This is a guest post by David Locicero, a Partner Architect in the New Avenue Design/Build Network.
David has successfully uses the New Avenue platform to design, permit and build projects around the San Francisco Bay Area. To read more about the platform click here: New Avenue
There are five phases to a typical architectural project: Pre-design, schematic design, design development, construction documents, and construction.
Today let us look at Schematic design.
Schematic design is when the architect takes all the information collected during Pre-design – what you want, what you need, the drawings of the existing house or lot, your budget, all the codes and regulations – and comes up with solutions that meet the requirements.
Architects initially will come up with 2 or 3 options for you to consider. At this point, you don’t have to love any of the options, but they might suggest a direction that you would like to explore.
The architect will present you with very simple plans, maybe some drawings of what the house might look like, but the drawings are simple. Each plan is called Scheme A, Scheme B, Scheme C and so on.
The architect will take your comments about each of the design schemes and revise one or two of them taking your comments into consideration. Then you will meet again. You may meet with your architect several times until there is a design you want to move forward with.
If there is a Planning Review process in your city, it is this final schematic design that you will present to your city for approval.