The 1st Step to Building - Understanding your Needs and Options

What’s the problem?

The Process

We’ve used this process on a much larger scale while doing our sports projects – which typically involve a large number of groups and a diverse range of people. We saw an issue in these projects, of people starting design and construction before they had fully done their research and homework. BEFORE they had critiqued their ideas and assessed their needs.

These projects can have several conflicting groups – all locking heads on which way to go. So what better way to bring them together and moving in the same direction, than each understanding what the other needs?  It’s on this basis that everyone sees a different perspective, and actually, the group gets a much better outcome.

Our view is this applies across the entire construction industry – it’s not limited to designing sports facilities. It also happens in residential projects … People are trying to run before they have mastered the walk or set the training programme (sports pun intended!).

The consequence of inadequate upfront research and discussion of needs and options is like… building a house on bad foundations.

The foundations are the most important part of the whole house because everything is built on top. It’s very expensive to change the foundations once you have started to build. But it’s very easy to change them if they are simply lines on a plan.  It’s amazing what comes from sketch lines and diagrams, rather than hard-and-fast computer models.

Ultimately, a little more time spent upfront on research and assessment will yield a better result – economically and design-wise – long-term. Be careful about entering the design phase too early.  There are snags if you’re not prepared, and you might just pull a hamstring on the final straight!

What makes a good brief?