Process

At Indigo, every project journey begins with listening. Listening to your objectives and asking pertinent questions to develop additional layers of detail necessary to allow all elements of the project brief to be understood and defined from the outset.

This will include key matters such as your spatial requirements, quality and sustainability aspirations, key dates and project budget. 

A written project brief is then produced to form the basis for the project.

With the Project Brief defined, our attention moves to feasibility analysis including matters such as site appraisal, assessment of the relevant planning policy context and any other matters requiring assessment, depending on the particulars of each project, to develop and obtain all site information necessary prior to commencement of the design process.

This will typically include collating all existing site information and procurement of all necessary additional site surveys and reports which we will normally coordinate on your behalf and which will form part of the health and safety pre-construction information.

This phase will normally include initial feasibility studies and the sourcing of any formal pre-application planning advice and is fundamental to ensure future design work can commence with all material matters understood to ensure an efficient, deliverable design solution develops in later stages.

In response to the Project Brief and site information established in prior phases, we commence exploration of how your objectives can be realised through the architectural concept.

This phase is typically the most exciting for clients as ideas develop into a visual representation, using plans, 3D images and mood boards to bring the scheme to life.

Our primary goal in this phase is to deliver the best interpretation of your vision externally and demonstrate that the required schedule of accommodation is achieved.

Concept design work is meticulously checked against the project brief to ensure nothing is overlooked and allowing early identification and resolution of any conflicting objectives.

The route to Building Regulations compliance forms a further crucial consideration in this phase with initial review against all relevant requirements to ensure the concept is suitably aligned to allow a compliant solution to develop.

Subject to the particulars of the project, other design team members may be recommended for appointment in this phase but, as a minimum, our work will consider and respond to the principles of relevant practical matters such as the building services, civil and structural engineering requirements. 

Once the architectural concept is agreed, our focus is on layering more detail onto the design, developing the finer elements of the external envelope in coordination with the functionality and internal environment provided by the plan form, advancing design matters such that a robust and coherent spatially coordinated building solution is determined.

This stage will see production of design information such as plans, elevations, computer generated renders, sections, material palettes and any supporting statements or reports.

This phase will often have the application for planning approval as a focal point with all design deliverables prepared to suit the information and level of detail required by the local planning authority.

The design is again carefully checked back against the Project Brief, ensuring all design adjustments actioned as part of the normal design review and client commenting processes continue to comply with all objectives established therein.

The route to Building Regulations compliance is reviewed and updated with more information established to continue our pattern of rigorous quality control through all stages.

Attention now moves to the preparation of all information required to manufacture and construct the building.

This is typically the most time-intensive phase as the architectural technical design is developed together with the detailed engineering and building services designs to provide a Building Regulations compliant design for tender and construction.

The benefits of our significant efforts in prior stages to consider building services, engineering requirements, construction logistics and the route to Building Regulations compliance are realised as our work moves seamlessly through the detailed stage, adding further layers of detail to complete the design rather than engaging in elements of re-design as can often be the case where less rigour is applied from the outset. 

It is normal for the Building Regulations application to be submitted using prescriptive design information (RIBA Stage 4a) broadly in the middle of this stage with additional design information (RIBA Stage 4b) developed on a prescriptive or descriptive basis to suit tender and construction to suit your own procurement strategy preference.

Planning conditions attached to the approval issued by the local planning authority will be discharged at the earliest possible point in this phase to ensure the overall programme remains on its swiftest achievable timeline.

Once again, meticulous review against the Project Brief and all relevant requirements of the Building Regulations continues throughout this phase of work, ensuring the final design complies with both.

With the design complete, the manufacturing, construction and commissioning of the building can proceed.

Our role becomes one of support to you and the contractor to ensure the construction phase proceeds as smoothly as possible, responding to site queries and inspecting works as they relate to the architectural design.

Subject to the procurement strategy, we may be required to continue with some design works under a novation agreement or be retained to review contractors design information and any relevant specialist sub-contractors design information on your behalf.

We may adopt other roles in this phase (see ‘our expertise’ for further information) to extend our involvement further.

As the construction works are completed, we will assist with the initial handover, ensuring any pre-occupancy planning condition requirements have been met and assisting with any final inspections and resolution of defects.

We do not consider our role to be complete at that stage and remain on hand for another 12 months to provide assistance with any minor issues that may arise in use and welcome opportunities to engage in lessons learned sessions and other post occupancy evaluations with you during that period.