7 DESIGN OBJECTIVES FOR OUR PROJECTS AT KAOD

7 Design Objectives for our Projects at KAOD

As part of our Integrated Design Approach, we collaborate with clients to establish a set of objectives to guide expectations and solutions. We define goals for an effective project development process that considers the following seven elements and attempts to arrive at a creative solution that allows them to exist in concert with each other.

• Aesthetic/Visual Quality: Pertains to the building elements and spaces as well as the integrated design process.
• Cost-Effective Solutions: Pertains to selecting building elements on the basis of life-cycle costs (weighing options during concepts, design development, and value engineering) as well as basic cost estimating and budget control.
• Functional/Operational Planning: Pertains to functional programming — spatial needs and requirements, system performance, as well as durability and efficient maintenance of building elements.
• Experiential Quality: Pertains to occupants’ well-being –physical and psychological comfort—including building elements such as air distribution, lighting, workspaces, systems, and technology. This also pertains to the project’s association as part of the context of its own physical surroundings such as community or streetscape.
• Functional Accessibility: Pertains to building elements, heights and clearances implemented to address the specific needs of physically or mentally challenged people. Whenever possible, this must be with respect to the quality of the overall design solution and not as an individual building element.
• Responsible Sustainability: Pertains to environmental performance of building elements and strategies. This should include logical, commonsensical, as well as potential technological solutions to encourage active pedestrian access as well as reduced operational costs and reduced impact on the surrounding environment.
• Safety and Security: Pertains to thephysical protection of occupants and assets from man-made and natural hazards. This is life safety of patrons and employees as well as protection of investment and valuable contents.

If you’re considering starting a design project, please contact us to discuss your goals. We would appreciate the opportunity to brainstorm with you.