Who Are the Important Players in the Architectural Design Process?

Owner

• The owner, either an individual or a group, hires both the architect and the general contractor. The owner provides the requirements, funding, and authority to execute the design of the architect and the construction of the general contractor. In this way, the owner has the final say on all aspects of a project, and thus the owner is the most important person in a design project.

Architect

• The architect must provide a design that is appropriate for the health, safety, and welfare of the project's users and the public. Furthermore, the architect is responsible for leading the design process through schematic design, design development, contract documents, bidding, and contract administration. Yet, the architect must receive approval for all aspects of the design from the owner.

  The architect acts as an agent for the owner through the bidding and contract administration phases of the design process, because the architect has more expertise with the design process than the owner. The architect must ensure the general contractor is following the drawings, specifications, and requirements set out in the contract documents produced by the architect for the owner.

  In case of a problem or disagreement, the architect acts as the initial mediator between the owner and general contractor. However, if the disagreement cannot be resolved, legal professionals are required for arbitration.

General Contractor

• The general contractor is hired by the owner and approved by the architect. The general contractor must meet the requirements of the architect's and owner's contract documents. However if there is a discrepancy or impossibility in constructing the architect's design, the general contractor can request changes or greater specification. Nevertheless, the methods and schedule of construction are the domain of the general contractor, though these must be approved by the owner.

  The general contractor administers the construction of the project, hiring other contractors to complete specific elements of the building, such as electrical or mechanical systems, framing, drywall, and painting. If there is ever a problem with specific aspects of a project, the owner or architect must discuss the issue with the general contractor, never approaching the contractors under the general contractor. In this way, the general contractor keeps authority over the contractors.

Experts and Consultants

• All three parties, the owner, the architect, and the general contractor, can hire experts or consultants to facilitate the satisfactory completion of the project.

  The owner may have legal professionals for execution of contract documents, a project manager to relieve the administrative requirements on the architect, and financial professionals to control payment and funding. Furthermore, the owner may hire consultants to determine the project requirements, also called a program, before hiring the architect.

  The architect usually hires engineers to help design specific parts of the project, such as the structural or mechanical systems; landscape architects and civil engineers for the design and layout of a project site; and consultants for special cases, such as environmental impact, air quality, or green building standards.

  As mentioned above, the general contractor hires contractors for the various trades; however the general contractor may also hire consultants for project timeline scheduling and management.