How An Architecture Firm Benefits Your Vision
Architecture firms provide clients with many services to maximize the benefit of working with them, including expert knowledge, efficient project delivery and inventive design solutions.
Architects can leverage their strengths by choosing a business model that best demonstrates them. For instance, offices, schools and healthcare owners often request architects for various services; thus contributing to an increase in multidisciplinary architecture firms.
1. Expertise
Clients looking for an architecture firm should select one that aligns with their personal work style. Many firms display examples of their past projects on websites or social media pages so potential clients can easily gain an impression of their work.
Architects seek firms that offer a broad selection of services. Clients in education, healthcare and office buildings increasingly expect architects to fulfill a multitude of tasks – possibly leading to an upsurge in multidisciplinary architecture firms.
No matter whether or not an architect uses your product, cultivating relationships is crucial to their specification of it. Quick responses to their inquiries are the hallmark of responsive brands; especially so for smaller firms where communication may be easier due to shared identities and missions.
2. Experience
Clients seeking out architecture firms often want to ensure they select one with experience in creating similar projects as theirs, whether this means using similar designs styles, construction methods or building materials. Knowing this beforehand gives clients confidence about making an informed decision.
Owners of large commercial and nonresidential properties tend to value the comprehensive services that architects provide, contributing to multidisciplinary firms’ expansion. Owners seek out architects that bring expertise beyond what they themselves can provide while creating innovative project solutions.
Encourage architects to specify your products by offering relevant case studies and education based on performance. This will give them more confidence that your products will complement their designs for successful outcomes for their clients.
3. Expertise
Architecture firms can be identified by their shared identity and mission statement, which is particularly evident at smaller firms with smaller teams which allow easier communication among all involved.
Architects tend to be highly open-minded when it comes to new products; all they want is the confidence that comes from knowing they can use it and that it will perform. One way of instilling such trust in architects is providing case studies and performance data relevant to them.
Owners of office, education and healthcare facilities increasingly expect their architects to do more than standard design and project management – driving an increase in multidisciplinary architecture firms that specialize in services like expertise and innovative project solutions; risk mitigation partnerships and meeting green construction demands are also common demands from owners of these facilities.
4. Reputation
Architects depend on timely payments from clients. This is particularly essential since most architects operate as sole proprietors who shoulder all income and risks associated with running the firm themselves. Firms should strive to include payment terms in contracts.
Clients today expect more from their architecture firm, moving away from the single-discipline approach favored by many practices before the recession. Clients want their architects to be experts in their respective fields and collaborative partners who provide innovative project solutions. In order to be considered, brands need to show that they can help architects accomplish their vision through education and expertise – something which may result in them being specified for future projects – ultimately benefitting both parties involved.
5. Flexibility
Architects must be adaptable and flexible in meeting client needs, working collaboratively. Larger nonresidential owners report expecting architects to serve as trusted partners who offer creative solutions–not simply provide attractive building designs.
While clients cannot predict exactly how their buildings will develop, they do recognize the need for flexibility in design plans. This may mean making adjustments to outlets to accommodate plug-in requirements or including open hallways that facilitate further expansion in future years.
Flexibility is vital to keeping clients satisfied. Business statistics show that repeat business results from satisfied clients, who rely on responsive brands as they receive more of the architect’s time and consideration when they can count on instantaneous response times, creating personalized engagement rather than generic sales pitches.
6. Flexibility
Architecture firms need to be flexible with changing circumstances and client demands, including anything from rescheduling meetings or altering design plans, to accommodating clients in unexpected ways. By being adaptable and flexible with services offered to clients, flexible architects can save both time and money while meeting client demands more effectively.
Flexibility extends beyond just the work environment. For instance, many architects now provide health insurance as an attractive incentive for employees and to help attract and retain top talent, which in turn boosts productivity.
Research by the AIA indicates that clients view architects as expert partners and innovative solution-providers. Clients seek out relationships with architects they choose; repeat work is key; architects report that most of their business comes from repeat work contracts. Fostering such strong bonds between client and architect can result in smooth projects delivered on schedule and on budget.
7. Experience
Mistakes during the design phase can cost developers both time and money during construction. An architect can help prevent such mistakes by making sure all contractors meet qualifications required by their plan, visiting construction sites to monitor work performance as planned, and verifying with contractors whether work is being completed as intended.
Owners of office, education, and healthcare facilities place great value in architects’ ability to perform multiple services for them. This likely accounts for why architecture firms are becoming increasingly multidisciplinary; 82% of large firms identified themselves as multidisciplinary in 2015.
When selecting an architect for their development project, developers should seek one who has experience designing similar structures. Furthermore, it should demonstrate an understanding of their clients’ specific needs regarding budget and schedule requirements for the job at hand.
8. Flexibility
As opposed to many other industry sectors, architectural firms tend to provide employees with generous benefits packages that include medical coverage, retirement plans and tuition assistance. Furthermore, smaller firms usually offer flexible work hours which is important for employees with families or other obligations outside the office.
Additionally, architectural firms should aim to be flexible when it comes to project scheduling and budgeting, so as to ensure projects are completed on time and on budget.
Architecture firms must be flexible when selecting product offerings. Architects need the freedom to specify products they know will perform effectively; for this to happen successfully requires an engaging approach with specific case studies and performance data from brands.
9. Flexibility
Architecture firms that can accommodate your desired design style are invaluable resources. Larger companies may have become known for specializing in one design or iconic structure and may limit what they can offer you; small firms tend to embrace diversity more, giving their creative minds free reign across many types of projects.
Healthcare facilities are constantly adapting, so flexibility should be an essential element in their design. Without this approach, hospital buildings could end up oversized with ineffective circulation systems or confusing wayfinding schemes that make wayfinding confusing for staff and patients.
Employing flexible design principles can help architects reduce downtime, costs and building lifespans by taking an adaptable design approach. Therefore, architectural flexibility strategies have become a popular solution among many clients and range from the placement of program space to open-ended corridors – some even work on a micro level!
10. Flexibility
Even though hospitals are constantly evolving, hospital architecture rarely accommodates for this fact. But architects are increasingly including strategies for flexibility into their designs.
Flexibility strategies work at both micro and macro levels to enhance circulation approaches, zoning strategies, programming practices, cost reduction during future renovations and lengthen building lifespan.
Finding an architecture firm that fits with your work style and design preferences is essential. Look for one with a clear sense of identity, mission and leadership structure so your project does not become lost in larger firms; additionally this ensures they remain passionate about it as part of the team working on it and have strong bonds with clients.
