Good design, good process

Whether client, contractor or consultant, we all have first-hand experience with house renovations. Some projects run more smoothly than others, and there are some that should never have been started, but all could benefit from more consideration given to how the process is managed. Pay attention to this concept and the rest will fall into place.

If you have renovations in mind, stop and consider the steps you should take to achieve a successful project. Ask yourself what the most enduring, long-term part of the process will be. Is it the colour of the roof? Is it the choice of bathroom fittings? Perhaps it’s selecting the builder? Or maybe it’s good design backed up with good process planning from start to finish (even if that will take a few months or years to achieve). A house renovation devoid of good design is merely a process reduced to a facsimile of spaces, features and finishes showcased for other people, but not you.

Ordinary is everywhere

As a nation with DIY in our DNA, we continue to pass down the tradition of builder procurement, often before paying due consideration to the design. This seems like a cart before the horse phenomenon and has stifled countless built projects from being something more than the missed opportunity they became. From farmhouse to city apartment, the emphasis on construction over design has prevailed.

Time or cost constraints are often the reason for keeping architects out of the loop, and this is understandable. However, it is short-sighted and often only adds to the excess of ordinary New Zealand buildings.

Good design is right here, right now

Architecture on a residential scale has always been present in both city and country. Although it may not have been affordable to many in the past, it is widely available today and is increasingly cost-effective – the size or specifics of the project are often irrelevant. Engaging an architect is the first step towards a well conceived and ultimately satisfying home environment.

Instead, homeowners often just get a local builder to build their dream house, somehow assuming that good and thoughtful design will happen along the way. Although builders play a fundamental role in the renovation process, they are not trained designers and shouldn’t be placed in this position or be allowed to ‘improve’ the design as they build it.

The wise homeowner will recognise the importance of selecting the architect they feel best suits their goals. Interviewing several in their quest for the right one is a good move as it leads to the best match between client and designer.

Extracting the essence of what the homeowner wants

A talented architect will use their communication, perception and design abilities to extract the essence of what it is the homeowner requires in their new domestic environment.

Moving away from a relationship with magazine images to a more meaningful one with a designer will allow possibilities not otherwise attainable by a cut and paste design mentality.

If the homeowner can be convinced to look deeper than which shade of white to paint the walls and think more clearly about the relationship and proportions of spaces, the end result will be more rewarding. They should contemplate the mood or the feel they wish to create in a room, leaving the mechanics of what product and what colour to the architect. The secret is to think in qualitative rather than quantifiable terms.

Architects an essential part of renovations

So what are the trademarks of a talented architect and what should homeowners expect of them? It goes without saying that a talented architect will have a keen sense of design. They will also:

educate and stimulate homeowners to think about what is fundamentally important
provide homeowners with a personalised version of the magazine image
meet homeowners’ requirements and budget limitations
synthesise homeowners’ wants and needs into a successful building.

Architects have the great responsibility of achieving an improved built environment. They create good design and have the skills to make their design a reality in line with the aspirations and budget of the owner.

Talented architects are, without doubt, an essential part of the renovation process.