Before you embark on your design and construction project, there are some very important questions to first ask yourself. WHY are you doing this project? WHY hire an architect before other team members? And WHY hire Strataz?
WHY are you doing this project?
For most people, it’s a natural jump to find a solution for a space needs challenge. This early potential solution might grow from something you saw or read, or maybe it’s something someone told you would best fit your needs. While this initial solution may end up being the best fit, it’s always beneficial to explore a full range of possibilities. Diving too deeply into the first idea can lead to inefficiency or extra cost because of the understandable passion we have for the spaces we hold dear. I believe in the power of holistic understanding—fully exploring wants and needs, and weighing a range of different concepts before designs are developed or the hammers even begin swinging. From this process, the final solution cannot only exceed initial wants and needs, but also inspire you and others to use the space in new ways. I stand by the ethos that it’s always better to explore and discover before deciding on such a big decision. As with most things we do, long before it is decided on WHAT to do, we need to deeply delve into WHY something needs to be done, then HOW to do it, and then lastly WHAT that solution becomes.
Optimist and author, Simon Sinek, discovered the Golden Circle for Individuals and first popularized it in his book, Start with WHY. While his discovery is specifically about helping individuals become more fulfilled by the work they do, his discovery is acutely applicable to the process of determining and designing an architectural project solution. Taking a little license with what Simon discovered and applying it to an architectural process is how Strataz can lead an Owner to the best solution for their needs. Below is the Simon Sinek Golden Circle which clearly illustrates the way in which WHY is at the heart of successful decision making.
WHY hire an Architect first?
Before an Architect or Contractor is called, most Owners feel they have identified their problem and have a good idea of HOW to solve the problem with WHAT solution. Their solution may involve a remodel, addition or new construction. They also probably already know their budget. But too often their first call is to a contractor because of the assumption that, because the contractor is the builder, they must best know what to do, how to do it, and what it will cost. While this sometimes is true, the responsibility of the contractor often doesn’t lie in clearly executing the first step of identifying the WHY. To achieve the best possible solution, the WHY needs to be fully discovered and explored first. You need to make sure that what you are designing and building is the right solution for you, and this is exactly where an Architect can best take the lead before a Contractor is engaged.
Architects are trained to listen, gather information, distill that information and then propose solutions that not only meet safety codes, but also lift the spirit. The gathering and distilling is the first step and is often depicted in diagrams and driver statements. At Strataz, I will walk you through a systematic process to first thoroughly investigate and document the WHY in your project. After the WHY is identified in the Foundation phase, we will Ideate, build the solution in Formation and then celebrate Impact. The Strataz Process is called Stratiform.
PROCESS: Stratiform
As a designer of the built environment, I have both great privilege and great responsibility. I’m trusted by my clients to listen, realize their visions, and maximize a project’s potential. I’m also trusted by our community to enhance the way people live, work, and play in innovative and inspiring ways. And I’m trusted by our planet to make the design and material decisions that do right by our environment.
With the weight of these responsibilities in mind, the process at Strataz is Stratiform—built on layers upon layers of collaboration, conversation, and the integration of a diversity of expertise. Designs are not completed by an architect alone, but it’s my role to help define direction. I’m an expert in understanding cultural and environmental context, building relationships, creating synergy between clients, stakeholders, and other professionals, and ensuring the team is all moving together in that same direction. And through my layered methodology, the best, most informed and most inspired ideas emerge. Ideas that exceed my clients’ expectations, ideas that become environments with a beautiful sense of place, and ideas that solve complex problems with solutions that provoke the mind and touch the soul.
Meaningful Living Inspired by the Desert
I am at home in the desert. I am so fortunate to live in this ecosystem, and I have the responsibility to honor and respect it. The desert reveals a clarity about climate, texture, sun/shade, material, color, comfort, and vistas. Nature then often composes these qualities and ingredients into vertical and horizontal layers. These layers reveal a beautifully organic composition—a Strata. The region and desert teach me. I am inspired by this landscape, and it informs the basis for all my solutions.
Embracing this backdrop, I have come to believe that most of us have too much—our footprint is too big and we’re too often wasteful. Myself included. We need less and we need smarter, sustainably crafted solutions that often involve a remodel before a new building or fundamentally changing how we use space. Sometimes a new building is the best answer. I love how clearly Sarah Susanka explains this concept in her book, The Not So Big House. Below is a succinct quote from her. While this quote is specifically about homes, I think it’s applicable to all design projects:
“Not So Big doesn’t necessarily mean small. It means not as big as you thought you needed. The ideal size for your Not So Big House depends on your financial situation, the size of your family, and your personal preferences. As a rule of thumb, a Not So Big House is approximately a third smaller than your original goal but about the same price as your original budget. The magic is that although the house is smaller in square footage, it actually feels much bigger. It’s not about living in a small house and getting used to feeling cramped. A Not So Big House feels more spacious than many of its oversized neighbors because it is space with substance, all of it in use every day.”
—Sarah Susanka, Not So Big House
WHY hire Strataz?
Design solutions—ranging from master-planning, to residential remodel, to new residential, to commercial projects—all need a process that reveals the clearest problem identification, the most comprehensive exploration of potential solutions, and the smoothest execution in order to engage and inspire.
Engaging and inspiring inhabitants, users and Owners are the true reasons why I’m an Architect, and meeting their needs is but the minimum. I want to touch the soul, I want to earn a position with the Owner as their trusted advisor, and I want to develop relationships that last long beyond the project duration.
None of what I do can be accomplished alone, and I excel in bringing great teams together. Collaborating as a team brings out the best ideas, the best utilization of individual skills, and the most efficient shared workload. Impactful design or construction is not created by one, but rather all voices are heard, and all contribute.
If you would like to discuss your project more with me, I’d love the opportunity to meet you and begin a journey of building trust.
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