MATTHEW BELL BSc Architectural Studies

My First Built Project, MFC

10/10/10 - ONGOING

10/10/10 - ONGOING

I am lucky enough to have been asked to design a Cart Lodge for a

detached house deep in the Suffolk Countryside.

I have been asked to produce:

Site Analysis

Conceptual Design

Design

Documentation for Planning Approval

Documentation for Building Regulations

Documentation for construction

And to oversee construction in Summer 2011-01-09

I am relishing the opportunity to do all this myself and not with a

practice, as I’ll have to experience the whole process from start to

finish and therefore understand the full extent of the build

process.

Although the building is relatively simple and needs to be

economical in its cost and construction method, it is still the size

of a small house.

The main points I am looking forward to are the Planning Process

and Building Regulations, as I have no experience whatsoever in

these fields. I’m going to approach this in a similar way to most of

my education; the best way to understand something is to teach it

to yourself!

The building needs to facilitate:

Traditional Green Oak Cart Lodge

Space for 2 cars under cover

Facilities for a medium sized workshop

A second floor for storage space

Possible future conversion into a flat

Site Analysis and Conceptual design

Although in university I did often try to take a realistic view to the

feasibility of my designs, there is nothing quite like actually

designing a building that is going to be built in 9 months time.

I’ve noticed that it has been possible in the past to sweep slight

design defects under the carpet if certain elements don’t fit or

dazzle the critics with an overworked presentation. However,

these elements would become distinctly obvious if the building

were to be made. So now, even at the analysis and conceptual

stage, I find myself thinking technically and sketching out possible

details to back up an idea. I’ve also realised the importance of a

comprehensive site analysis and its impact on good design.

Communication with Client

I have found that the client will provide a sketchy outline of what

they think they may like, based on what they have seen other

people do. As I started to discuss these matters and develop the

ideas so they resemble less what may have been seen befor, the

client would become less convinced.

O then took a different approach; collecting the specification and

site analysis and then coming up with a few quick viuals to

perswade the client that what I was saying would be the best

design for them.

This worked a lot better. You forget that, unless someone has has

some kind of architectural training or experience, they are unlikely

to be able to fully comprehend what you describe in words.

However give them a picture or show them a precident and

suddenly they are putty in your hands (provided they like your

designs).

From the initial ideas that I showed the client, I then went through

a process of minor alterations and tweaking with their input. This

soon came to a conceptual scheme which I could draw up design

drawings from.

At this stage I am drawing up the project with both the planning

permision and Building regs in mind. Mainly focusing on how it

will look externally to get it through planning but also making sure

that it works structualy and functions well internally.