How to choose an architectural design for your project
The flat roofed houses favoured by the Arab and Indian communities have since been incorporated in the contemporary architectural designs. PHOTO/NET
What you need to know:
The key to a successful construction design is analysing your current and future needs and determining what best satisfies them.
Architectural designs are usually inspired by beliefs, shifts in technology and trending materials.
According to Arthur Suubi, an architect and tutor at the department of architecture and engineering, International University of East Africa, builders in the olden days had a profound understanding of human responses to environmental conditions and physical needs and that mostly guided the choice of design.
A great example is the flat roofed houses favoured by the Arab and Indian communities. The style, according to Suubi has since been incorporated in the contemporary architectural designs.
Types
The types of architectural design are infinite but can be categorised according to its use, intention, aesthetics and technical aspects. Thousands of years ago, human settlements evolved into fortified mud-brick walls surrounding rectangular volumes with openings for ventilation and sunlight.
Suubi attributes the ancient housing structures to cultural factors such as rural setting, religious norms and traditions. The common types of design include minimalist, modernist, Victorian, classic and avant-garde, among others.
“Unlike the traditional housing styles, the recent trends of housing have been updated to meet the urban setting as they fit into the modern-day housing demands,” he shares.
Room information and sizes
The first consideration should be basic room information and room sizes. It is helpful to use the measurements of your current rooms, as long as they meet your expectations.
The second aspect you need to consider is your building flow; the layout/structure of the internal rooms. It is important to make sure that it will be consistent with yours and your family’s lifestyle.
For instance, if you need an open-plan kitchen connected to the dining room so that you can cook while spending time with your family and entertaining guests. Or you could choose an outside kitchen to rid your living spaces of cooking smells.
Architectural style
The next point that you should include is an architectural style. Do you want a traditional or contemporary house? Also think about the views you would like to enjoy from say your balcony or bedroom so that you position the house that way.
It is also important to position the house to receive the optimal amount of natural lighting. Natural lighting helps create a vibrant and comfortable home. Considerations such as the placing and sizing of windows or doors, and connecting interior and exterior spaces can fill a room with natural light that leads to positive health effects and helps reduce energy consumption.
The budget
Your budget is one of the most crucial elements for any construction project. The amount of money you can afford to spend on your project determines the architect’s design significantly, so it is important to set the budget as accurately as possible.
You must also consider how you are going to manage the cash flow throughout the key stages of the project. Suubi says costs are determined by the architectural style, location of the site, size of project, timeframe in which the work is required and lastly the conditions on site.
The techniques involved in the making of contemporary housing styles he explains, come with intense building technology as achieving a large window glass structure may require to be handled by an equipment or machinery which is costly or scarce on the local market.
Get professional help
According to Suubi, design professionals play a critical role in the quality of your project. Seek out qualified architects and engineers to guide you make the appropriate design choices.
A construction project is a complex undertaking requiring many different skills and materials that will address site location needs, community public health and safety, among others.
Do not settle for the first architect you meet, meet with different architects, and check out their portfolios until you get the one you feel most comfortable with because a good relationship with them is key.
Advice
A building project is a complex undertaking requiring many different skills and materials that will address site location needs, community public health and safety, among others.
Do not settle for the first architect you meet, meet with others, and check out their portfolios until you get the one you feel most comfortable with.
