use of technology

We strongly believe in the use of cutting-edge technology as a 'tool' in our arsenal, rather than it being the guiding force behind the entire design process.

For an Architectural idea to be successfully translated from the mind of the designer to reality still takes a certain level of mind-to-hand-to-paper ability. Drawing will always remain an essential skill in the process of design, and as such this is what starts and continues to inform our design direction during a project. We then supplement this with powerful computer software to maximise the efficiency and accuracy of our work.

For Architectural Design we use the latest 3D computer aided Design software called 'Revit' from the leading designer's software company, Autodesk. This program is not a cheap drafting software used by some, but a complex tool that allows us to design more freely, more efficiently, and with extreme accuracy never before seen in Architectural Design - in 3D. This means that we can produce 3 dimensional images very early on in the design phase of a project which then allows our clients to have a much greater understanding of the design early on in the process. It also allows us to analyse the site, climatic effects, views and privacy, shadowing, natural light penetration, air circulation, materials and colour schemes, and the like - all prior to moving any dirt on site.

Since we adopted this software back in 2001, the benefits have been clear: More exploration of various design concepts in early stages means a more resolved and appropriate outcome overall, more 3D visuals throughout the entire design & build process increases client, consultant, and contractor understanding, potential costly errors or omissions in documentation are kept to a minimum due to the ability to scrutinize the building in far more detail 'virtually', and the superior level of clear detail in the construction documents for the builder has meant not only reduced variations on site, but also that the final building retains a much closer relationship to the originally intended design.

We also use other design programs to help clients, consultants, and local authorities understand a project better by providing photo-realistic renderings and photo montages, detailed graphical diagrams, multi-media 'mark-ups', animations and walk-throughs, as well as using a range of administrative tools such as detailed spreadsheets, flow charts, and templated forms to plan, monitor, and manage the entire design & build process.

The use of the computer has also meant a more efficient and environmentally friendly office, with communications happening quicker and more regularly, the volume of paper generated during a project being drastically reduced. It also means we are able to send detailed, clear and extensive information at any time, with the recipient not having to guess or interpret a phone conversation or decipher a hard to read black and white fax.