Architect-led construction that treats the drawings as the standard.

01Constructability review

A constructability review is a focused read of the documents by someone who will have to build them. It tests spans and tolerances, penetrations through structure, membrane transitions, access for installation, and whether a detail can be built in the order the sequence requires.

We keep reviews specific. Each comment cites a sheet and detail, states the concern, and offers at least one alternative that preserves the intent. Commentary on taste is left to the designer.

02Shop drawings and submittals

For stone, metal, glazing, and millwork, the shop drawing is where design intent turns into fabricated parts. We route submittals to the architect with a plain summary of what differs from the contract documents, if anything, and track review cycles, since review time often outlasts fabrication time.

Where a specified product cannot be sourced, we present the substitution request with the reason, a comparison, and the schedule effect, and the architect decides.

03Working with engineers

Structural, geotechnical, and mechanical engineers carry responsibility for their own scopes. Our role is to bring field questions to them early and in writing, to keep revisions current in the field set, and to avoid acting on verbal direction. We do not provide engineering advice.

04Decision points in preconstruction

Agree who attends site walks and how often. Agree how field changes are documented. Agree the mock-ups: a built sample of a critical junction is inexpensive compared with correcting it later. Agree the point at which finish selections lock, and what the process is if they change after.

Finally, agree on delivery method. Design-assist, design-build, and GC-led approaches distribute risk differently, and the architect’s role should be defined in the agreements for any of them.