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leuschkekahn

Design Talk

Architectural design is communication.

Obviously, there must be good communication between client and architect, but it’s bigger than that. There needs to be good communication between architect, builder and sub-contractors, interior designer, landscape designer, surveyor, engineer, town planner, and other consultants.

But this is not always the case. There has always been tension between the disciplines. Engineers think architects are weird, but I like to think of engineers as process-driven as speed boats, getting from here to there regardless of wind, tides, and the distractions of a lovely beach, while architects are more like sail boats – it’s the journey, going with the wind and tide, and stopping for lunch at that lovely beach. We both end up at the same place, just from different perspectives.

While architects are working through town planning, drainage, waterproofing and structurally holding the building up, interior designers are concerned with the latest interior finishes.

We are just a problem to builders. Always wanting something new or different. Often a builder will beg us for a nice architecturally deigned house as they are bored with the standard house. They end up exhausted from having to think their way through the build and look forward to a rest on the next standard house.

But many of those new and different architectural demands become standard over time: the 2.7-m- or 3-m-high ceilings, aluminium stacker-sliders, big spans in open plan layouts, secret garage doors, ducted heat pumps, CCTV, integrated appliances, louvre roofs, and so on.

While the other consultants and the builder are experts in their field and focused on their part of the project. None of them see the whole project nor understand the clients’ desires and hangups as the architect does. Architects have many client meetings during the design and documentation process. Unfortunately, they have also had to deal with the council. The others haven’t and so may not understand the reason behind the decisions made.

paul@leuschkekahn.co.nz
021 894 895
leuschkekahn.co.nz