Small Projects Handbook

Nigel Ostime

• Publisher: RIBA Publishing
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN:
  9781859469675
• eBook ISBN:
  9781000222142
• Topic: Architecture
• Subtopic: Architecture General

This hands-on, no-nonsense guide to running smaller projects – most under £250,000 in value – will become your 'bible' in day-to-day practice. Smaller practices often find it hard to turn a profit as they spend too much time and money, especially on the design stages, trying to compete and are unsure as to what they can safely dispense with whilst still being rigorous and delivering quality. This book provides reassurance as to how to achieve great results on a budget, utilising stripped-back and efficient solutions, while following the principles and stages of the RIBA Plan of Work.

Each chapter provides:

• simple step-by-step guidance to the key tasks in that stage of the Plan of Work including inputs, outputs, stage activities and sustainability checkpoints
• in-text features which break down complex tasks and highlight best practice with pragmatic, real world advice including 'tips', 'warnings' and guidance on forms and templates
• inspiring case studies of small projects that document the architect's experience of the process
• guidance at each Plan of Work stage on the relevant practice issues that will help you to run your small project more effectively.

Designed as a project handbook for smaller and medium sized architectural practices, it is also invaluable for Part 3 students getting to grips with how projects are run within the RIBA Plan of Work framework. Everybody in the project team – including clients, contractors and consultants – will find this a handy guide to the project process, full of useful insights and solutions.

Section I
DEVELOPING THE BRIEF

Stage 0
STRATEGIC DEFINITION

Stage 1
PREPARATION AND BRIEFING

Introduction

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”

Abraham Lincoln

This book is laid out according to the RIBA Plan of Work 2020, which has been designed to be flexible for all project types and all forms of procurement, including small projects.

The Plan of Work 2020 is cyclical in nature, recognising the importance of feedback. On average two-fifths of a practice’s work comes from repeat business. This rises to three-fifths for large-to-medium-sized practices, dropping to one-third for micro practices, but still significant nonetheless. Providing the opportunity for feedback and maintaining the client relationship after practical completion is therefore an important part of business development.

Stage 0 follows on from Stage 7 by way of learning from past experience on previous projects to improve the next one. In order to drive efficiency – a key theme of this book – it is critical that this is optimised so that the designer is not reinventing the wheel each time a new project is undertaken. Stage 0 is the point at which the first stage of the briefing process commences – preparation of the strategic brief. Strategic considerations might include considering different sites, and whether to extend, refurbish or build new. They might also include the key project outcomes (a mixture of subjective and objective criteria), the likely composition of the project team and the overall project programme.

Stage 1 includes developing the initial project brief and any related feasibility studies. It should be emphasised though that this is not a design stage. A key theme of this book is to prepare thoroughly before you commence any activity and that is the essence of Stage 1 in particular. Too often design work commences before the brief has been fully formed and this can lead to inefficiency and the need to repeat work. This stage of the briefing process involves discussions with the client to ascertain the project objectives, the client’s business case (if applicable) and conclusions from the feasibility studies. It is critical that design activities are not commenced before the necessary information has been gathered on the site constraints (and the opportunities offered) and the designer has a full understanding of the building type, best practice in relation to that building sector, benchmark projects, relevant regulations and the planning context.

The initial feasibility studies will be undertaken simultaneously with the brief development, but these studies should not go into too much detail – they are strategic studies undertaken to inform the brief and no more than that.

The necessary office systems should be in place and implemented from the outset. See the advice set out under Stage 0: Setting up an efficient practice.

Also of importance is having an appointment for the services to be delivered that is fully understood and agreed by the client. This should include a detailed breakdown of activities and deliverables, set out against the project programme.

Stage 0 links to Stage 7 from previous projects. All projects should build on knowledge gained from previous experience which feeds into the briefing process.

Stages 0 and 1 are where the project is set up and the necessary knowledge gathered to ensure a comprehensive optioneering process.

If the project gets off to a good start it has every chance of being successful, profitable and lead to subsequent commissions. The antithesis to this is a project started before the necessary preparation has taken place, which will always be difficult to bring back on track. Preparation is everything.

• Take time to get the project started properly, with a considered brief and knowledge of the site and building type before design commences. It will be time well spent that adds value to the end product.
• Programme the work and the project from the start and use the programme as a tool to manage the project, not just something that is stuck in a drawer and forgotten.
• Set up standard project processes and follow them.
• Learn as much as you can from previous projects. Reuse what has worked well (designs, construction details, project processes, other consultants, contractors and so on) and where possible discard what has caused delay, proved to be a poor design decision or a business relationship that hasn’t worked.

Stage 0
STRATEGIC DEFINITION

INTRODUCTION

PLAN OF WORK 2020

INPUTS

ACTIVITIES

SUSTAINABILITY CHECKPOINTS

OUTPUTS

EXPERT ADVICE

PROJECT ISSUES

CASE STUDY

PRACTICE ISSUES

CASE STUDY

STAGE SUMMARY

Introduction

Stage 0 involves:

Client:

• Identifying the client’s business case (as appropriate)
• Developing the strategic brief
• Considering the project programme

Architect:

• Reviewing feedback from previous projects
• Preparing and agreeing the scope of work and the appointment

It is important to remember that Stage 0 is the client’s stage. The architect’s involvement is just in bidding for the work which starts in Stage 1. The architect may act as client advisor for the purposes of preparing the brief and advising on procurement and appointments, but that would normally be a separate appointment. (See Stage 6: Becoming an RIBA client advisor.)

It can be argued that even a house extension has a business case: a homeowner seeking more space has the option of moving house as an alternative. (With current levels of stamp duty this is unlikely to be a cheaper alternative but there may be other considerations such as the quality of space attainable.) There are many reasons why an extension might be the better option, but all options should be considered and this is the right time to do that.

Sometimes the client’s needs may be best met not by building but by some other means. An office that needs additional space may be able to achieve it through different working practices. You may or may not get a fee-paying commission from such advice, but you will certainly get a reputation for honesty and integrity and this may well be more valuable in the long term. You should always have the best interests of your client in mind and offer advice accordingly.

Knowledge gained from previous projects (during Stage 7) can be valuable to future ones, and Stage 0 is the time to assess what that might be.

Although not strictly part of a project stage, any projects not coming as the result of repeat work or a referral will derive from marketing and business development, and these critical activities are covered in this section of the book.

Value is always a key determinant of success and designers have a duty to understand what represents value to their clients and then to deliver it through well-considered and executed work. Value can only be determined through dialogue with the client to understand their needs, whether it is for a house extension or new dwelling, an office or retail fit-out, or some form of building enclosure or built intervention for other purposes.

Making value judgements

When making a decision on behalf of your client, put yourself in their shoes to determine the most appropriate way forward. This can be applied to many different circumstances from broad design decisions to the level of specification of fit-out or equipment to be installed.

Ask yourself: if you were paying for it, what would you do?

Plan of Work 2020

Outcome: The best means of achieving the client requirements confirmed.

The primary goal of Stage 0 is strategic – to ratify that a construction project, or otherwise, is the best means of achieving the client requirements. For example, a client wishing to expand its workforce has a range of options for accommodating the additional staff, including implementing new ways of working, adopting a more efficient space plan, subleasing premises or desk spaces close by, carrying out a refurbishment, building an extension or commissioning a new building.

Stage 0 is not about design or the practical details. It focuses on making the right strategic decisions and capturing them in a business case. The stage involves considering the pros and cons, project risks and project budget for a range of options and, where necessary, carrying out site surveys and correspon...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Foreword
• Introduction
• About the author and acknowledgements
• RIBA Plan of Work 2020
• Section I Developing the Brief
• Section II Design and Coordination
• Section III Preparing to Build
• Section IV Construction, Handover and Use
• Further reading
• Index
• Image credits