It is time. You have your survey, and you have gone through the planning exercises and feasibility studies of pre-design. It’s finally time to start the first part of the design process. The design process takes place in five phases, schematic design, design development, construction documents, bidding, and construction administration. Here’s what the first phase, schematic design, is all about.
So, what is schematic design? Schematic design is the first phase where the architectural concept begins to take shape. During this phase, the architect explores broad design schematics such as the overall layout, building form, spatial relationships, site response, and early visual direction before moving into more detailed technical coordination.
Schematic design is intentionally broad. It helps establish the “big picture” of the project before the team begins refining structural systems, materials, engineering coordination, and construction-level details in later phases.
General to Specific
As architects, we always work from general and broad to specific and detailed. We need to answer broad questions, such as the shape and layout of the future home, before figuring out how the building will be built or what the finishes will be. This overall, broad-level design, is what we call schematic design.
In other words, schematic design gives the project its first clear architectural direction. The design schematics created during this phase help the client and architect understand how the home may sit on the site, how spaces may relate to one another, and how the building may begin to look and feel.
Why general to specific?
Think of the design process as an evolution of information. A constant layering of data and solutions. As more iterations are explored, more questions are answered. More answers result in more drawings and more detail. We must start broad because those broad decisions always help answer the more detailed ones. For example, knowing the overall shape and layout of the floor plan gives us insight into where load-bearing walls need to be placed. This will later help answer engineering questions such as beam size, foundation position, and floor depth. We do not want to calculate beam sizes without having the layout in place. Not having broad decisions answered first, can waste time, solving details that may be irrelevant if a broader change were to occur.
This is why schematic design and design development are separate phases. Schematic design focuses on the large-scale concept first, while design development later refines that concept into a more coordinated, buildable direction.
The Prototype Phase
To a certain degree, the schematic design can be somewhat unrealistic at first. Think of this phase as the prototype phase or exploration phase. A phase of exploration, consideration, and iteration to come up with the best solution to the program (building function) and site conditions. In the car manufacturing world, they first create an idealized version of the car before subjecting the design to the restrictions of the manufacturing process. In architecture, it is very similar. We create an idealized version of the home before subjecting it to engineering and other pragmatic variables to make the project buildable. This prototype attitude towards the project early on allows us to explore possibilities and uncover solutions that would be impossible to come across without this part of the process. We want to flush out as many possibilities to capture as many opportunities as possible before concerning ourselves with constructability and engineering. At the end of the day, taking advantage of these various opportunities will make for a better place.
Design schematics are useful during this prototype phase because they allow the architect and client to test ideas before the project becomes too detailed. Floor plan options, massing studies, 3D views, elevations, and early specifications can all help the team evaluate what works, what needs to change, and what opportunities should be explored further.
What Is Schematic Design in Architecture?
Schematic design is the first major design phase in architecture after pre-design. It is where the architect begins transforming research, site information, feasibility studies, client goals, and program needs into an early design concept.
During schematic design, the focus is not on final construction details. Instead, the architect works through questions such as:
What is the overall shape of the building?
How should the home sit on the site?
How should the floor plan be organized?
Where are the major rooms and circulation paths?
How should the design respond to views, light, privacy, and outdoor spaces?
What should the building begin to look and feel like?
At the end of schematic design, the client should have a clear understanding of the project’s general layout, form, appearance, and early design direction before moving into the more detailed phases that follow.
Schematic Team Members
The team members present during this phase of design are mainly your architect, and towards the end of the schematic, the interior designer. The majority of the team members such as the engineers come in during the more pragmatic design development phase. Again, broad to detailed. Think of the architect as the conductor focused on broad aspects such as beat and rhythm while the engineers are focused on specific notes.
Because schematic design is focused on broad architectural direction, the architect typically leads this phase. As the project moves from schematic design to design development, additional team members may become more involved to refine engineering, interiors, structure, systems, and other technical requirements.
Schematic Design vs. Design Development
Schematic design and design development are connected, but they are not the same phase. Schematic design is about establishing the overall concept, while design development is about refining that concept into a more detailed and coordinated design.
During schematic design, the architect explores big-picture decisions such as building form, floor plan layout, site response, massing, early elevations, 3D views, and general design direction. This phase is intentionally flexible because the project is still being shaped.
During design development, the project becomes more specific. The team begins refining materials, structural coordination, building systems, interior details, construction logic, and other technical components that help make the design buildable.
A simple way to understand schematic design design development is this: schematic design answers what the project could become, while design development begins answering how that design will actually work.
Critique and What to Expect
The first thing to expect in Schematics is several meetings once some of the design has been created. The foundation of architecture is rooted in not only iteration but critique as well. Once we have created a draft schematic of the design expect a meeting where you will critique the work and we all work together to solve specific concerns regarding the design. This first round is an opportunity to even start over with the design as it is very malleable and easy to change. This is yours and our opportunity to get it right. As the design progresses into later phases it becomes more difficult to change as the layers of information start to pile up.
This is why client feedback is so important during schematic design. Because the design is still flexible, this phase gives the client and architect the best opportunity to evaluate options, discuss priorities, adjust the direction, and make sure the project is moving toward the right solution.
The final product of the schematic design process offers more to look at than any other step in the process because it solves such large-scale design. At the end of the schematic phase, you will know how the building will layout and what the building is going to look like. At the end of the schematic design, you will have a set of drawings including 3D views, floorplans, and elevations of your building as well as a basic snapshot of the intended specifications. These drawings are then shared with the contractor or cost consultant to get rough pricing before proceeding to engineering.
These schematic drawings and design schematics help the project team understand the early design direction before more detailed coordination begins. They also give the contractor or cost consultant enough information to provide rough pricing feedback before the project moves into design development.
What’s Next?
Phase two in the design process is design development, where engineering and pragmatic design take a lead role in creating reality.
After schematic design, the next phase is design development. This is when the approved concept is refined, coordinated, and tested against more detailed technical requirements. Engineering, material selections, structural strategy, and other pragmatic design decisions begin to play a larger role as the project moves closer to construction documentation.