Going beyond collaboration: A new way forward for architects

How architects can harness the power of a unique project delivery eco-system.

Going beyond collaboration: A new way forward for architects.

 

 

Why projects fail, and the risk this presents architects

No architect is an island. We all know that the process of translating vision into reality is a long and challenging path, full of complexity. And it is a path that relies on more than just the architect’s vision, strength and resilience. It takes a team.

What makes it so hard the sheer number of people involved in the process. As a project moves through from design and planning, to logistics, to eventual realization, more and more professionals become enmeshed at every stage of progression: builders, contractors, specialists, surveyors, local authorities, lawyers… the list goes on and on.

The problem is, as more moving parts are added, more complexity is added too. And even worse, the point of responsibility becomes more uncertain. The factors which will determine the success of the project begin to rely on more and more people; responsibility gets passed down the chain and diffused across the project network. Each participant has different levels of investment; financial, professional, emotional. Fingers point in every direction when mistakes are made, and finding the cause (and more importantly the solutions) to any problem that arises can become a battle: one that takes time, money and energy.

For an architect, this has the potential to end careers. The quality of the end product they deliver to a client – not to mention the experience the client receives throughout the process – rests in the hands of others. Missteps in the delivery process can cost architects: not just legally and financially, but potentially in terms of their reputation as well. And architects can feel helpless to know how to protect against this.

Doing things differently

At A Living Concept, we have always recognised these risks. And we’ve taken steps to guard against them. How? We have created an eco-system of project delivery where accountability, responsibility and knowledge are focused into a single source.

And now, we are offering the benefits of this eco-system to independent architects seeking to deliver on their vision.

Over the course of 25 years we have worked to bring together and build a team of coordinated experts who work across all elements of the construction project chain. A joined-up, holistic unit that shares vision, mindset and values, and which has accountability and trust built in. A team that maintains an inherent harmony of understanding that permeates across the organization, and which is supported by tightly drawn administrative and legal structures. A truly collaborative approach to the realization of a client’s vision.

 

Because for us, collaboration is a mindset – one that recognizes that the process needs to be geared towards mutual benefit and enhancement, adding value at every stage and aiming for the creation of something that constitutes more than the sum of its parts. At the heart of collaboration lies the presence of shared values and empathy, clarity of communication, and the selection of a team that takes genuine pride in their work and maintains personal integrity.

 

 

 

The benefits of the Living Concept approach

Our joined-up and holistic way of working provides a range of inherent benefits in how a project is delivered:

It increases trust, and trust increases performance

When you are confident in the people you work with, secure with the administrative structures in place, and can trust that things will progress the way they should – you can focus on the things that matter: exceptional design, unrivalled build quality and a smooth client experience.

It provides foresight, adaptability and flexibility

We all know that the biggest project headaches – financial, logistical, legal – come from a change of plans. Everybody is always seeking to pass on the costs and neglect the responsibility. Avoiding unnecessary changes takes foresight experience. But it also takes knowledge that sometimes these changes will be unavoidable no matter how effective your planning. That’s where agility comes in – adopting an open, solution-based mindset, based on established processes which have flexibility and agility built right into the core, and which have established structures in place to allocate cost and responsibility.

It maximizes efficiency

The process of design cannot exist in a bubble. The realities of implementation have to be built in right from the start: an architect can design a basin made from the rarest Italian marble, but if the coordinator cannot source it, the contractor cannot fit it in the building and more importantly the structure of the house cannot support the weight – the design is all-but useless.  Because our professionals have worked together for so long, they know the roles, needs and working patterns of everybody on the team. Be it in relation to planning permissions, materials selection or furnishing choices, our designers know what the rest of the team is prepared to handle. This saves on the expense and time consumed negotiating plans backwards and forwards between architect, design coordinator and contractor, and avoids hitting any road bumps once the project is properly underway.

It both shares and solidifies responsibility, and thus protects reputation

By establishing the nature of working relationships and bringing them under one umbrella, the legal and professional responsibilities of the team are completely established – meaning on the few occasions when problems do arise, they can be traced back and rectified quickly. Moreover, by creating a single organization, there is ultimately a single point of contact responsibility – right at the top. This gives architects certainty, confidence and protection they need to deliver on their promises and be sure their reputation is protected.

Experience, excellence and expertise: all in one place

At A Living Concept we have spent more than two decades building up the personal connection, the technical processes, and the knowledge expertise needed to translate client visions to real outcomes. Our team – comprising of people that span the full delivery chain – have worked together over the course of numerous project: from initial planning, through bureaucracy and legal red tape, logistics, admin and supply chain to on-site management and final delivery, the Living Concept team delivers it all.

And now, we can help independent architects to deliver this too.

For clients, that means a stress-free, cost-efficient realisation of their dream space.

For architects, that means the ability to work as part of a team that they can trust to realise their vision, uphold their reputation, and foster an environment of professionalism, trust and openness.

And for us, it means an opportunity to do what we love: creative collaborations that deliver meaningful results.