EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Creating Excellent Buildings. A Guide for Clients

Creating Excellent Buildings. A Guide for Clients

Introduction

A guide on how to create excellent buildings by identifying the skills, roles and responsibilities necessary to deliver excellent projects so that clients, users and stakeholders over the coming years can profit from the value that good design quality can bring.

Problem

The guide was developed in response to the questions and issues identified through CABE's involvement with clients using its Enabling Programme. This programme provides expert support and advice for clients with the aim of achieving better designed spaces and places.

Projects need to have the potential to impact on the regeneration of the wider area, contribute to tackling social exclusion, and recognise the role that design can play in delivering a better project.

Description

The guide is intended to aid project managers from the public, private and voluntary sectors with their design and construction teams to:

set up the right processes and procedures for a project,
choose the best people with whom to work,
identify the right procurement route,
manage the budget to achieve a quality solution,
acheive excellence in design,
avoid pitfalls,
and find sources of information and support.

The guide contains sections that explore the main stages of a project, checklists for different projects and building types, a glossary and worksheets.

Approach

The guide is intended to be used as a technical aid throughout the project cycle. Divided into the four main stages of a building project – preparation, design, construction and use of the building – the guide provides advice on themes including:

Establishing the project vision, developing an outline brief and involving stakeholders in the process
Building the in-house client team, establishing roles and responsibilities, and managing the organisational
change involved in a building project
Choosing a site or a building
Selecting the team to deliver the project
Developing the detailed design brief for the design team.

Results

The guide aims to help project managers to achieve the project that is needed by offering advice based on the experience of the CABE Enabling team.

Beneficiaries

Project managers and stakeholders in the public, private and voluntary sectors

Resources used

Tools including:

the Design Quality Indicator (DQI),
Best Practice examples,
Glossary,
Worksheets

Contact info

Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE)
enquiries@cabe.org.uk

Project start date

//2003

Links

Visit the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) website

Download the 'Creating Excellent Buildings. A Guide for Clients' Report (PDF, Eng, 6.1 MB)

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Quality of life

Keywords

Skills improvement