DESIGN OVERSIGHT SERVICES
Our knowledge from hundreds of projects over the years in operations, development and design allows us to provide independent objective reviews and oversight of architecture and interior designs for both new development and major renovations. Our involvement throughout the process minimizes costly false-starts and do-overs.
Our Design Oversight services are usually preceded by a full market study (see Acquisitions Services) during which we have visited and evaluated all potentially competitive hotels, restaurants, spas and other product in the market, prepared a preliminary space program based on that research, financial projections, and preliminary development budget supported by the projected cash flow.
Our goal is to have the design team guided by the market, not the developer’s or our own pre-conceived ideas. That is why we usually recommend postponing selection of a brand or operator until the market study and financial analyses are done so that the developer is not locked into a cookie-cutter concept or design too soon.
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We are often asked to identify 2-3 potential architectural firms and interior designer firms. These recommendations are reviewed with our client, and they are sent excerpts from the market study, preliminary program and preliminary budget. We then conduct interviews during which the identified architects and designers show [either in person or via web conferencing] examples of their work, their initial reaction to the project, client references, experience with the type of project at hand, and types of arrangement by which they are retained.
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Once the architect and designer are on board, we typically schedule a charette during which we go through the market research, visit the site, set out known entitlement and zoning issues, listen to the architect and designers’ preliminary ideas and answer their questions.
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During and after the charette, the Program and Budget are updated so that the design team is informed as to the economics of the project. We work alongside the client and design team to review the details of the space programming in both front and back-of-the-house areas, target guest profiles, rates compared to competition, branding and design concepts resulting in agreed-upon Design Briefs for each area of the hotel.
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We work with the architect and designer to identify the numerous other members of the design team such as engineers, kitchen designers, laundry consultants, lighting consultants, acoustics and sound system experts, fire & life safety experts, technology consultants, purchasing company, project/construction managers and more and review the scope of their contracts and costs.
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Throughout the process, we review all Conceptual, Schematic, Design Development and Final CD plans, specifications, FF&E selections, and attend all design review meetings as described under Acquisition Services and Development Services.