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Let’s talk about what to expect and what not to expect from your first meeting with your architect or designer.
“The Interview”
The initial meeting is solely designed to ensure that both parties are compatible. It is essentially a two way interview. Your architect is looking to find out if you are a good fit just as much as you are. It is similar to selecting a therapist in that you want to find the right fit so that your needs are heard, met, and implemented.
The focus of this meeting is on general concepts rather than specific details. It is important to ensure that both you and your architect share similar design values and communication styles.
During our initial meeting I ask my clients about their priorities and values in relation to the design and construction of their new home. This includes what they consider to be the most important features of their home, or perhaps what they consider being most challenging.
I also inquire about what they consider to be the most important aspects of their building site. Every design should draw inspiration from its surroundings; so understanding what my client values most about their site is crucial in developing a viable design concept.
High-level design criteria along with your construction budget will be discussed. Your architect will be looking to get a general understanding of the overall design requirements and the complexity of the project and to establish overall feasibility. At this stage, don’t expect to discuss any layout-specific details for example.
However, a discussion about available or desired construction materials and methods should be had to help the architect understand your preferences and needs for the project.
A general design and construction timeframe should be addressed to make sure realistic expectations are set. Your architect should develop a roadmap specific to your project outlining the steps necessary and taking into account these time constraints.
Additionally, you will want to discuss whom else you would like to be a part of the design/build team. For example, if you have already chosen your builder, your architect may want to start coordinating with them early on. On the other hand, If the client has not yet selected other design professionals, your architect will be able to assist and consult in that selection process.
Lastly, you and the architect should discuss the steps required during the design and construction of your project. You should have the opportunity to ask questions and walk away from this meeting with a good overall comprehension of the design/build process.
In summary, this meeting serves to establish mutual compatibility, provide the architect or designer with sufficient information to prepare a design proposal or contract and to establish a viable roadmap for your project. It should also be an opportunity for you, the client, to get a better understanding of the design process and the steps ahead.
Initial Design Meeting
Let’s also briefly outline what to expect from your initial design meeting. This meeting will undoubtedly be the most important meeting between the client and the architect/designer and could probably be a topic on its own. Plan to set aside a sufficient amount of time and expect to make arrangements allowing for a meeting without interruptions or external distractions. The importance of finding a comfortable setting should not be underestimated.
This meeting is designed to address the bulk of the design requirements for your project. You can expect the discussion to cover topics from overall goals and design concepts down to small and seemingly insignificant details.
A very common question I get from my clients starts with “Is it too early to discuss this or that…” The answer is always “no, it is not too early”. What may appear as a small detail, may play an important role in the way your architect approaches the design of your home. It is your architect’s job to sort through the information provided and use it when appropriate.
Reviewing anything you may have already prepared leading up to this meeting is equally important. Whether these are your own napkin sketches or photos, plan on reviewing them. There is a reason you spent time preparing these, so being able to refer to them is important. This is not, however, to say that you must scramble and scour the internet for design ideas. Your architect will ask the right questions to get the information needed.
One aspect that is often overlooked is how the information is conveyed. Yes, it is important, for me as your designer, to know how many bedrooms you are looking for, but seeing, for example, your excitement about certain topics is equally as crucial. Throughout the entire meeting, I pay close attention to my client’s facial expressions and body language. These cues provide me with a huge insight into how I should approach the design of their home and where the focus should lie.
Your architect will be asking you questions about your personal life and your daily routines. When I am tasked with designing a space my client is going to spend such a significant amount of time in, I first need to take the time to understand my client.
Having said all this, I realize every architect, designer or other design professional works in a different way. More importantly, every client is different and every client’s circumstances are unique. The aforementioned is a generalization and should be considered only as a general outline.
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