Vision, whether shared, corporate, or individual, forms the key to thinking and planning beyond the immediate. It provides for more than the temporary and brings the “big picture” into focus.
Before the design phase ever begins, we conduct interactive planning sessions involving the key players in the project. These sessions open lines of communication, broach concerns and raise enthusiastic participation in the planning of the new project. The involvement of the key players (i.e., planning committees, administration/faculty, community leaders, students, other end users) is essential to developing a new project. A number of considerations are discussed, ranging from financial concerns to community involvement; from how teachers teach, to how students learn in this ever-advancing technologically-oriented world; from energy efficiency and sustainable design to safety and security issues. This type of pre-design forum leaves less room for error and more room for exceptional, cost-effective environments.