Residential and Commercial Architect Services

Scope of Work

Typology Architecture provides expert professional services to clients at all stages of a project. We prefer only to take on projects where we lead the design and project narrative. This approach is to ensure a high-quality architectural response for your project.

1. Project Briefing

The project will commence with an initial meeting either at our office or on-site. This meeting is the start of the briefing process. It is vital that you, the clients, are comfortable with our approach to the work. Therefore, an initial meeting is an opportunity for the team to meet and ensure we have the right fit. Before this meeting, we will review the site data, relevant planning overlays and prepare some conceptual ideas about siting or architecture.

The briefing process is an important stage – it allows you to think critically about your needs and your desires for your project. We consider the brief to be an active document. The brief may change as the design develops, or we may uncover new opportunities for you to consider. However, a good clear brief is a crucial document that can set the project in the right direction.

We undertake initial an initial consultation, either on-site or at our office, for a fixed fee of $250 + GST.

2. Conceptual Design & Project Narrative

Typology Architecture will visit the site and the surrounds to develop an understanding of the site character and context. Typology Architecture believes that all sites yield a unique experience to the individual. This experience may be part of the ecology, the history, the urban condition or many other factors. This work will form the basis of the project concept.

To prepare a Concept Design, we will need to have access to a Survey. A Survey is an accurate plan of your block. This plan, prepared by a qualified surveyor, will include boundaries, fences, contours, building outlines, trees and services. The Survey provides a perfect base for us to develop a design. The Survey document is also required to obtain Council Approval and Building Approval.

We will prepare sketch form diagrams and preliminary floor plans, elevations, sections and computer models. We also collate any other documents that will illustrate the concept and define the type of architecture that will be employed.

On complex projects, apartment types, floor plan arrangements, grids and conceptual structures will be tested to ensure optimum efficiency in the planning.

The arrangement of building forms will be tested to ensure optimum solar orientation, street activation, privacy/prominence and territory plan compliance/challenges.

We provide a fixed fee for a Concept Package.

3. Design Development & Initial Council Approval Stage

Once we have a clear direction for the project and agree that the Concept Package captures the essence of the project, we develop the design into a resolved scheme. This stage involves preparing floor plans, elevations and sections and ideas on materiality and texture. This set of design documents will be used to obtain Council Approval.

If the project lies within the NCA designated zone, the council Approval set is submitted for Works Approval. If the project lies within the Territory Plan designated zone, the Council Approval set is submitted or for Development Application. However, if the project is outside the ACT, we prepare documents according to the requirements of the relevant council authority.

This Council Approval set will also include documents such as site analysis documents, floor plans, elevations, coloured and composite drawings, shadow diagrams and planning reports. The package will also include coordination with initial consultant input.

Council Approval submissions need to be accompanied by relevant consultant documentation and advice such as civil engineering advice or hydraulic engineering advice. Typology Architecture recommends a third party provides these. It is also prudent that the client engages an external quantity surveyor. The external quantity surveyor will give ongoing cost analysis to ensure that the design is meeting your anticipated budget.

4. Marketing

The Marketing stage is relevant for commercial and multi-unit projects.

Typology Architecture recommends the use of external marketing firms to prepare marketing services and collateral. Typology Architecture can work with external interior consultants to develop apartment types that meet the marketing targets. However, Typology Architecture can also prepare apartment types in-house. On more complex projects, we recommend that the client engages external interior design consultants.

We can provide computer models in several different converted file types.  These models become the base file for third-party professional renderings.

We can work closely with the marketing team to ensure that the branding approach and project naming is consistent with the design direction. This collaboration, therefore, results in a depth of substance to the work through the final marketing product. We recommend that our narrative work forms the part of the brief to the marketing team.

5. Tendering & Construction Documentation

Once we have Council Approval, the project moves into Construction Documentation & Tendering.

During this stage, we prepare detailed drawings and comprehensive finishes selections. The construction documentation is essentially the ‘book of instructions’ on what the final product should be, what materials it should have, and how it should work.

We will work closely with the consultant team to make sure that the different elements are working, and that they are suitable for this intended use. The consultant team may consist of structural engineers, hydraulic, electrical and mechanical engineers and landscape architects, among others. The exact team is always dependent on the specific project. We review and coordinate our plans with the consultant team to ensure all the information is consistent.

Once the documentation is complete, we will send the finalised package to the Building Certifier. The Building Certifier will review the plans and confirm that the project is compliant with the Building Code of Australia and issue a Building Approval.

There are several options for tendering and construction documentation:

Partial Documentation

Partial documentation with limited coordination and scheduling is suitable for projects with relative simplicity. This scope of work is based on the specific agreement between the client and a head contractor. Typology Architecture will provide advice on the suitability of partial documentation. We undertake this service for small and straightforward residential projects.

Lump Sum Documentation

The consultant team will prepare and coordinate the documentation, details and materials schedules. The quantity surveyor will cost track the project at specific milestones. This documentation package will form the basis for a competitive head contractor tender.

In this scenario, Typology Architecture can work directly with the client to identify potential scope, tenderers and the preferred building contract. We can also act on the clients’ behalf to manage the tender process. We undertake this service for residential projects, either new homes or alterations and additions, and other medium scale works.

Gross Maximum Price Documentation & Potential Novation

The consultant team will prepare and coordinate the documentation, details and materials schedules. An agreed head contractor will lead the consultant team. Typology Architecture and the head contractor will then negotiate the architectural deliverables. The head contractor will also cost track the project and guarantee, to the client, the maximum price for the project. In most cases, construction will commence while the documentation is still underway.

6. Construction Services

There are two types of Construction Services that Typology can provide as part of our scope of work. Occasionally the timing of these services can overlap with Tendering and Construction Documentation.

Typology can provide Contract Administration Services on smaller projects, on the basis that the selected building contract allows for administration by a third party. The Australian Institute of Architects contracts and several Australian Standards contracts do allow for this scenario.

On more complex projects, Typology Architecture recommends a third party contract administrator or the head contractor negotiate administration with the client. This approach can provide greater flexibility in the overall price. In this scenario, Typology can attend regular site meetings and respond to site queries and variations as part of our scope of work.