From Dream to Reality
There are countless steps from the beginning of any project until the moment it is finally ready for use. As a client, it can feel daunting to try to understand all of the elements that need to be coordinated in order to turn an idea into reality.
Our goal at E|E is to facilitate the design and construction process and to provide a clear road map for our clients. We are here to help clients identify their priorities, develop their ideas, and build the team necessary to execute their designs. Our hope is that the process is as rewarding as the final product, and we aim to create an environment that is open and engaged. Here are some of the main elements of our design process.
Identifying the Priorities
One of the initial components of any design project at E|E is the development of a Programming Booklet that outlines and clarifies all of the priorities of the project. The aim of programming is to create a common language, both written and visual, to ensure that the goals of the client are aligned to the ideas for the project.
Choosing the Site
One of the first steps of any project is to identify a potential location and to understand the requirements of any site. The site will determine many of the most important elements of any design, and a good design should always be informed and adaptive to its environment. We always tell our clients that we can change any design to fit a site, but we can't always change the site to fit a design. For that reason, selecting a good site is one of the most important decisions of any project and we are happy to help you find it!
Developing Ideas
Once we have a good sense of your priorities, we'll begin to develop a series of conceptual designs that try to capture all of the main elements. We'll build digital and physical models, make tons of sketches, and come up with a variety of 'big picture' solutions.
The main goal of the conceptual stage is to imagine and test out a large variety of schemes that fit our programming and site parameters and that begin to resonate as more concrete spatial ideas!
Building a Team
The most important component of any project are the people working on it. We are here to assemble the team of consultants and advise on the selection of a contractor.
In an ideal scenario, we can incorporate the design and build teams from the onset to ensure that we are working together to accomplish the aims of the project. We firmly believe that building trust across the team from early in the process leads to better relationships and better work.
Creating the Drawings
The drawing process is about much more than just generating a visual representation of your project. We use drawings to detail and coordinate all of the different people and components in a project to make sure that things work together seamlessly.
We also use the drawings and specifications to begin to build an itemized budget for the entire project that reflects the exact design. Our aim is to use the drawings to understand the implications of design decisions before construction starts.
Making Selections
A project is made up of a countless number of decisions ranging from the macro, like the type of structural system to be used, to the micro, such as the color of the grout in the bathroom tiles. Our goal is to provide a process for our clients to make selections without feeling overwhelmed. We are happy to work with clients that are interested in being part of every single discussion, but best equipped to handle the majority of decisions to give clients the time and space to focus on what matters most to them.
We love to help clients find and select finishes, build material palettes, and source fixtures and furnishings. But we also love figuring out and selecting all of the other hidden elements that make a building function at its best.
Filing Permits
An important component of any large project is the submittal and approval of all relevant elements to the local authorities for permitting purposes. Estudio Esmero is fully licensed to provide stamped architectural drawings in New York and New Jersey, and has the capacity to apply for licensure elsewhere.
We help to gather and coordinate all documentation for permitting and work closely with the rest of the team to ensure all of our projects meet and exceed all local requirements.
Overseeing Construction
Our goal is to ensure that the intent of a project is carried through from drawings to reality. For that reason, we highly value an active approach to oversight of the construction process.
We like to visit the site often and work with the construction team and client to foresee, prevent, and resolve any design and fabrication issues. Construction sites are amazing places and we love to get our hands dirty, get feedback from the team onsite, and make improvements to the project as it develops.
Final Delivery
We look forward to the moment our clients finally receive the keys to their project. Its a big celebratory event and we always hope and strive to be present for it. However, we firmly believe that in many ways the life of a project starts when its complete. For that reason, we strive to stay connected to our clients and their projects.
Our goal is to provide support during the transition from construction site to client space and facilitate any adjustments and calibration necessary to ensure the longevity of the project. Plus, we love to document and analyze the work to make sure we are constantly improving our design process!
