All About Schematic Design: A Closer Look
To create a new structure, architects, engineers, and construction experts work together closely throughout the architectural design process.
Yet as important as all these players are, they are not the only ones involved.
Throughout certain steps of the architectural design process, project owners also play an integral role. One of the steps in which client input and decision-making are crucial is in the schematic design phase.
For owners embarking on a new project, here’s a detailed look into how the schematic design phase works so you’ll know what to expect.
What Is Schematic Design?
Schematic design is the second phase of the architectural design process, which includes the following steps:
Pre-design phase
Schematic design phase
Construction documents phase
Bidding phase
Construction administration phase
The pre-design phase is the discovery phase, in which the architect must learn the client’s overall intent for the construction project. In this phase architects assess the project's feasibility in terms of site workability, land development requirements, zoning, and utilities.
This allows the architect to create the initial program.
The program consists of an initial set of drawings that approximate the sizes and features of the interior spaces, as well as cost estimates for the design project based on the scope of the work for a fitness center or other project.
The owner must agree to the program before the schematic design stage can begin.
During the schematic design phase, architects start integrating the project goals and space needs from the original program into to-scale concept floor plans.
Read more: An Inside Look At The Architectural Design Process
Who Handles The Schematic Design Phase?
Architecture firms work closely with project owners during the schematic design phase, making it a highly collaborative part of the project.
While all phases of the architectural design process are collaborative to some degree, this is the first phase in which owners and architects will spend a considerable amount of time together. They do so to select a final concept that can be taken into the next phase.
Depending on the architecture firm, the owner may work with one lead architect or an entire team.
What Happens During The Schematic Design Phase?
The schematic design phase is often referred to as the concept design phase. It starts with a conceptual design that then takes on the form of actual plans and schematic drawings.
The schematic design process is a back-and-forth exchange of ideas in which architects create multiple schematic drawings. The owner has the opportunity to review those schematics and reject all of them, select one as the final design concept, or request new versions of ones they like but need some adjusting.
In some cases, architects may use other media in addition to schematic drawings to help the project owner make a final decision. These can include computer visuals, renderings, and physical models built to scale.
There are a variety of elements to the schematic design process, including site analysis and creating schematic design documents for:
Site plan
Floor plans
Structural elements
Mechanical systems
Plumbing systems
Electrical systems
Site Analysis
Site analysis is a crucial step in the early stages of the schematic design phase.
Why?
Before an architect can present the owner with their options through schematic drawings, they must assess various aspects of the actual property site on which the structure will be built.
Site analysis includes surveying the land, assessing environmental conditions, and ensuring that the zoning codes allow for the type of structure the client wants to build, such as commercial zoning.
Schematic Drawings
The crux of the schematic design phase is the development of schematic drawings.
During this phase, architects create many iterations, giving the owner design options as well as cost options. These choices may include schematics featuring different amounts of square footage, multiple layouts of interior spaces, and various building elevations that indicate how the exterior façades of the building will look from each direction.
Site Plan
Part of the schematic design process involves generating a site plan that details the exterior elements of the project.
In the site plan, owners can assess what the entire site will look like, including the following aspects:
Walkways and roads to access the site
Placement of utility lines
Location of stormwater removal or drainage systems
Parking areas
Landscaping elements
Floor Plans
Through schematic drawings, architects detail floor plans for every level of the building, which include information about how each space will be used.
The floor plans are created to scale, showing the spatial relations of every interior space and how they work together to meet the client’s goals and vision.
Floor plans include the following details:
Interior walls and partitions
Locations of doors and windows
Names and dimensions of every room
Clients can adjust and alter these elements throughout the schematic design phase and into the design development phase. As changes are requested, the architect will provide the client with a new schematic drawing based on those requests.
Building Systems
Besides structural details, such as the heights of walls and the width of floors, schematic drawings also identify the placement of:
Air conditioning and HVAC systems
Plumbing systems
Electrical systems
Integrating building systems in great detail is an important element in the next phase: the design development phase.
Why Schematic Design Is So Important
Because the next phase of the process relies on the success of this stage, the schematic design phase is when the owner has to make some of their most important decisions.
Several goals need to be met during the schematic design process:
Translate the client’s vision and ideas into an actual plan that’s usable and functional
Create a plan that’s code-compliant and safe to build based on the site’s environmental and geographical factors
Finalize a building design that’s within the client’s budget
There must be a balance between what the architect can deliver and what the owner wants. This balance must exist in all areas of the design, including the look and layout of the building, the functionality of the building, and how much the project will cost.
Schematic Design Is All About Options
One of the reasons architects present multiple schematic drawings to clients is to give them options related to the building layout and the design cost.
For some clients, the design is most important. For others, the budget is the top priority. Having a variety of schematics to choose from makes it easier for clients to weigh their options.
Clients should keep in mind that the architect’s goal is to make them happy and give them the design they want.
You should feel comfortable enough with your architect that you don’t hesitate to push back on the first draft of schematic drawings. This is common at this point in the process, and it makes the architect’s job easier to hammer out as many details as possible in this stage rather than in later phases, where it’s more difficult to make changes.
Once the concept is finalized and the client chooses a final schematic design, architects can move on to the next phase.
Related: Architecture vs. Engineering Drawing
How Long Does The Schematic Design Phase Take?
Every project is different, and various factors contribute to how long a particular design and build will take. Part of this depends on how long it takes to complete the schematic design phase.
The more schematics the client wishes to see, the longer the process is. It’s typical for this project phase to take at least several months.
While it can be time-consuming, by no means should the schematic design phase be rushed! This is the owner’s opportunity to hammer out all of the overarching ideas, and this step must be completed before the process can move forward.
Owners and architects must work collaboratively and efficiently as one project team during this phase to ensure that the finalized concept satisfies the needs and budget of the owner. It also needs to meet all zoning, structural, and compliance regulations.
The better the architect and owner work together, the smoother and faster this part of the architectural design process can be.
Related: Structural Remodels - What to Know
What Happens After The Schematic Design Phase?
The design development phase follows the schematic design phase, and this is where clients can truly start to see their vision come to life through more detailed drawings.
The drawings generated during the schematic design phase are a basic layout of the design scheme.
During the design development phase, the architect expands upon the details from the schematic drawings to include specifics on these items:
Building systems
Interior design elements
Materials
Finishes
Dimensions of windows and doors
When the design development phase is complete, architects and engineers move on to the construction documents phase, a critical point during which the construction documents are drafted. These documents include every last detail of your build and are the documents used to secure building permits.
Learn More: The Role of Civil Engineering in Construction
How To Choose The Right Firm for Your Architectural Design
Because there are so many phases and nuanced details involved in the architectural design process, clients need to select the right architect at the start of their project.
Clients should choose an architect not just with experience, but with a demeanor and work style that they feel comfortable with. Because the early stages of the process require frequent communication between the client and architect, clients must trust them and be able to have an open and honest dialogue about their wants and needs.
Keep in mind that the architect is only one of several important players in the architectural design process.
Engineers also play an important role, so most clients find it easier to work with a firm that has both architecture and engineering professionals under one roof.
Before choosing an architect, ask the firm if they have civil and structural engineers on their team.
Hiring an all-inclusive team can make a project run more smoothly — instead of hiring an architect to handle one part of the project and then hiring a separate engineer to handle other aspects.
Conclusion
All elements of the architectural design process play a part in the overall design and build. Since the schematic design phase is the concept phase, it must be a success.
To make it run as smoothly as possible, make sure you have a good rapport with your architect. The better your exchange of ideas in this collaborative process, the better the final outcome.
Remember: a good back and forth may take a little time, but it’s absolutely worth it to realize your vision.
