Design Process

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Design Process

A GUIDE TO WORKING WITH KDA

Below is an outline of the steps we’ll be taking together as we design your home. This process is not just about us but about you, too. It’s meant to be fun, engaging, and democratic. It will involve sketches, drawings, computer models, lots of ideas – both good + bad – materials, thorough analysis, and patience. The best outcomes are the result of our collaborative efforts, following each of the steps below to completion.

Good design is the synthesis of many disparate ideas into a thoughtful whole, and while the steps listed below represent a linear path, the way we arrive at the final design isn’t always linear. It’s an iterative process that leads to a product; it’s not a known product from the beginning. The product is the result of following the design process to its logical endpoint. This is what makes custom design so exciting and memorable – we create it together based on your specific situation and needs. At the end of the process, you’ll have a thoughtfully designed home and the shared experience of designing it, with the reassurance that we can always adapt and adjust along the way.

Architects, for the most part, all use a similar series of steps to arrive at a finished home. There are six general phases.

Phase 1

Predesign – site analysis, programming, existing conditions, budgeting, code review.

Phase 2

Schematic Design – basic design concept generation

Phase 3

Design Development – refinement of the selected design concept from Phase 2.

Phase 4

Construction Documents - detailed drawings, schedules, and specs

(Optional) Phase 5

Contractor Selection – aid in contract award/negotiation with GC

(Optional) Phase 6

Construction Observation – oversee construction + administration of the contract.

The phases are sequential, and they build on the work completed and agreed to in each preceding phase. We start with the general and refine the design to the very specific. There are many decisions along the way, and this gradation organizes those decisions into manageable portions.

Architectural Construction Document

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Additional Services

Planning

When it comes to producing a successful project, planning the site is every bit as important as the design of the building itself. Whether it be for a large commercial project or a singular residence, the design team at KDA is skilled at achieving highly efficient planning solutions. By taking into account key factors such as solar path, traffic, circulation, surrounding uses, and topography, KDA ensures that your site will be every bit as functional and beautiful as your building.

3D Renderings

Using advanced BIM software, KDA has the capability to produce scaled, highly realistic renderings of projects which allows clients to preview what a project may potentially look like once built. This is often very beneficial as it allows the client a detailed look at materials and massing from a human perspective. Renderings can be produced both in the form of still images or fly-by videos that can take you in and around the building.

Solar Studies

Solar studies allow the design team and the clients detailed insight into how sunlight and shadows interact with a project. These elements are integral in the success of a completed building, so the ability to convey them during the design process to a client is extremely beneficial. Solar studies can be done in several ways including stills or timelapse videos that illustrate how the sun and shadows change over time.