Introducing
Beyond The Brief
Imagine yourself getting dressed up and going out to a restaurant with your friend or significant other. After showing you to your table, the waiter presents to you a menu with the range of options for you to select your meal.
As you go about the task of making your decisions you take note of the descriptive words such as spicy, creamy, smooth and nutty which help you visualise the impression the dish will have on you. The menu also tells you the main ingredients in each dish, such as pork belly with pear and balsamic or stuffed zucchini flowers with ricotta and lemon zest. The last thing you find next to each delicacy’s description is the price that you are required to pay.
The information provided by a menu is very similar to the information required for an architectural brief. Your architect or building designer will ask for the emotive concepts (e.g. light, moody, indoor/outdoor connection), ingredients list (e.g. quantity/size of bedrooms, bathrooms, carspaces) and a price (budget).
There is however more information that may be pertinent to the patron that isn’t found on that menu. Information such as whether the fish is sustainable or if the eggs are free-range. If ingredients are local or if they are fresh. Any allergens or what wines might pair best. This information is usually gathered by asking the waiter.
Similarly, there is information that you may need to know and decisions you may need to make that are Beyond the Brief of your project.
In the architectural process, the scope of the information that lies beneath the surface is much larger and the consequences for not investigating that information are much more dire and costly than a disappointing meal.
This is what this website is for. To learn more about how Beyond the Brief is organised, please see the introductory video below.
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The information inside has been customised to your needs.
This book has been written for an audience who are not familiar with architecture or construction. The intent is to make complex subject matter as condensed and easy to understand as possible. For this reason the information is general in nature, and, while every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the content, no guarantee is given nor responsibility taken by the author for errors or omissions. Final advice for your project should be taken from your chosen architect for whom all responsibility for specification remains. References to various products or brands in this book are included for the information of the reader only and should not in any way be construed as an endorsement. Opinions expressed are opinions only and should not be assumed as fact. The terms Architect, Building Designer, Designer and Architectural Designer are used throughout this book. They may be used interchangeably and the absence in writing of one term is not to the exclusion of that term unless otherwise stated.
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Design Aesthetic
includes 2 categories and 28 topics.
Design Styles
Design Language
Construction
includes 3 categories and 18 topics.
Construction Upgrades
External Wall Construction
Roof Material
Solar
includes 1 categories and 5 topics.
Solar Energy
Heating and Cooling
includes 5 categories and 28 topics.
Air Conditioning
Ceiling Fans
Fireplaces
Hydronic Heating
Other Heating
Water
includes 2 categories and 13 topics.
Water Reuse and Storage
Water Heating
Windows
includes 2 categories and 11 topics.
Window Frames
Glazing
Flooring
includes 1 category and 10 topics.
Flooring
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