architects’ fees to get to a viable solution or you might end up with a house design that is beyond your budget limits and a project that you would not be able to complete.

DO NOT FORCE A PARTICULAR STYLE / THEME FOR THE HOUSE:
When you express the kind of style you like for your house, do not insist on personalizing the design too much to your own individualistic needs. These themes are often short lived trends in property markets and certainly put a date stamp on a property and you might have difficulty or not get the best resale value when it comes to the selling of the house. A good style is one that is unique but has longevity and remains contemporary. A good Architect will not try to enforce his own tastes in design, but instead try to get a good feel of your taste and try to guide you to come to a realistic building solution.

THE FIRST MEETING:
Ask for portfolio, professional details: When consulting your Architect for the first time, ask about professional credentials, recent references and project photos.

Have your project brief ready: Explain exactly what it is you want and don’t hold back. If you have pictures or photographs of what you like and dislike bring them as there will be less chance of misunderstandings. Pictures say more than 1000 words. It also helps both parties to find out if they have similar styles and whether they are feasible within the budget.

Expect detailed questions: No matter how good your project brief is, an experienced professional will pick up the details that you’ve missed. So, be prepared to answer detailed questions about your project brief.

Try and keep an open mind: The first session with this professional will largely consist of discussion and questions about your requirements and ideas of you house and site and which take priority. During the session the Architect might present you with suggestions, ideas or solutions that might not sound pleasing to you at first, but might make sense later on in the planning stage.

Ask questions: Find out as much as you can in the consultation phase, about possible causes of over runs and other problems that may crop up.

How’s the communication? Do you feel the Architect will listen to and respond to your concerns, explain what’s going on and keep you updated? Good communication can go a long way to a smooth project conclusion.

NEGOTIATING FEES:
When negotiating fees with your Architect, you might have a choice to use only a part of his service or a ‘full service’. If your budget does not allow the full services of the Architect, he might be willing to provide you with advice and ideas for a reduced fee. The services of an Architect are not rigid and most will be willing to taper services to suit your needs or budget.
Remember that preparation is key. Most building projects run smoothly and so can yours with a little planning. Good luck!

Houses in United Kingdom

These are the projects of my friend Nihila an Architect in United Kingdom.  We assisted her in developing concepts

Freehand sketches

The act of drawing is an important starting point for the intellectual process we call 'design'.  To be able to draw a chair or a building is a prerequisite for anyone wishing to design such things.  Drawing has two functions for the designer - it allows him or her to record and to analyze existing examples, and the sketch provides the medium with which to text the appearance of some imagined object.

Architects used the sketch as the main means of communicating a design idea to clients.  Such sketches relay the thinking behind a proposal as well as suggesting a tangible form.  Before the advent of photography most architects kept a sketchbook in which may recorded the details of buildings, which they could refer to when designing.  

All our creations originate from a piece of paper as freehand sketches.  We would like to exhibit some of them

M F P L Jayaram Enclave

This proposed residential flat is at Ram Nagar, velachery for M/s.Mettupakkam foundations Ltd.,  It has eight compact two bed units and stilt car parking.  The rooms are oriented as per vasthu rules, well ventilated and the elevation is contemporary

RA puram residence

The building meant for community prayer hall is converted as residence

Park City club house

This club house facilitates fitness centre, billiards, multifunction hall and a lounge bar

Residence at chitalapakkam for Mr.Murali

Upcoming residence at Chitalapakkam

KVM School at Thiruvanamalai

The ongoing school building project in Thiruvanamalai

Mfpl Adithya II

Adithya II residential flats at ambal nagar for M/s. METTUPAKKAM FOUNDATIONS is nearing completion

SC Johnson office interiors

Office interiors concept for SC Johnson Pvt ltd.  The work is under progress

Anandan house Thiruvanamalai

A very small street house at Thiruvanamalai

Mosque at Appampatti

 
The design flow of the mosque incorporates many different functions besides being only a place for prayer. The project team thus decided to design not only a mosque but a religious complex for various social activities and mutual aid.

The mosque complex, composed of the main mosque building, a library, education and lecture halls, accompanied with shops in ground floor which strengthens the idea of getting together and socializing as a community, with social and cultural activities. The complex not only acts as a continuous interaction space but also respects its user’s privacy. The ablution space and the prayer area are separated from the rest of the complex by different levels of entrance. The level difference also enables the gradual transition from public to semi-public and finally to private spaces of the complex

The tall pole-like structure adjacent to the square building form is called the minaret, an important element for mosque. It was used in the past for someone to call out to all Muslims to prayer on top of the minaret whenever prayer time has come. Today, the minaret still serves the same function, except loudspeakers used instead. In a way, the minaret has become an icon of mosques; anyone searching for a mosque can find one from afar.

Kitchen concept

Kitchen concept for Mrs.Meena vijay house at east coast road, Chennai



Projects at Thiruvanamalai

Proposed house for Mr.Jai Anand

Home for siddha doctor

Residence at Adyar

Concept showing the remodelling of existing old residence at Adyar for Mr.Emani Rao



Reliance Digital

The upcoming "Reliance Digital" at Anna nagar

Residential flats at Vengai vasal

Concept perspectives for the proposed Residential flats at Vengaivasal, Chennai

Residence at Thiruvanmiyur

Ongoing project at Thiruvanmiyur for M/s.Sitaraman & co

M V diabetes centre, Royapuram

Interior design concept for MV diabetes centre at Royapuram

House at Selaiyur

Proposed compact duplex house for Mr.Balaji at Selaiyur. Compact doesn’t mean less space. In this case the client preferred more open space for landscape and little for comfortable living. The ground floor accommodates a spacious hall/dining, sizable bed room, a kitchen and also a small room for prayers. The first floor has a central lobby connecting bed, study and terrace. The most interesting element is the spiral stair from the first floor terrace leading to the first floor roof.