Architect vs architectural technologist

[Squid102]

Hi

We are at the "finding an architect" stage for a 2 part project:

1) Fairly standard 2-storey extension to a 1920s detached house (extra bedroom, utility room, bigger kitchen)
2) Near-Passive detached studio and workshop in the back garden

 

We'll get a local company to do most of the extension but my husband and I intend building as much of the studio/workshop ourselves.

 

The past few weeks have been a steep learning curve going from "What's a strip foundation?" to comparing the technical differences between different passive slabs and "How would I make that light socket airtight?"

 

We don't have an architect yet. Friends' recommendations have been people who could only draw nice pictures for the planners. I live in an area where most of the architects seem to design huge expensive properties or are just too busy. I put my details into the Home Owners Alliance "Find an Architect" website yesterday and have suddenly been contacted by number of companies. But of the 8 names I was given, only one was a qualified architect. However, one of the architectural technologist does seem to have some impressive work on her portfolio.

 

Should I be restricting my search to architects or should I also be considering architectural technologists? Or, does anyone have any architect recommendations in the Surrey/Hants/Berks border area?

[Ferdinand]

Welcome.

 

I think that you could expect an Architect to give a greater conceptual and inspirational 'design' input due to a wider and deeper training / experience but that an Architectural Technologist may well do as competent an implementation of the process.

 

The most important thing is to find someone who matches your requirements and working style, as there is a vast variety of both.

 

Take care to broaden your horizons before you get into the nitty gritty.

 

So going to visit previous work and talking to previous clients is important. On the studio decide whether it is an artist's studio  music studio etc and visit lots of similar spaces e.g. Is it required to have many moods for inspiration? Can it be more of a pavilion? Can you use interesting glass or make it like a hobbit hole?

 

In your project it should be possible to find umpteen similar schemes, which may give you sufficient inspiration - in which case you may want to self-design or just engage a pro for the initial stages.

 

I would commend the programme from Best Laid Plans this week which had an unusual double height kitchen extension.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/best-laid-plans

 

Ferdinand

 

 

[Squid102]

Thanks. That's useful.

 

I know exactly what I need from the studio. It's a mixed media craft studio and I know what I need right down to the rough dimensions. The workshop is for my husband's wood based crafts and as a replacement for the garage. Air filtration will be important because of the dust he'll generate. It seems a bit of a luxury for the building to be so well insulated but we both want somewhere that will be comfortable at any time of year. It will also include a toilet and shower so that the studio could be a guest bedroom if need be.

 

I did consider self-designing but started to lose confidence when faced with things like building regs, difficulty getting enough fall for the sewer pipe and worrying that I could build something that we would cook in in the summer! A little expert help early on could save money in the long run.

 

I don't know how we missed that Channel 4 series!

[Ferdinand]

Actually I meant this week's one called Ugly House to Lovely House with that extension, which is a Chatlue Luxton George Clarke one. 

 

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/ugly-house-to-lovely-house-with-george-clarke

 

Ooops. Lessons about budgets, and the sizes of some houses, and some budgets. The Colchester one has the architect who designed it in 196x revisiting now.

 

This is a George Clark series, and talks about the compromises with a 150k budget faced with a architect 450k proposal that ends up at 250k after optimisation and trimming. Really good programme. Less .. imo .. pretentious at the edges than Grand Designs.

 

We all helped @Visti cost engineering a George Clarke design here after the Quantity Surveyor produced a startling estimate.

 

One of our best threads.

 

Both series worth watching.

 

My theory of architects is that you get the best from an architect by getting enough knowledge to be able to engage at as equal a level as possible. You keep their wonderful flights of imagination grounded.

 

F

 

 

Edited November 11, 2017 by Ferdinand

[ToughButterCup]

11 hours ago, Squid102 said:

[...] Should I be restricting my search to architects or should I also be considering architectural technologists?[...]

 

Listen to what both have to say.

You are about to create a team. All three of you need to listen to one another and draw the best out of each other . That dynamic takes care and emotional intelligence.

The biggest issues occur when there's imbalance: technical understanding and style of communication are the commonest worries. At some stage you are going to have to trust someone to work with you. Before that can happen they will have to work to earn that trust. In working towards it, all any of us can do is create an environment conducive to listening.

 

Not easy, and not quick, needs hard work.

 

I forgot to say welcome 

[Visti]

Welcome to the forum from another recent newcomer! 

 

I concur with @Ferdinand and @recoveringacademic: whichever you select will become a pivotal third member of your team. So you've got to not only know that their work is good but that their values are aligned to yours. No good hiring a renowned contemporary architect if you're after a simple extension; their portfolio is a good place to start.

 

Only correction is that the design is from Charlie Luxton, who is also a TV series host for Building the Dream which I also highly recommend. It is less 'grand' and focuses more on Charlies input in helping the self-builders with ideas as he is a certified architect in his own right. Funny enough, we didn't know he had a TV presence until shortly before we signed up with his firm as he'd been giving presentations at nearly every Graven Hill event we'd gone to over the past 4 years. 

 

The reason we went ahead with them and we're happy with the fee's (available in that thread) is because:

1. The values they've championed in every public presentation, TV show and private engagement with them was 100% in-line with our own values
2. Our very tight budget for a ~200m² build was less of an issue and seen as more of a challenge for them to achieve
3. They were brutally honest with what may be achievable with out budget before we started, and have been ever since. 
4. They spent a lot of time with us to distill down exactly what elements we wanted and our priorities. This helped to highlight any conflicts we had between the two of us.
5. They are incredibly considerate; James who is heading up our project is very compassionate and Charlie doesn't get any less excitable or personable in real life. 

p.s. Listen to the folks on here, they have a wealth of knowledge that'll help immensely! 

Edited November 11, 2017 by Visti
spelling

[MikeSharp01]

15 hours ago, Squid102 said:

did consider self-designing but started to lose confidence when faced with things like building regs, difficulty getting enough fall for the sewer pipe and worrying that I could build something that we would cook in in the summer! A little expert help early on could save money in the long run.

If you have your ideas fixed then the AT route is probably best as they can prepare building control drawings from your design and ease any issues they find. As @Ferdinand says without an architect you won't get your mind and probably not your budget stretched. 

[Stones]

I think the biggest challenge is finding someone who you feel comfortable working with. 

 

I investigated working with an architect on a project we considered, and interviewed several.  I didn't find it an especially enjoyable process, as none of the architects I spoke to seemed to be on the same wavelength or that receptive to what I wanted, one being more interested in somehow shoehorning in his signature design quirks, one not accepting that I couldn't build where he thought the house should go (land outwith the defined building plot) and one whose only interest was getting me to sign multiple contracts for a % of the build cost for several different professionals.  I subsequently found someone I think I could have worked with but that was long after we had moved on to something else. 

 

One of the architects asked why I wasn't willing to engage him.  The best answer I could give was like my place of employment, I could work with him if needed, politely and professionally, but wouldn't choose to do so if given the option.  

[ToughButterCup]

1 hour ago, Stones said:

[...]

One of the architects asked why I wasn't willing to engage him.  The best answer I could give was like my place of employment, I could work with him if needed, politely and professionally, but wouldn't choose to do so if given the option.  

 

A  really elegant way of navigating  that minefield .   I'll commit it to memory.

[Squid102]

On 10/11/2017 at 23:44, Ferdinand said:

Actually I meant this week's one called Ugly House to Lovely House with that extension, which is a Chatlue Luxton George Clarke one. 

 

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/ugly-house-to-lovely-house-with-george-clarke

 

 

 

 

We saw that the other night. My husband is now looking at the back of the house talking about double height glazing. 

 

We had a visit from an architect yesterday. We have no doubt that if we knew exactly what we wanted then he would do a good enough job but he didn't come up with any ideas of his own. There seemed very little inventiveness or flare. When we got on to the near Passive part of the build he said we could just have a building with extra insulation. When I mentioned MVHR he said "You don't want one of those, they're expensive. If it gets a bit stuffy, just open some windows."

 

He's not on our wavelength so the search continues.

 

It's been a busy weekend as we also had a good look around the Emsworth Passive House today at their open day. It was a bit warm with 20 people in there and sunshine!

[Ferdinand]

34 minutes ago, Squid102 said:

My husband is now looking at the back of the house talking about double height glazing

 

Brilliant . 

 

It is all part of the process. You explore all the exciting things and then you end up knowing what you actually want.

 

Would you show him the Grand Design with the huge top hinged glass door that opened upwards like Blofeld's lair to form an extended roof over the terrace?

 

Quote

On our wavelength

 

That is a very good phrase to describe a good relationship.

 

F

Edited November 12, 2017 by Ferdinand

[Squid102]

55 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

 

 

Would you show him the Grand Design with the huge top hinged glass door that opened upwards like Blofeld's lair to form an extended roof over the terrace?

 

 

His opinion of that was -"overengineered unnecessary expense". ?