The generation of an architectural design begins long before the first sketch is made, and involves many people other than the architect. These pre-design activities are critical for a successful design and should not be overlooked. They are captured in the design brief. The design brief is a message between the clients or users and […]
Life-cycle evaluation is an essential foundation for sustainable design. It covers both life-cycle costing (LCC, financial) and life-cycle assessment (LCA, environmental). The idea is very simple: when comparing alternative strategies for a construction project, don’t select the cheapest but the one that performs best in the long term. A durable and efficient building is often […]
Once upon a time, in a world where one day followed the next with near complete predictability, most highly valued was something that could not be bought, or even taught. Something that could only be assimilated over time and through immersion. That was the Age of Experience. As society and industry developed and became ever more sophisticated, experience […]