Technological Institute of the Philippines

363 P. Casal St., Quiapo, Manila

Theory of Architecture 2
AR 112 - ARCH12S1

DESIGN PROCESS
AND
METHODOLOGY

Ar. Primalyn G. Hipona

DESIGN PROBLEM:
A client from Valle Verde II has given you an interior project of one of her boutique
(Bloomingdale, a shop for fabric products) in Shangri La at the Fort Manila.

A. Initiation

One of the most important steps in the design process is accumulating the information
you’ll need. This is usually achieved by either a face-to-face meeting with the client, a
questionnaire (on- or off-line), or even a online meeting if you really wish to establish a
personal relationship.

In gathering this information, you now know your client’s objectives and can focus on
the details for inclusion in your brief.

The Brief:​ Although it may seem like more work than necessary, a design brief has a
couple of key benefits, no matter how big or small the project seems to you:

1. It ensures the client knows what they want from the project
2. It acts as your point of reference during the project

The more information the client provides initially, the better the result for everyone
(especially the client). Topics for inclusion in the design brief may vary, but a few good
starting points may be:

● Corporate Profile​ – A summary of the business

● Market Position​ – An evaluation of the company’s service/product in relation to
the competition.
● Communication Task ​– What’s the message trying to be conveyed and through
what means (e.g. taglines, body copy, photography, etc.)
● Target Market​ – Demographics — the age, gender, income, employment,
geography, lifestyle of those the client wants to reach.
● Objectives​ – What quantifiable result does the client want to achieve?
● Schedule/Deadline​ – A realistic schedule of how the project should proceed.

B. Preparation

Data analysis in architecture is a complicated process. Design teams must not only gather the
most accurate data, but also analyze it and locate hidden patterns that predict how people will
most efficiently use a building. It is important to establish the criteria that the proposals will be
measured against, be it according to client needs, performance of the building, budget,
aesthetics and so on. The criteria is often diverse, and there will be varying factors to evaluate
at different stages of the architecture design process.
Once these criteria have been established it will be possible to analyse the initial proposals. In a
student setting this will often take the form of a crit, which is an opportunity to discuss you
design ideas with your peers and tutors. Although the architecture crit is something many
students fear, it is a great opportunity for you to be challenged in your ideas, and respond to
feedback. The crit will urge you to clearly communicate your initial design ideas.

C. Synthesis
SWOT Analysis: ​The main goal of the SWOT analysis is to find key Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities and Threats of a certain area. This could be the Analysis of the location of the site
which is located in Shangri La, The Fort Manila. It could also be the Analysis only of the area of
the site which is The Fort or BGC and it could possibly be the swot analysis of the boutique that
you wanted to build.

Here are some of the SWOT Analysis of Shangri La, The Fort Manila
Strengths
● Ambience
● Business Philosophy
● Service
● Luxury Amenities

Weaknesses
Weaknesses are used to refer to areas where the business or the brand needs improvement.
Some of the key weaknesses of Shangri-La, The Fort, Manila
● Expansion plans
● High cost of maintenance

Opportunities
Opportunities refer to those avenues in the environment that surrounds the business on which it
can capitalize to increase its returns. Some of the opportunities include:
● Changing Market Trends

Threats
● Competition

D. Hypothesis
Preliminary drawings are the first detailed stage of a project. They are arguably the most
important part of the design as all the initial building ideas and concepts are formed into a realist
shape. Building parameters along with other restrictions including budgets shape and determine
the direction of the entire project. Preliminary plans are subject to change however, it is
important to get the drawings correct the first time to reduce variations which can be costly at
later stages to the project. A well organised and solid set of plans helps to ensure an efficient
project and management of required time lines.
Preliminary plans usually consist of the essential drawings:
• Site plan
• Floor plans
• Elevations

Creating a Boutique Design for the Storefront: ​Your storefront's appearance will either draw
customers in or push them away. Create a facade that captivates without being gaudy. Because
boutiques feature a distinct style of product, your facade should include distinct touches to give
customers a taste of what you sell.
Setting the Right Atmosphere: ​Use the boutique design's small size to your advantage by
creating an intimate atmosphere. Soft lighting, rather than the harsh fluorescent lighting typical
of larger stores, will help to create this atmosphere. Use strategically placed lighting to spotlight
products in your displays, illuminating them from beneath.
The Right Spacing: ​Boutique designs must have a free-form layout so customers meander
around the racks of clothing or shop's perimeter. Your goal is to encourage customers to enjoy
browsing through your merchandise, rather than making their search as efficient as possible.
This means avoiding straight aisle ways that block other areas of the store from view. Smaller,
round racks combined with displays around the store's perimeter encourage continued
browsing.
Consider the Checkout: ​Instead of an unattractive, imposing square counter facing the
entryway, create a more welcoming checkout space in your boutique design. Try placing the
desk at an angle in the back corner so you can see the entryway without staring down
customers as they walk in.
E. Alternative
Based on an approved Program, the Schematic Design synthesizes the program into a defined,
feasible design. The design will be shown in the form of Schematic Drawings of the boutique,
and in some cases a study model. The Schematic Design will address all significant areas of
design and will be reviewed with the client before proceeding with more detailed drawings. A
preliminary cost estimate is also usually provided at this stage.
Work in this phase typically includes the following:
- Complete preliminary building - Preliminary material choices.
floor plans, sections, and - Study model, if appropriate.
elevations to determine space - Preliminary cost estimate.
dimensions, areas, and volumes; - Present design to interested
sketches and site plans showing parties.
circulation, uses, relationships of - Revise design subsequent to
spaces. client discussions.
- Complete room layout of all
child-related furniture, plumbing
fixtures, etc.
F. Evaluate
Test and evaluate the design
Testing is ongoing as the construction progresses, but a final test of the entire system or model
proves if the project does the job for which it is designed. Look back at the specifications and
check the requirements carefully. Ask such questions as: How well does the design function?
Does the design look good? Is the product safe to use? Were suitable materials used? How
could I have improved on my design?

G. Action
Based on approved Design Development documents, construction drawings and written
specifications are put together which describe in detail all of the construction work to be done.
These are the documents upon which the construction contract will be based, and which the
contractor will use to build the project. If a building permit is required, the application is usually
made at the end of Construction Documentation.

H. Re Evaluate
A process in which the designer will evaluate again the overall process of the design proposal ​to
obtain timely information during the planning, budgeting, implementation, and other
management cycles to make continuous improvements will achieve greater success of the
proposal.
From what I've remembered in our Planning 1 that in Site Planning, it is important when
conducting a research is to ​gather all the data that is needed in Site Planning: the Orientation
of the site, Zoning (CLUP), Maps ( like Topography Map, Hazard Map), Road Networking and
considering Adjacent Structures; for the better arrangement of the building/s and for the better
environment of the users.