CHAPTER TWO

DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

PROCEDURE OF PUBLIC PROJECTS
CONT.

• Design is a complex process that continues to grow in

complexity because of the dramatic increase in specialist
knowledge.
• Today, a very large proportion of a building’s
components are made in factories and assembled on site.
CONT.

• This is completely different from the handcrafted, site-

based methods on which architectural practice was
founded.
• This fundamental change has caused the designers to
specify, or draw, every aspect of the project to a level of
detail which removes all ambiguities in design intent
from the manufacturing and site assembly processes,
which in turn has led to an apparently insatiable demand
for drawn information.
CONT.

• In practice, each member of the project team, which may

consist of consultants, specialist trade contractors and
project managers, will carry out a design management
function which should be controlled by a manager from
within each organization.
CONT.

• Two issues should always be addressed: the provision of

accurate, fully co-ordinated and complete information,
and the timely provision of the information.
• The first issue is the responsibility of the lead designer
and the second is that of management.
DESIGN MANAGEMENT MODELS

• Dumas and Mintzberg have proposed four management models.

1. Encompassed design: single function – This is where the designers
carry out the whole process in an integrated way. The organization manages all
of the designers and does not have to manage the interfaces between different
types of designer.
2. Decomposed design: isolated function – The easiest way to manage the
interfaces between designers is to decompose the design into clear
components of function and form and then assign each to a group of designers.
Linkages get taken care of on the drawing board before detailed design begins.
CONT.

3. Dominated design: leading function – This approach attempts to

supersede the problem of interfaces by supplanting them with a
hierarchy. One group takes charge, to impose the design realization on
the others. This ‘over the wall’ approach requires that the others have
to conform to the needs of the dominant designer.
4. Co-operative design: interactive functions – This model
encourages interaction between the different contributors. Co-
operative design is based on teamwork and reflects the ad hoc
structure of most ‘creative’ organizations.
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF
DESIGN

• Design is primarily a personal task with the whole

project’s design becoming a combination of the
motivation and expressions of many individuals.
• Any manager involved in the design process, must allow
the necessary time for discussion and consideration, so
ensuring that the designer’s aims and expectations are
met within the terms of the design brief.
CONT.

1. Design is a very personal statement of ideas

2. Design is a form of art
3. Design challenges the existing approaches
4. Design is a realistic solution to a problem
PROCEDURES OF DESIGN

• The process of design and construction is divided into stages, common to all projects,
based on key sign-off points needed from the client.
• These are:
1. The approval of the functional brief; the approval of the scheme design;
2. The completion of the engineering design and the placing of contracts either with a
single contractor or by separate packages;
3. The final acceptance and hand-over of the completed project.
• Engineering is further subdivided: detail design by the architect, engineering and other
specialist consultants within the design team; and detail design by the specialist
contractors, e.g. workshop and fabrication drawings.
CONT.

• Across all stages of a project there are three main streams of activity
that interrelate through the client’s decision-making process.
1. The client initiates the project and is required to make the decisions
to proceed at each of the design and procurement stages.
2. The concept designer assists in the development of the brief and
produces the concept, which, if approved, is developed by the
design team and other specialists into the scheme and eventually
into the working and component fabrication drawings and
specifications.
CONT.

3. The management framework enables designers and

specialist contractors to work efficiently across the
interfaces and ensures that suitable standards of time, cost
and quality are established and adhered to during all the
stages of the project.
STAGES

1. Development of the brief

• The client generally implements the procedure that leads to
the appointment of the designers. Construction professionals
may be involved beforehand, but the important starting point
for the generation of design information is when briefing
begins. The initial ‘statement of need’ must be prepared in
terms that can be readily transformed into a design concept
for development by the designer.
CONT.

2. Conceptual and scheme design stage

• From the statements of the client’s need within the
‘functional brief’ the designer can develop the concept
and outline design for the project. This is done with the
project manager who simultaneously develops the
budgets for time and cost.
CONT.

• The design and budgeting processes produce a co-

ordinated set of project information for approval by the
client. Once approved, the next step for the designers is
to work up the scheme design, where all the basic
systems for the building are developed and checked for
feasibility.
CONT.

3. Engineering
• At the engineering stage, the design team develops the
full production information. As the various systems are
engineered and detailed they can be formed into
packages to enable the project manager to start buying
the manufacturing and construction work.
CONT.

• The separation of the project into distinct packages is

most commonly practiced in construction management
and management contracting procurement methods, with
the content of each package dependent upon the form of
procurement chosen.
THE CONSTRUCTION STAGE

• Design by all contributors will continue into the construction stage, because
of the high design input by specialist contractors.
• The key objective is to ensure that the information flow does not interrupt
the construction process. Therefore, once the manufacturing sequence has
started within a product or work package, all the necessary information
must be complete to allow the construction stage to proceed efficiently.
• There must also be a freeze on client decision-making and design
development otherwise the penalty, in terms of extra time and cost, will be
extremely high.
THE DESIGN PHASE

• Brainstorm project goals and scope with funders/partners

• Talk to municipal zoning office about the project to determine
feasibility; try to uncover any major regulatory design/cost
obstacles that you’ll have to overcome

• Rough sketch some ideas and think through your top design
objectives with funders/partners
CONT.

• Identify architects, builders and sub contractors (ideally,

you want to have identified a general contractor, as well
as your plumber, mechanical, electrical subcontractors)

• Architect  and homeowner draw up schematics for

consideration based on your rough sketches and your
objectives
 CONT.
• Meet with architect, builder, and subs to talk through objectives
and schematics to get their input

• Architect refines schematics with homeowner and contractors. I’d

recommend having your architect develop a 3D model in Sketch
up.

• Develop permit-ready drawings for zoning and building office

CONT.

• Submit plans for permit. Pay permit fees. Go

back and forth with permit office until the plans
pass their planning/zoning code and building
code criteria.

• Permit issued and then you can break ground

CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

•Break Ground
•Excavation
•Foundation
•Concrete Forms
•Pour Foundation Wall
•Concrete Slab Pour
•Gravel
•Water Barrier
•Rigid Foam
•Rebar (and PEX tubing for radiant floor heating)
•Pour Concrete for Slab
•Utilities
•Sewer, Electrical, Water, Gas
CONT.

• Framing
• Balloon Framing
• Roof
• Stairs
• Windows

• Roofing
• Weather Resistant Barrier
• Rain Screen
• Rough Plumbing
• Mechanical Systems
• Lighting and Electrical
CONT.

• Air Sealing
• Insulation
• Spray Foam, Blown-in Insulation
• Drywall
• Sheetrock, Mudding, Sanding
• Siding
• Flooring
• Painting
CONT.

• Cabinets, Shelving
• Finish Plumbing
• Finish Electrical and Lighting
• Certificate of Occupancy
• Modifications
• Moving In