SERVICES

• 3 hours of consultation by a licensed Architect
• A meeting on-site to assess the physical parameters of the project
• Refining your goals and ideas
• Determining what the project will entail
• Discussion of whether the project is doable and affordable
• A sketch, if appropriate, of the ideas discussed, and/or …
• A report summarizing what was discovered in the meeting

Programming is the process of determining the Client’s goals and what are their specific needs. The process articulates and defines the scope of work for a project. Blue Design will confer with you to determine the number, size and function of the spaces you need and how those spaces will relate to one another. This is a required part of any larger project.

If you have a property and want to know its development potential, a feasibility study will answer that question. If you are considering a remodel or addition to an existing building, a feasibility study will give you needed information. We have performed numerous feasibility studies for a variety of Clients addressing a wide array of issues. Some examples: How many units of apartments can be built on a lot in West Seattle. How a bar owner can rearrange his interior spaces to provide the required egress. Can a building owner reasonably accommodate wheelchairs.

Site Analysis is a process to establish a baseline of the existing conditions of your property. It is a necessary step in site planning, site design and in determining environmental impacts of development. Blue Design will evaluate the physical and environmental characteristics of your property as well as external forces that act upon it. Physical features include topography, roads, existing buildings, use of surrounding properties, etc. Environmental review inventories the flora and fauna of the site, as well as overt soil conditions. Forces that act upon a property range from weather to sun exposure to external development plans, such as a city’s comprehensive master plan.

Zoning Codes. Building Codes. Fire Codes. Energy Codes. And more. There is a dizzying array of regulatory requirements for all development work. A thorough and comprehensive review of all applicable codes is a necessary step in any project. With forty years of experience in code compliance, Blue Design will perform this task for you.

Master Planning is a useful tool in establishing future goals for your property. By articulating what the future might look like, a master plan can lay out the steps and procedures to get there. Blue Design has developed a variety of master plans. For example: Renovating a neglected landscape for a nine-acre condominium complex. Designating the location, size and function of new buildings in a business park in response to zoning changes. Developing a tree management plan for a wooded apartment campus with mature and dying trees.

During constructions administration, Blue Design will represent the Client’s interest in making sure that the Contractor is meeting all of their contractual obligations, is building at the expected level of quality, is following all required procedures and is completing the work before being paid.

Blue Design is able to perform a number of special services in response to certain needs. For example:

• We developed a series of workshops and educational programs for parents, students, teachers and administrators to include the entire school community in the redesign of three new schools.
• We were asked to review design and construction deficiencies of a church project where construction had been halted by City officials and put forth a plan to proceed with the project.
• We surveyed all University of Washington medical facilities and all sports facilities and create a plan to address access for the disabled.

Let’s discuss how we can help you in your unique circumstances.

This phase begins the project in earnest. The purpose of Pre-Design is to refine your needs and goals, to build a qualified team to achieve your goals, to determine the constraints and possibilities of your site, and to come to agreement on how we can proceed.

This phase continues to develop the program and analyses and begins to form them into a conceptual design plan. This will involve sketches, drawings and plans to articulate the design in concrete terms.

In this phase, the design intent is taken from its conceptual form and further developed into a detailed design and plan of action. The result will become the final building and/or site design. From this point onward, there will no major changes in the scope of work or design, unless specifically requested.

The purpose of this phase is to move the project towards a tangible reality. Blue Design will produce two sets of drawings. The first, the Permit Set, is designed to demonstrate to regulatory entities that the project will meet all applicable codes. The second set of drawings, the Construction Documents, are in essence assembly instructions for the Contractor to follow.

Upon completion of the Permit Set, we will submit the drawings to the City or County that has jurisdiction over your property. The review determines whether the project is compliant to all regulatory requirements. While this process is in the hands of the building department, Blue Design has a reputation for submitting clear, easy-to-review documentation, thus simplifying the review process.

If the project will be subject to bidding, this is a necessary phase intended to assure that all bidders are following the same set of instructions, are basing their bids on a common set of drawings and documents, and have an opportunity to request clarification for any aspect of the project they think is unclear.

Once construction has commenced Blue Design, in this phase, will represent the Client’s interest in making sure that the Contractor is meeting all of their contractual obligations, is building at the expected level of quality, is following all required procedures and is completing the work before being paid.

After construction is complete, this phase is intended to assure that the Client has all the necessary information to operate the building and any installed equipment, lighting or mechanical systems. It is also for photographic documentation of the work completed and to allow for feedback from all parties involved.