From Vision to Schematic Design: The First Phase of Our Architectural Process
Do you have dreams of building your dream home, bringing your SF Victorian into the modern era, adding an ADU, or improving the function, flow, and design aesthetic of living spaces? It all starts here. Before blueprints are made and construction begins, we go through a thorough investigative and schematic design process that helps form your initial ideas into a clear design path. In this blog series, we'll walk through the architectural process we take each of our clients on, including Existing Investigation, Schematic Design, Design Development, Bidding and Negotiation, Permit and Construction Documents, Permit Acquisition and finally, Construction Administration.
With 20 years of residential architecture experience in the Bay Area, we will bring creative design expertise to every project and every client. On every project our goal is to strike the right balance between our clients’ desired aesthetic, functional needs and the natural environment. We are passionate about improving lives through design, so you not only get a design you'll love, you’ll get a design that exceeds your expectations.
Our final design for an open-plan kitchen, living, and dining room in Orange County, CA, featured in Sunset magazine.
Step 1: Initial Investigation & Schematic Design
When remodeling or building a home, it’s crucial to start with the existing conditions and create accurate “As-Builts”: what's happening in the space and on the lot.
“Before anything else, I need to understand the current state of the property,” says Craig. “I photograph the site using a cutting-edge Leica scanner that takes 360-degree scans of the space. This creates incredible 3D photography and cloud point data so that I can base my creative design process on a precise model from my studio later on. While the scans are happening, I take measurements by hand and draw a two-scale sketch. Being in the space for a few hours at the start of a project is really important. Doing the initial investigation myself is essential for me to get to know the structure, observe the light conditions, get a feel for the natural environment, and it's vital to start schematic design with an accurate background."
While many homeowners already have the home's original plans, Craig finds that existing plans are often inaccurate, so he always visits the space to double check. The Leica scanner captures detailed measurements, including wall, window, ceiling heights, and electrical data, and the resulting 3D photos are a valuable reference throughout the project. And, the Leica software allows for virtual access to these scans, enabling measurements to be taken remotely even months later.
After gaining a thorough understanding of the space, we take the next step in truly grasping the vision. Each client completes a comprehensive questionnaire designed to explore their lifestyle, living preferences, personal style, and long-term goals. Craig also personally meets with each client to gain deeper insight into their hopes and dreams for their home.
Example of an As-Built floor plan, hand-drawn by Craig, for a home remodel project in San Anselmo, CA.
Permit Research Process
When the space's existing conditions and architectural vision are laid out, Craig begins researching permit strategies.
"Depending on the scope and the location of the property, there's usually some form of strategy. I'll contact the planning department in the county or city to begin getting parameter guidelines and understand what the building department is looking for and what we can actually do. This is very important before drawing initial sketches for a new concept because if you start designing something the client loves, the city may not allow it. The permit research phase is crucial."
San Francisco's planning and building department has implemented stricter regulations to manage development, particularly regarding large-scale projects and demolitions, making thorough investigation even more critical.
A schematic design for our Cesar Chavez St. project in San Francisco, featuring a kitchen remodel, third-floor addition, and new roof deck.
Schematic Design
Once the parameters are clear from city/county planning, Craig can begin one of his favorite parts of the architectural process: schematic design.
"Think of this as an artist doing a big gesture drawing," says Craig. "This is a bit more free-handed and less technical to get the initial design developments in place."
Craig often draws the schematic design by hand on trace paper to cover the initial floor plan ideas, and several iterations of designs are narrowed down to two to three that are presented at the Schematic Design meeting.
"I like these meetings to be in person if possible so I can be at the same table, pick up on body language, and have more of a back-and-forth dynamic," says Craig. "The first schematic design presentation is an enjoyable brainstorming session with the clients, where they get to see what’s possible for their new space, and it’s rewarding to feel their excitement at this stage."
As he discusses concepts with the clients, Craig brings extra trace paper to adjust the design and record any ideas.
"Although some clients are very decisive, I give people time to sleep on it to marinate their options. I encourage people to slow down a bit to let their ideas percolate."
A hand-drawn schematic kitchen design for a remodel in San Francisco showcasing the layout and design details.
Craig finds his inspiration from information clients share with him. "These days, people are very savvy and give me inspirational images or a mood board which is extremely helpful in understanding their personal style and preferred aesthetic.”
Through investigation and schematic design, we lay the groundwork for a successful project. Another goal of this initial phase is to get the design into a place where we can come up with rough pricing from general contractors, and then refine the design based on the client's budget, priorities, and wish list.
Stay tuned for our next post, where we'll explore design development and pricing.
Ready to discuss the design of your dreams? Reach out today for an initial consultation – we'd love to hear from you!
The schematic design process includes everything from exterior elevations and a complete new floor plan to detailed spaces, such as this fireplace design.