What Do Architects Do When Collaborating With Other Professionals?

Estimated Reading Time: 7-8 minutes

Welcome to the fourth blog in our series: What Do Architects Do When Collaborating With Other Professionals?

We sat down with Haley Gamble, Project Architect at MSS, for a deep dive into the collaborative role architects play with engineers, interior designers, landscape architects, and other consultants to bring a project to life.

Introduction: I’m Haley Gamble, Project Architect at Martin Simmons Sweers Architects. I also lead most of our proposal coordination. I put together proposals for new work, which involves coordinating with consultants because we carry them under our fees. Because of that, I do a bit of everything: drawings, managing smaller projects, and coordinating consultants.

Interviewer: MSS has long relationships with many consultants. Why is that valuable?

Haley: In architecture firms, we tend to build ongoing partnerships. When we work well with someone, we want to work with them again because we understand their workflow and what they’ll need from us. We have a core group of mechanical, electrical, structural, civil, and landscape engineers we return to. If we are the prime consultant, we’re responsible for coordinating all of them. Which means understanding the priorities behind each discipline, so we know what questions to ask and what information we need to gather.

I often say every project is like a Rubik’s Cube, you solve one face, but it’s not done until the entire cube aligns. Our job is to coordinate those elements - structural systems, mechanical systems, client goals, budget, sustainability, site constraints - so they all align.

Interviewer: You said the firm goes back to these partners again and again. What are the advantages of these long-term relationships and a team that already knows how to work together?

Haley: The first advantage is knowing which partner is right for which project. Even at the proposal stage, I usually already know which sub-consultants to approach based on the scope, size, client, and expectations. 

Different clients require different levels of service, some clients want something simple and cost-effective, so we’ll choose partners who work efficiently and straightforwardly. Other projects are large, complex or require a lot of creativity - in those cases we’ll go to consultants who we know will really sink their teeth into it, even if their fees are higher. So, it’s about understanding how different consultants work, how much information and time they need and how proactive they are. Some need more detailed direction; others will run with things more independently.

Another advantage of working with familiar consultants is on proposals. If a client needs a proposal in three days, I can call someone we know well and say, “Can you get me a price?” and they’ll turn it around quickly and provide a competitive fee. That comes from established trust.

Interviewer: That’s interesting that you brought up trust, because that’s the foundation of every relationship. I’m sure that the trust you have with your consultants trickles down to the client. 

Haley: Yes, because we’re usually asking clients to make decisions about cost, value, and risk in the moment. Trust is essential. And because we support our consultants, they support us, we have each other’s back professionally.

There’s also this misconception that architects are either artists or engineers, but those are vast simplifications of what we do. We don’t just produce beautiful drawings or do mathematical calculations, we take into consideration all these different elements to meet the client goals. To deliver a solution that’s beautiful, functional, cost-effective, efficient, and ideally sustainable.

Different sub-consultants bring different things to the table, whether it's acoustics, heating and cooling, structure, or the landscape, but ultimately it all has to come together, and it all has to work. Architects are facilitators that liaise between these different elements. 

‍Interviewer: So, shifting gears a bit. You've got interior designers that are in-house, and they're part of your team. How does that change the collaborative process?

Haley: It makes it inherently more collaborative. Often interior designers are hired later in the process as a separate entity, which means the design vision isn’t always cohesive.

Having an in-house interiors team means they’re part of the process from day one, so it’s much easier to achieve a holistic design that actually works from the outside-in and everything works together.  

Our Senior Interior Designer Kourtney Rapp has talked about this before. For example, on our Golden Windows project, interiors were involved during the architectural design phase, so she was able to request that a window or a wall can be moved to suit the desired design. When we’re working together, we can make that happen.

When interiors are involved from the beginning, we’re considering the experience of the building all the way through, and that generally means cost and time savings for the client, because we’re aligned, we’re coordinating continuously, and there’s a shared vision.

When all the drawings are being done in the same office, the scopes of work are very clear. You don’t have grey areas of which drawings are architectural versus interiors, so the client is going to receive a better result and the project is going to be completed faster.

Interviewer: What about general contractors? Can you think of a project where bringing them in early reduces surprises or costs?

Haley: What comes to mind first is how often the opposite happens - where general contractors come in late. We always advocate for bringing them in early because they provide design input based on information we might not necessarily have access to. They’re the ones who are going to build the project, so they know the exact market conditions and which subtrades are available. 

For example, during COVID, the cost of wood studs went up like crazy and contractors knew that. If we had already gotten a project to a point where we were ready to tender it, then brought a contractor on board, we couldn’t change the structure that late in the game. If instead we had that input earlier, we could have changed the design. Same thing with mechanical equipment, after COVID there were long lead times. If we got a contractor in early, we would know that and they could order those items sooner, submit shop drawings earlier, and keep the schedule moving.

If the contractor comes on early, they can give us feedback that we can try to incorporate into the design or have a conversation about the best solution. That communication and joint problem-solving can’t happen if they’re hired after all the drawings are done, at that point any changes that happen are added cost to the client. 

Interviewer: So, how do you coordinate this web of collaborators and contractors seamlessly for the best outcome?

Haley: We try to inform people as early as possible; we have to anticipate what will be needed two months from now or a year from now. We always start our work from the perspective of schedule. Virtually every project meeting starts with discussing the schedule: where are we now, and where do we need to be?

For example, if we need to go in for Site Plan Approval in three months, we need to make sure we have our civil engineer onboarded and the electrical engineer engaged and that they have all the information they need to start their drawings. We may also need heritage or other specialty consultants. So, we anticipate the milestones and what deliverables are required to reach each one, then we align consultants to those requirements.

We give consultants information early, so no one is blindsided about the expectations, and we follow up. Everyone is busy, so it’s easy for people to lose track. Our job is to anticipate, reinforce expectations, and support our partners. 

Interviewer: In terms of communication — is it phone, email? Do you use project management software with consultants?

Haley: We rely heavily on clear and direct personal contact via phone especially during the construction phase. Our clients expect it, and the ability to maintain a relationship is more successful through ongoing interpersonal discussion.

We also collaborate on software platforms like Procore where contractors host everything related to the construction of the project: meeting minutes, shop drawings, RFIs (request for information) all in one place. 

During design, I’m also a huge advocate of picking up the phone. We take that approach in our office. We’re not going to leave things to chance; we’re going to be proactive. We make sure people have the information they need and prompt them to review it. We’re always trying to keep that communication in place. 

For regular project meetings, we prepare agendas including key items like schedule and we record minutes, so there’s a written record of where we’re at, what’s outstanding, and next steps.

If you only email, it can disappear into the abyss. Picking up the phone builds relationships and shows respect for the people you’re working with.

Interviewer: Okay. Great. Well, that was all the questions. That was really informative.

Haley: I hope it gives a bit of visibility into what happens “under the hood.” People don’t always realize how much work is behind even a single drawing, but that’s where the value is. Anyone can sketch something. Making sure it actually works in reality, that’s architecture.

Have more thoughts or questions? Connect with Haley Gamble to continue the conversation.

Stay Tuned for Blog 5: What Do Architects Do to Integrate Sustainability into Your Project?

In the next installment of our series, we’ll sit down with Studio Director Greg Piccini to explore how architects help clients consider all the decisions that need to be made to integrate sustainability into their project.

To explore the first three posts in our seven-part educational series “What Do Architects Do” follow the links below:

Blog 1: What Architects Do & Why You Need One.
Blog 2: What Do Architects Do When They Work With Interior Designers?
Blog 3: What Do Architects Do During the Design And Planning Stages?

*The information provided in this series is for educational purposes only and is not intended as professional advice. For guidance specific to your project, please consult a licensed architect or other qualified professional.

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