Integrated Design, Part 2

When the average person thinks about architecture, they most likely envision the iconic, world-renowned designs: the Sydney Opera House, the Chrysler building etc.

The world of architecture, however, extends far beyond creating eye-catching exteriors. At its heart, it is a business, and much of this business involves designing spaces practically and efficiently. Designs that fail to meet engineering and code standards often result in major changes late in the project, which come at a great cost to the owner.

At Arium AE, our integrated design approach - which links architects and engineers together on projects to ensure that every step of the process accounts for code compliance and long-term functional viability – allows us to anticipate and address problems before they happen. It’s an approach that enables Arium to build relationships with companies that need to operate efficiently within the local dynamic regulatory environment.

This approach has resulted in successful, long-standing partnerships with major international commercial real estate firms such as Transwestern and Brookfield Office Properties. Both of these companies have large portfolios in the Maryland-DC region, and they are engaged in a continuous stream of projects, whether it’s placing new tenants or upgrading buildings. These projects require that initial designs meet building and energy code standards, are cost effective, and can be completed on schedule. For this type of work, executives at both companies agree: Arium is one of the best at getting the job done efficiently and within budget.

“They know their stuff really, really, well,” said Andrew Jones, Vice President of Leasing at Brookfield Properties, “from travel distances, to conversion issues, to mechanical engineering. They’ll get you a prompt answer. They’re creative and they understand the code.”

“They are the landlord’s architect,” said Marc Fisher, Senior Vice President of Property Management at Transwestern, “they understand real estate, and they think like owners.”

At Transwestern, Fisher is responsible for a portfolio of more than 18 million square footage, while Jones oversees 1.3 million square feet of urban class A assets in the Bethesda and Silver Spring areas for Brookfield. Both Jones and Fisher prefer Arium primarily because our architects and engineers work side-by-side instead of in separate offices, which is typically the norm of larger AE firms. This close collaboration results in better, more accurate drawings in less time, according to Fisher:

“There’s a synergy there that’s missing from a lot of places,” he said.

“When I need an opinion, I can call Arium and get one.”

This synergy distinguishes us from many of our peers, because it’s not particularly easy to create, given the differences in philosophy between architects and engineers:

“Architecture and engineering are like oil and water,” said Tim Sosinski, Principal at Arium, “there’s a pride of discipline for both. Engineers are linear; architects are all over the map. Outside of Arium, it’s very unusual to have both of them working in the same room.”

Having a fully integrated business culture, however, is essential for Sosinski. Sosinski places as much value on the feasibility of implementing a project as the artistry of the design. After founding Arium, he quickly decided to integrate the firm after having problems meeting schedules due to time spent coordinating engineers.

Instead of following the traditional path of separating the two departments, Arium encourages rigorous cross training and constant communication between the two disciplines. For each project, mechanical and electrical engineers work in side by side with interior designers/architects. This physical proximity allows for spontaneous collaboration to occur, and potential coding and implementation issues are addressed early and often. If any member is confronted with a decision point, such as whether the lights will fit in the ceiling or whether fire sprinklers will be functional, they have the knowledge to answer the question immediately.

“Because of the influence of the engineers sitting in the next cubicle, designers absorb that kind of information,” said Scott Walthour, Principal at Arium.

“It helps build quality control between disciplines,” echoed Cassie Wolfe, Electrical Engineer.

Having multiple people on staff who are knowledgeable about code and engineering requirements is another major reason Arium has become the favored architect at both Brookfield and Transwestern. These companies place a premium on filling space and making sure the spaces are profitable once they are filled. Often, the little details, such as implementing new lighting or meeting fire code compliance are more important than grand design ideas. Furthermore, the desire to get business done quickly means these firms don’t want to wait to get an answer on a specific design question, a problem that might occur with larger, more bureaucratic architecture firms:

“When I need an opinion, I can call Arium and get one,” said Fisher, “that may not seem like it’s a big deal, but it is.”

Our ability to provide swift and accurate plans can sometimes even clash with the desires of clients and prospects; we makes promises based on what is possible, not on what people want to hear. Whether it’s informing a major government agency that they can’t invoke the grandfather clause to avoid new changes in building regulations, or warning them that certain county code officials won’t be influenced by politics, clients may not always get the answers they hope. Sosinski relates a story of how he once told a prospect that their design requests weren’t realistic. They instead hired another architecture firm who promised to deliver. A year later, this prospect called to hire Arium after a six-month battle with code officials:

“They told me, ‘we wasted a whole lot of time and a whole lot of money,’” said Sosinski.

Our ability to anticipate problems comes from our experience: we have a portfolio spanning over 1000 buildings. A large percentage of these projects come from the 20-year partnerships we have established with Brookfield and Transwestern. Both Fisher and Jones have worked with Arium on so many projects, in fact, that they have difficulty recalling specific standout jobs, because according to Jones, most of the projects have been consistently delivered:

“They know the bricks and mortar. They know the property staffs. They know the issues of the physical plants. They have advantages nobody else can have,” he said, “it helps them to service our tenants and stand out in the marketplace.”

Arium’s vast knowledge of building spaces and the complex architectural, electrical, and mechanical framework associated with them makes us a go-to firm whenever a client is faced with a particular compliance issue, no matter how large or small: Jones jokes that he uses Arium as his “oversight traffic cop” when another tenant uses their in-house architecture firm for s project. This track record of meeting code standards and creating accurate space plans in nearly every county in Maryland has resulted in an upstanding reputation across the state. Arium has been asked to participate in Prince Georges County peer review program, and has established relationships with reviewers in most jurisdictions.

But in terms of doing business accurately and efficiently, there are few better suited for implementing spaces with a minimum of problems:

“The people are top quality, and the architects and engineers are really good at what they do,” said Fisher.