Briefing
The project brief is the foundation upon which a project design solution is built. To ensure the design meets the project brief, a clear and factual statement of requirement is needed. The detailed brief needs to grow and develop as a project evolves. The starting point will be the project vision, out of which will emerge detailed requirements to encompass all the necessary requirements for the building to function, the specific activities and operational requirements, augmented by issues of atmosphere, quality and image.
It is important that the brief is not prescriptive. It is the design team’s job to design the outcome from the facts and specifications identified in the brief.
The Client body should write the first version of the brief aware that it will need to be significantly developed and will need professional advice and support during its development. In order to take the brief to a level of detail that allows the final design to be created, specialist input will be required in the role of client advisor.
The starting point for the brief should be a simple statement of objectives that can be revisited on a regular basis during the project development. Key stakeholders, including future users of the building should have an input.
The brief should include:
- Vision statement
- Statement on quality and image
- Space requirement/capacity
- Spatial arrangement/aspect/orientation
- Spatial relationships/adjacencies
- Environmental conditions/needs
- Structural needs
- Specific equipment to be accommodated
- Fixtures and fittings
- Characteristics of materials to be used/durability
The design team should be supportive in the development of the brief and play a role in challenging and testing the content to ensure complete understanding of the project needs and the client ambition. The design team can also be supportive in bringing knowledge and experience to the development of the brief.
As the brief develops in the detail stage, it is important to develop a system of Room Data Sheets, which record the detail needs of each space. The Project Manager should take responsibility for the development and delivery of the Room Date Sheets and arrange for them to be signed off by the end users and project sponsor.
The client body should be responsible for ensuring the brief is unambiguous and describes clearly what the project needs to achieve. The brief should be signed off by the client body at outline and at details stages and monitored regularly against the project development to ensure compliance.
