Architectural Design

1st ProofTitle: BA: Architectural Design

Job No: PD0710-67/4028

Chapter 3 final (3.1)_.qxd:layouts to chapter one 7/24/10 7:32 AM Page 76

The design project

Clients, users and brief

Interview summary

Although most clients will provide a brief at the beginning

of a project, East’s work is testament to the need for the

architect to question and challenge its fundamental aims,

nature and scope: does the given brief fail to take advantage

of any opportunities or needs? In addition, the identity of

the actual client must be interrogated: are there any clients

or users who have a stake in the project and who should

be included in the design process? With so many projects

lacking a definable client, East takes the view that the place

itself is the client and that its needs should be recognised

and met. This approach is valuable for students tackling

a studio-design project without an easily definable client.

As the interview with East shows, this questioning must

be intelligent and productive if it is to succeed, rather

than unsettle or undermine the client. The architect should

bring creativity to any situation where information is to be

gleaned from clients, to ensure that the quality of thought

and aspiration for the project remains high. East’s working

methods ensure that clients are given the opportunity to learn

how to be clients: how the design process works and what

their role is within it. It is important the architect remains in

control of his or her own design process and retains clarity

about the authorship of the work. The architect’s skills in

drawn, verbal and written communication are key to success.

The benefits of learning to ask the right questions in a

creative way are that the extent and richness of a complex

design problem can be discovered and managed as part of

the design process.

Project: Sussex Road School

Location: Tonbridge, Kent, UK

Architect: East

Date: 2009

right: Sketch model showing the

concept of a decorated façade.

This later developed into a timber

cladding that was branded with the

school symbols of honey bees,

acorns and oak leaves.

far right: The process of involving

pupils with the changes at their

school began during the brief

development. This was continued

during the construction phase when

pupils were invited to brand the

timber cladding.

below right: This brief was developed

as the result of a consultation

workshop with pupils at Sussex

Road School. Role play was used

to identify the issues and activities

to be addressed by the design and

the activities that the design should

encourage. See the description of

the workshop on page 71.

‘When all opportunities are still open and when we are allowed to look at

places and leap ahead in terms of imagination and possibilities: I think that’s

a very exciting moment. It is, however, also very exciting when that is being

crushed up against by the reality of the client.’

Dann Jessen, East

Text

1st ProofTitle: BA: Architectural Design

Job No: PD0710-67/4028

Chapter 3 final (3.1)_.qxd:layouts to chapter one 7/24/10 7:32 AM Page 76