Drafting briefs that captures the goal and objectives of the client has never been an easy task. To put it in simple terms, brief composition over the years has changed from the simple uses in which buildings were put in past years to an array of complex and intricate functions which are defined by evolution of technology and socio-cultural norms over time.
This task is often considered tedious on the part of the client/developer because even at the point of project initialization, most clients are only armed with fragments of what they feel will meet their building. How then can this process be made easier? Even for the client who has little or no knowledge of what a building envelop entails. The answers and approaches to solving this are many but the most effective, is one that takes note from the designer’s standpoint and simply place the writer of the brief in place of the user of the space. This basic ideology that is thought in architecture school, aids the architect in planning and resolving spatial issues in other to meet the needs of the clients. Hence, when briefs are developed with the comfort of the end-user in mind, it often than not translate into a realistically attainable goal.
An important point to note is that when the client or developer is writing a brief, they in most cases have ideas of their own and they wouldn’t mind seeing it incorporated in the design by the architect, hence, this is a good avenue to communicate such to the architect who will in turn ensure that such ideologies, thought-trends and core values form the driving force for the project design.
Even though there are no hard and fast rules to brief writing, it should nevertheless reflect the following;
1. Company/Firm Background
In most cases where the client is well known to the designer, the client feels it is unnecessary to give a detailed introduction of their business. The advice here is; NEVER assume that your architect will and should know your business, always begin your briefing document with a reasonably detailed and honest account of your business, how far it has grown, what your plans are for it, your values and so on. The idea behind this is that the most insight you can offer your architect, the more the architect’s approach will encompass the client’s ideas.
2. The Aim/Goal of the Project
In this aspect of the briefing document, it is essential that the client outlines the reasons for embarking on the project and why it is very important to the client and what he hopes to achieve from the project’s actualization. Where possible, make reference to similar projects previously executed and discourse their strengths and weaknesses.
3. The targeted End-Users
It is often said that a good design speaks to or relates to a group of end-users. Most architects often like to know the targeted end-users of the proposed space so as to make provisions for the creative trends that will rightly resonate with this group of people.
Specify a Budget Outline
Stipulating the client’s budget for a proposed project will aid in resolving two cogent issues mostly experienced at the early stages of design and they are;
The budget will help make the design faster; and
It will lead to both parties no been disappointed with the outcome.
4. Allow Room for Questions and Queries
Since it is a confirmed fact that even the most detailed brief will inevitably generate queries, make adequate preparations to solving this right from brief documentation stage by allowing sufficient time for the architect to raise questions and this can be done once the brief document is offered, schedule a time with the architect whence all questions and grey areas can be clarified. Great design ideas often arise from the architect’s queries of the brief and this invariably leads only to increase in the chances of getting the result the client wants.