Design
Vision
Values
CCA believes architecture should reflect and enrich its culture and context and be appropriate to its time and place. We value the fundamental principles of modernism, which include:
- Honest, simple use of materials
- Clarity of expression based on a building’s purpose
- Sense of functional space that connects people and their surroundings
- Integration of technology
- Responsibility to the client, society, and the planet
As we incorporate these architectural principles to meet client needs, CCA creates projects that achieve excellence, value, and longevity.
THOUGHTFUL
Buildings respond to a client’s vision and connect to their cultural and community context. They are smart, sustainable, functional, and operationally sound. They integrate best practices to enhance client goals and user experience.
COMMUNITY
We discover a sense of place, find meaning and purpose, and are connected, grounded, and engaged in our communities. Successful community-focused design celebrates the diversity of culture and enriches the backdrop against which life happens.
DESIGN
Excellent design is collaborative, helps clients succeed, and adds value. It should innovate, enable, and connect. Innovative design inspires the imagination, respects the environment, is economically viable, and has a clarity of purpose.
THOUGHTFUL
Buildings respond to a client’s vision and connect to their cultural and community context. They are smart, sustainable, functional, and operationally sound. They integrate best practices to enhance client goals and user experience.
COMMUNITY
We discover a sense of place, find meaning and purpose, and are connected, grounded, and engaged in our communities. Successful community-focused design celebrates the diversity of culture and enriches the backdrop against which life happens.
DESIGN
Excellent design is collaborative, helps clients succeed, and adds value. It should innovate, enable, and connect. Innovative design inspires the imagination, respects the environment, is economically viable, and has a clarity of purpose.
Process
Phase 1 - Planning and Prelimary
During this phase, we provide a variety of services to establish the design intent, potential project cost, and support fundraising efforts, if needed. Some basic tasks in the design process include:
- Establish the project’s vision, goals, and program
- Perform analysis, research, gather stakeholder input, and provide community engagement
- Develop master plans & preliminary building designs
- Establish the project budget
- Define project phasing (if needed)
- Provide collateral materials for general marketing and fundraising (if needed)
Phase 2 - Design and Documents
This phase focuses on further developing the architectural design, defining project materials, details, and equipment, designing building engineering systems, and elaborating all of these through drawings and specifications that can be used for bidding and construction. We will discuss methods for delivering the project’s construction and review potential general contractors. Here the potential project cost is further refined, and project documents are submitted for the planning department, permitting, and other agency reviews.
Phase 3 - Construction Services
After determining the best method for construction of the project in Phase 2, we provide administrative services to assist in finalizing the project cost (bidding or negotiation) and validating the quality and progress of construction. Making regular site visits, participating in project meetings, reviewing shop drawings and submittals, certifying contractor pay requests, and making inspections are just some of the ways we support our clients.
All the above represent a comprehensive, holistic approach to executing a project. The end goal? A successful project!
Sustainable Design
In a broad sense, “sustainability” has been around for a long time but has not necessarily been put into practice as in today’s terms. Moving from simple principles around proper ongoing care and maintenance (the ability to be sustained) to environmentalism, sustainable design in essence, is being mindful of common sense strategies and seeking answers to questions such as:
- How can we work sensitively with the land?
- How do we take advantage of the sun, embrace the wind, and use water creatively?
- How can green materials, high-efficiency equipment, and other resources be integrated to improve a building’s efficiency and help conserve the environment?
CCA views every project as an opportunity to integrate sustainable features, and many can be done without great impact to a project’s budget. During the design process, we help to evaluate the potential cost/benefit and establish a baseline of priorities. CCA has experience with LEED for Home and LEED for New Construction should this type of certification be required.