The Second Studio (formerly The Midnight Charette) is an explicit podcast about design, architecture, and the everyday. Hosted by Architects David Lee and Marina Bourderonnet, it features different creative professionals in unscripted conversations that allow for thoughtful takes and personal discussions.
A variety of subjects are covered with honesty and humor: some episodes are interviews, while others are tips for fellow designers, reviews of buildings and other projects, or casual explorations of everyday life and design. The Second Studio is also available on iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube.
This week David and Marina discuss 5 questions owner’s should ask their architect before hiring them: 1. The architect’s professional experience, not just their project experience 2. What physical parts of the project will be in the architect’s scope 3. A description of the overall project process and what the architect does during each phase 4. What deliverables the architect will provide throughout the project. E.g. The types of drawings, samples, and documentation 5. An explanation of the architect’s contract.
Highlights and Timestamps
Introduction (00:00)
Experience: Ask what their profession-specific experience is, not just the project-specific experience (01:17)
Maybe the average client doesn't realize this, but architects are educated and trained to design a lot of different types of structures. Houses, community centers, and museums, and everyone designs a library at some point in their life, even if it's a paper project. Some of the most incredible works of architecture were done an architect who had never designed that type of building before.
Scope: Ask what parts of the project they will design, plan, and specify. Not all architects will want to take on the full scope. (11:43)
Buildings, and even homes, are very complicated. There are a lot of different pieces and not every architect is going to want to be in charge of designing or selecting all the pieces. […] Unfortunately it's confusing because different architects provide services to incorporate different scopes. […] This is also why some architects cost more than others.
Process: Ask for a description of the overall project process and what the architect will do during each of the phases. Not all architects provide the same level of services throughout a project. (11:43)
It’s more common now for architects to not be involved in during construction. There's two reason for this: First, there’s this misconception amongst clients that it's not helpful or worthwhile, which is not the case. […] The second is that—and here’s some insider information—construction administration is typically the phase when architects lose money. So there are definitely healthy number of architects who have decided, “You know what? I'm not gonna bother with construction administration because I can make all my money in the beginning and then leave. And not be involved with the part when things go awry, get hairy, and complicated.” This is a disservice to clients for sure.
Deliverables: Ask what drawings, materials, and documentations the architect will provide you. There are basic deliverables that architects should provide, make sure you will get them (11:43)
One question clients should ask is what deliverables will the architect will provide throughout the project. This simple question can save clients a lot of trouble and confusion.
There are some architects who only provide 2D orthographic project drawings (floor plans and elevations) and no 3D imagery. This is a bit ridiculous. There’s no reason an architect shouldn’t be able to provide 3D views of a project, especially with the tools that are available today. 3D views are beneficial for clients, who may not be able to read floor plans, and they are also beneficial for the architect while designing. Equally, clients should be given furniture plans. Designing a room without showing, at least approximately, how the furniture can be laid out, is nonsensical.
Ask for an explanation of their contract. Short contracts are not always better than long ones. (11:43)
There is a tendency for anyone who's hiring a professional to want to see a contract that's really short because it's easier to read, it's digestible, and it makes clients feel more secure because it feels like there are less traps hidden within the contract.
However, if you take a step back and think about what’s going to take place, we’re talking about a multi-year project with 7-8 different phases and each is a little bit or sometimes radically different from the next, which means the work that takes place during that phase for the architect is different and the things they're going show to the client are different and the number of professionals involved is different. By the end you have dozens, maybe hundreds of different professionals that touch the project. The contract should cover each of those phases and all of the bits that can happen during it. So the idea that that long and complicated process can be covered in a half-page contract… there’s no way.
