Brief

Project
Published: 1 December 2015
Edited: 29 September 2022

Read time: 4 minutes

At the inception of a project the architect needs to establish the project brief or how the brief is to be prepared. A design brief is a written statement which details the client's expectations and the functions of a proposed building. It should describe the facilities to be provided and the activities to be performed. It should also clearly identify the broad policies within which these are to be achieved in respect of the time, cost and quality. The brief should not propose specific design solutions.

Photograph of the University of Melbourne's Old Quad redevelopment interior
The University of Melbourne's Old Quad redevelopment (Vic), by Lovell Chen, is an example of how the brief plays a vital role in achieving the client's requirements and intended outcomes. Traditional land owners: the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. (Photographer: Eve Wilson)