We’re passionate about architecture as a complete process. At the earliest stages we’re thinking about the bigger picture; about buildability, sustainability and the site – not just the ‘now’, but what is it going to be like in the future? But (and my wife would laugh here) architects are multi-taskers. We need to think about the micro-scale as well as the wide view perspective. Undertaking a build can be a complex process. Part of our role as architects is to advise the client when specialist consultant input is going to be of value. Getting this input early on in a project can save time and money in the longer run.
Years of rigorous training coupled with qualifications and practical experience mean an architect’s depth of knowledge, skill, practical understanding, analytic ability and creativity are perfectly placed to guide you through design, planning and construction. And as professionals, architects work within strict codes of conduct and ethics.
The New Zealand Institute of Architect has some useful publications and guidance on working with an architect www.nzia.co.nz/connect/working-with-an-architect/why-use-an-architect
And if that doesn’t convince you, how about the words of Kevin McCleod from Grand Designs! ‘Imagine you’re building a house and you take your dream to an architect. It is his or her job to take that loose bag of ingredients, that half-written recipe, whip light and air into it, spoon it into different, enticing shapes and then gently bake it into an exquisite syllabub’.
For those unfamiliar with the syllabub…they’re pretty good! https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4406/lemon-syllabub but not wanting to turn this into a cookery page, the message is that architects bring something more to the table.
In New Zealand, only a person who is a Registered Architect is allowed to describe him or herself as an architect or registered architect in the context of offering or providing building design services. A person who designs buildings for a living in New Zealand but is not registered as an architect cannot describe him or herself as an architect. For these people titles like ‘architectural designer’, ‘building designer’, ‘draftsman’, and so on are lawful, but not ‘architect’.
Your home is likely to be your most valuable asset, and the process of building can be daunting. A good architect will listen and help you prepare a brief that responds to your vision rather than forcing on you an off-the-peg solution that doesn’t match your aspirations. Most importantly, an architect will put you at the centre of the design process. What we don’t like to see is when the client’s designer gives up on the design process; the project becomes a shallow version of what it could have been, and the detail is eroded to an extent where the design has been completely compromised.
Architects are trained to turn your aspirations into reality. ‘A good architect adds value to the project. An architect’s training, well-honed creative skills and broad technical knowledge allow them to design buildings that can be integrated into the built and natural environments at every scale and budget’ (New Zealand Institute of Architects).
Architects are wired to care, but it’s important to find an architect whose vision resonates with yours. Forget about what some of those building or property programmes are telling you about having to improve your property to maximise sale value blah blah blah. Do it for yourself. Your home can and should enrich your life on a daily basis. Think about the future, and what you could do now to make yourselves happy. When you’re ready to have a chat, we’re here to help you embark on that journey.