One way to combat today’s real estate troubles is to pay more attention to the details during the design process. It’s easy to become consumed with the business of real estate, but now is the time for owners, project managers, and owner representatives to invest additional time and attention into the design process. While the design itself cannot solve a real estate inventory glut, a well-designed project, and one that is well thought through, will lease or sell faster and will in the long run improve the value of the property.
In my years practicing architecture, interior design, and development, I have seen that the right design, led by the right design team can make or break the value of a project.
What defines a well designed project? Good design has little to do with budget size or project type. Simply put, good design is the effective use of innovative design principles, judicious application of available materials, the utilization of existing building or site conditions, and the selection of the right design team. If these decisions are approached in a smart, strategic manner at the very beginning, the project will make efficient use of its assets and effectively minimizes its inherent liabilities.
Although budget can affect choices, it should not affect the quality and integrity of the design. Ultimately, a quality finished project should be one that functions well for the end user. All of a project’s spaces should flow well and be sized properly and according to function. Details such as ceiling heights, room width, and millwork depth, are the small things that ultimately enhance the quality of the final product. So too are the materials. Granite or stainless steel may be cost prohibitive, but there are many design friendly solutions that can satisfy budget. If the final product is a space that is easy to navigate, reasonably easy to maintain, communicates the right feel or mood, and was built within cost parameters, it can be considered to be a successful design.
The key to a good design begins with the strategic selection of a design team. The right design team is one that understands that the most crucial step in the design process is communication. In the beginning of a project, communication is critical to effective collection of the information that will drive the design. It is also key throughout the entire design process, to ensure that the team is designing the product that the client wants and needs.
By starting a project with clear, open communication, the entire design and construction team is best positioned to identify and create the most ideal space possible, one detail at a time. It affords the opportunity for every individual and company involved, including the construction team, to look for innovations that will overcome project constraints and craft the best space for the client’s needs. It fosters sharing of ideas and is the strongest way for the client to make smart design decisions. If the design team leads the project in these ways, it stands the highest chance of success.
Selecting the right construction team is just as essential as hiring the right design firm. They are critical to achieving the best design. Their craftsmanship, attention to budget, and accurate understanding of the project are crucial to developing a quality-finished product. Team oriented contractors, open to working in concert with the design team will ensure that the project is created properly and effectively.
For those who participate in the real estate process, it’s important to remember that, with the exception of a project’s location, no other single factor has more impact on the value of a property than the quality of the design. In these times, when a project is led by smart design decisions that focus on fostering great team oriented communication, finding innovative solutions, and paying attention to details, it instantly becomes more valuable. If you build it well, they will come.
