Commercial Architects

Commercial DC architects are responsible for the design of, as the name suggests, commercial buildings. A client will brief them on what they want from a building and the architect will then interpret those requirements and put together a design team who will start construction drawings for the project. They may also build a scale model and even supervise or manage the actual construction. In all events, the architect will be required to work closely with their client.

Architects are also responsible for estimating costs and remaining within budget, ensuring the safety of the building and making sure that the finished building has the necessary codes and operating permits. They differ from a residential DC architect in that the size and type of building projects will be generally larger and more varied. Commercial architects typically design retail stores, shopping arcades, schools, hospitals, office blocks, sports stadiums, hotels, airports – virtually anything other than a single family house.

In designing a commercial structure, the architect must consider a number of aspects involved in the structure. In addition to drafting design plans and building scale models, they may be responsible for creating a blueprint, which is basically a set of technical drawings. These blueprints will need to take into account all parts of the construction including the heating, electrical, plumbing, cooling and ventilation systems.

The Commercial DC architect will also be responsible for complying with all applicable building codes and regulations, including such items as access for the disabled. The total number of architects that need to be involved will depend on the project size as well as the degree of difficulty of building design.

Successful commercial architects need to possess various other skills. They must be good communicators so as to ensure projects are completed both on time and budget. In addition, they will often be required to coordinate a wide range of engineers including Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, Structural and Fire Service Engineers. Architects must also be able to manage and supervise contractors and sub-contractors involved in the actual construction.

There are circumstances when a commercial DC architect takes on other tasks. Rather than coming in at the design phase, he or she might start earlier – at the pre-design phase. In this phase, the architect may help select a suitable site, prepare an analysis of environmental and feasibility studies including square footage costs, and per person spatial requirements. They might then prepare and present those findings to the client for review and approval. A commercial DC architect can also be involved in selecting the contractors that will perform the actual construction of the structure and might even help that client negotiate those contracts.

The size of a Commercial architectural organization will vary depending on their scale and specialization of work from small projects (5-10 people) to those who specialize in larger projects, such as an airport (100-200 people).

The experience and education needed to become a Commercial DC architect varies from country to country. Generally, the Commercial architect is a highly trained individual who has a University degree in Architecture, Engineering or Building design.  In today’s technological age, hand drawn designs are largely outdated and as a result, the modern Commercial architect is adept with such software as CADD (Computer Aided Design and Drafting) and knows how to use BIM (Building Information Modelling) technology to create design plans, specifications and blueprints.