Brief

Introduction

The brief should provide a contextual basis for the development of the design, documentation, construction and commissioning of the building.

The brief is a dynamic document which is refined throughout the design process. The operational success of a building is directly related to a clear identification of the functions to be performed in the proposed building, resolved through a good design process.

Successful planning decisions are an outcome of clearly defined design and operational policies by the client. In this way the completed building will express the client's personal or corporate objectives and also satisfy the physical requirements of individual users.

The client should sign-off the initial brief and the revised brief at the schematic design stage, confirming that all the requirements have been met, as a basis for detailed design.

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Contents of brief

Client's vision statement

This should describe the:

• client's profile
• client's corporate policy statements
• environmental, Sustainable, cultural Plans (referencing any reconciliation action plans or sustainability action plans)
• project philosophy and objectives. For example, in the brief for the design of a school, the client would describe current trends in education policy; for a church, it would be reasonable to expect a commentary on spiritual and theological aspirations.

Project requirements

In order for the architect to understand the design task, the client needs to broadly describe the scope and scale of the project. Specific commentary could be expected from the client regarding the scope definition and parameters of the project and the client’s approach to:

• cultural and social values
• functional needs
• environmental and sustainability approach/objectives (any Green Star ratings required)
• environmental approach
• specific requirements which may include reference to materials, finishes or services
• aesthetic value
• construction delivery method
• intended future use or function changes.

The site

While the site may have been identified prior to receipt of a brief, a comprehensive briefing document should also include:

• the site location
• survey information denoting any encumbrances, easements, etc.
• particular statutory or regulatory limits
• adjoining property information
• geotechnical information
• climatic information
• historical and/or heritage constraints
• demographics.

Design policies

Design policies are general principles that will apply to a range of specific situations. These may extend from regional decisions on the location of a facility to the detailed planning of departments or rooms. Policies will thus reflect general planning and design principles and describe their application in light of the local requirements and limitations bearing upon a specific project.

Policies may refer to various aspects of design and planning, the main division being between operational policies such as staffing, organisational management and function, and design policies such as layout, environment and construction.

The primary objective in formulating a statement of policy is to determine the pattern of organisation and design that will provide optimum service with the available resources of staff and budget.

The secondary objective is to communicate the pattern in terms that will enable the architect and specialist consultants to design an efficient and economical building in which the organisation can function; and provide for staffing requirements and revenue implications to be assessed.

Functional requirements

Stating requirements in functional – rather than spatial – terms provides the architect with the raw data needed to generate the most effective physical solution and the most efficient interrelationship between departments, suites and individual rooms. Because the relationship between operational policies and functional requirements is very close, the statements of design policies and functional content are generally presented together.

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Administration and quality assurance

Client administration and management structures

Reference is often made in a good brief to:

• organisational parameters for the project, including project personnel, their roles and responsibilities
• authority of personnel
• lines of communication
• expected approval procedures.

Quality assurance

Some clients insist on strict quality assurance (QA) procedures on a project. Items to agree upon include:

• project quality objectives
• project reporting systems
• subconsultant's QA requirements
• contractor's QA requirements
• project quality records including 'As Constructed' drawings and operational manuals.

There may be a requirement for specific digital transfer considerations and consequently the compatibility of computer systems needs to be clarified.

Although the design process generally commences in response to the prepared brief, these activities inevitably often overlap. Too rigid an application of the brief-design-documentation sequence can hamper a rapid finalisation of needs and efficient design. Some tentative design work can usefully proceed after the brief is reasonably well established but before it is complete. Preliminary design proposals can be useful in checking whether requirements are communicating what is intended. They can also provide a means for revealing or suggesting needs not previously considered.

It is important, however, that before extensive design work commences, the design brief is compiled and signed off by the client. Changes to the brief are common during the design process and should be documented as revisions, and the brief reissued accordingly.

In this way, a record is maintained of changes and additional requirements to the brief, with a view to minimising or eliminating abortive design work and allowing documentation to proceed satisfactorily.

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Program and budget 

Project program

A program should form part of the briefing documents and should specify major milestones for:

• design submissions
• authorities approvals
• completion of documentation
• tendering arrangements
• construction period and floats
• occupation and/or staged completion
• defects-liability period
• cost plans or estimates.

The program should also identify:

• client approval times and sign-offs
• contingency and/or float allowances
• constraints or requirements for partial or staged completion and occupation.

Project budget

The brief should include reference to the project budget and identify inclusions and/or exclusions with regard to:

• land costs
• client costs
• professional fees
• contingency sums (design and construction)
• construction cost
• extent and scope of work for furniture, fit-out and equipment (FFE)
• project funding
• cost escalation during construction
• cash-flow limitations.

The project budget may also state an approach to life-cycle costing, and the balance between initial capital expenditure and later maintenance funding allocations.

It is important to discuss with the client how the budget has been compiled, and any assumptions made on building efficiency (net to gross floor areas).

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Related courses - Available via Online CPD

• Writing a brief