* Provide unique designs to suit individual client's needs
* Design simple, functional plans that reflect the given parameters of the site
* Create homes with a "time less" contemporary architectural style
Richard J Hewitt : Bachelor of Architecture - (Natal RSA) 1977.
"Each site is unique and every client's needs are different..."
CREATING A CUSTOM PLAN....
We believe each site is unique and should be treated as such. Every client has different needs.
Our job is to respect this and provide unique plans which blend the needs of a
client with the unique opportunities provided by the site.
Architects spend many years of formal training at university
to become knowledgeable in matters of building design such as plan function, 3d form,
aesthetics and anthropometric data etc. Our first role is to document a client's wish list into what
we call our "DESIGN BRIEF". This is a verbal account of the rooms and spaces desired in
the new project - as well as itemizing wishes such as (for example) -
desire for open plan concept - or simply laying out the overall thoughts of what type of
house they would like. This can be done verbally or by showing us
magazine cuttings etc - ie any information that will help us get to know their
requirements.
This helps us get a better feeling of what type of home is being asking for. Often we will
present our initial feelings of what potential a site has to offer in the form of freehand
conceptual ideas which illustrate the major view and sight lines, topography and impact of orientation etc.
These diagrams often serve as the early building blocks for the emerging sketch plans that follow
later.
Conceptual Diagram showing major site influences and opportunities
With the DESIGN BRIEF in hand - our task is to transfer these requirements
onto paper which we would do first in the form of "bubble" or "zone" diagrams and later
in the form of rough freehand layouts.
At this stage the plan areas will be roughly to scale - at which point the lines get
"hardened" up and presented in simple CAD format. Furniture is used at a very early stage
to determine adequate room sizes, spaces and circulation flow etc.
Examples of plan development from site analysis to final design elevation
From here the plans develop step by step with simple 3d concepts until a working
plan is achieved. This is a design that is complete in it's 3d content, the major
elevations and sections having been resolved in principle.
Models have always played an important part in our design work
USE OF SCALE MODELS IN DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
Depending on the project concerned - a 1/87 scale model would be
built to demonstrate a miniature of the proposed project. We feel this is a most important
step as this gives us a chance to visualize the completed project on the given site at a scale
that allows a certain level of detail which shows the fundamentals of the design.
We take great pride in our scale model work - all materials and landscaping are represented
as accurately as possible. Examples of these are shown on our
models gallery page.
FORM & FUNCTION - THE ILLUSION OF SPACE AND HOW TO USE IT EFFECTIVELY
One of our primary objectives is to design well worked out efficient floor plans. We
pay great attention to this aspect of our work because we believe our task is to
merge good form with good function - room spaces must work for what they are intended
to do and must be sized accordingly. Over-sized rooms can compromise function and the
feelings of "sense of space" are therefor not maximized. Our designs work. Room spaces
must be the correct size in relation to it's use - not to big and not too small.
Significantly we have heard many favourable comments about how spacious our smaller
houses seem to be. Money can be saved by having a well designed efficient floor plan.
Our finished plans show layouts with furniture positions - often customized to include specific
items related to the project. We pay great attention to "feelings of space" and to
ensure that spaces feel comfortable. This is achieved by careful attention
during the planning phase with respect to placement of furniture, door swings etc etc.
We believe these are the building blocks of successful design. With the completed
design in hand, permit and construction drawings follow. The preparation of drawings at
this stage follows the same basic principles of attention to detail and specifically
how materials join up with one another to create a harmonious result (example below).
Detailed with hidden reveal to form clean and precise final result
ATTENTION TO DETAIL
For example we make use of hidden reveals where rough materials join up with smooth -
which then negates the use of trim. An example of this is the junction between the angled
ceiling (smooth finish)and the rough wooden beams shown above. Note the absence of trim
and the simple clean junctions that result by means of hidden reveals. Small detail yes -
but vitally important as far as we are concerned in creating successful architecture.
USE OF THE INTERNET : PRIVATE WEB PAGES FOR CLIENTS
The advent of the internet has opened great possibilities for communicating easily, with
obvious benefits for out of town clients. In this way we can show the developing sketch
plans via use of private web pages created specifically for the project.
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