A Technical Design Takeover

How to add value when a project changes hands

Some building projects have a single architect from beginning to end. However, it is increasingly common that different architects are appointed to do the technical design from the team that took the scheme up to planning. In this article, we reflect on why this happens, as well as the positives and negatives of this trend. In particular, we discuss the value that a fresh perspective and experienced eye can bring to the technical design phase using the recently completed Hartford Point apartments as a case study.

In the past century, Architects were more often than not appointed to see a project through all phases beginning to end. This had an obvious value through continuity of leadership and design intent. However, in the current UK context, owing to planning risk and fluctuations in commercial viability, it is much more common that projects are split up into phases. We see this also as a consequence of using ‘Design and Build’ contracting for major developments. A change of consultant typically happens when a developer or private client buys a site that already has planning permission in place, but they wish to appoint their own trusted team to do the technical design. Such a change might seem inefficient at first glance but it can bring a different kind of value to the project and to the developer.

WWA’s recent project to build 75 apartments at Hartford Point in Slough is one such example where a previous consultant designed the project up to planning. The developer, Feltham Construction, wanted to use architects they had a trusted working relationship with to undertake the technical design and construction phases. In this article, we reflect on the value that WWA’s Architects brought to the project in these later design stages.

Finding Spatial Efficiencies…

With a fresh pair of eyes on a project you can often spot ways to make a layout more efficient. The developer, Feltham Construction, asked WWA to do just this and Design Consultant Jean Hanna managed to make a series of clever shifts in the layout to achieve a further 4 units on the site. This increase in potential revenue improved the picture of viability for the project—even accounting for the time spent by our team in tweaking the layout and going back to the planners with some amendments. A great example of when good design and in this case, experience literally pay for themselves.

Unearthing Unexpected Inefficiencies…

It wouldn’t be a balanced reflection without trying to learn from the inefficiencies arising from splitting up the project into phases with different consultants. One example of this project is the necessary change in the heating strategy for the apartments. When the layouts were originally conceived, it was envisaged that each unit would have an electric boiler. As WWA began the technical design phase, they worked with Mechanical and Electrical Consultants who calculated the load requirements and made investigations into the local infrastructure capacity. This revealed that without significant local infrastructure upgrades, the only viable heating strategy for the units would be via gas appliances. This meant a necessary tweak of the layouts and detailed design to account for the relocated boilers and associated pipe runs.

Adding Value to Technical Design…

WWA created its own coordinating 3D model using Revit, which other consultants fed their designs into. The Structural Engineers inserted their 3D model into the coordinating model in order to enable easy clash detection. Such coordination checks in the technical design phase help minimise wasted time and material by resolving clashes before they happen.

Another example where architects can add value to the design post-planning is in the resolution of details that fall below the threshold, which would trigger a need to go back to the planning department. No one is going to thank an architect who runs up the client’s planning consultancy bill because they keep tinkering with the design. Because WWA has town planners in-house, we are very good at making these judgement calls and improving the design within the scope of what planners call ‘non-material’ matters. So for instance, if you wanted to change the whole building from brick to timber cladding, that would be a material change. However, refining the design of decorative metal railings is not a material change. You can see the bull-rush-inspired motif of the laser-cut metal railings in the gallery for this article. The design of these was an enjoyable collaboration between the client, sharing images for inspiration, the architect identifying a supplier and sketching out an initial design, and then the supplier inputting design changes to make the design efficient to cut. This anecdote encapsulates the value that Architects add through technical design in the resolution of each small part.

Reflections From The Architect…

Associate Architect Ewan Green led the project from Technical Design to handover. At the completion of the project, we asked Ewan to sum up his experience.

“It is always great to work with a client who is also an experienced contractor – from the outset they have a command of all the real-world pressures and limitations that can shape a project. Notwithstanding this pragmatism, it is so important that a contractor allows you the latitude to add value through good design details and Feltham get this balance just right. The team have been a joy to work with throughout – particular thanks go to Simon Lampard, Adam Jarvis, and David Yates.”

So what are the takeaways from this case study reflection? When a design team picks up someone else’s project, here are some good things to do:

Keep an open mind about design changes that can add value
Whilst going back to planning has a cost, design changes can more than pay for themselves
Identify technical design risk factors asap, such as infrastructure capacity
Establish where a designer has latitude or scope to make improvements to the design without going to planning
Use technology such as BIM modelling to make sure all consultants can coordinate and spot potential clashes

You can see more photos of this particular apartment scheme on our project page for Hartford Point or on the website for Feltham Construction. The project was expertly run onsite by Feltham’s project manager, Michael Omer.

The photographs in this article were taken by Adelina Iliev.