Brand Strategy

Building Design Administration by Green Curve Studio

Ground Up Case Study II – Brand Strategy

Project Scope: Larger Ground Up Developments are more complex, take longer to develop and often more time to work through plan reviews and permit departments. Working side by side with qualified local engineers and architects is critical to navigate through the land development process. Plan on 1-2 years for site planning, building design, interior design, plans review and permitting. This site is approx. 3.5 acres and is a 2 phase development, Phase I – Build Out a 5,000 – 6,500 sq ft. orthodontic office, Phase II – Build Out 10,000 sq ft. of leasable condo space.

Project Goals: There is an existing bank building on the site with a full basement, the doctor wanted to try to save the basement and existing parking.
Initial Site Plan: The initial site plan developed by the engineer is exactly what the doctor requested and will require a minimal investment, a 13,000 sq ft. building is proposed by the engineer with Phase I construction building out the ground floor and Phase II in a few years building up the second level. Cheap Solution, right!
Evaluating the 1st Draft Site Plan: Building up a second floor in a few years doesn’t make any sense, it will be terribly disruptive to an established orthodontic practice. The roof would have to be raised, one can only imagine the noise and disruption to the practice, it would be unbearable, stressful to staff and patients.
With a 3.5 acre site there is an opportunity to develop a unique site plan capitalizing on building architecture as a Brand Strategy to stand out on a major thorough fare. The right design will increase patient sign up many times over. The typical 2 story commercial building could easily go unnoticed. Our recommendation is to show case the Orthodontic Facility at the front
of the lot and then build out a 2 story building towards the back of the lot. So we begin to sketch out some options for the site development.

Designing from the Inside Out – Shaping the Site

Schematic Planning: Our initial intent is to develop the orthodontic building foot print at the front of the lot and position Phase II building at the back of the site plan. Working with the floor plan we are wanting to create a uniquely shaped building rather than a typical rectangle.

Consultation with the Site Planner: After reviewing the initial building foot print with the Site Planner, it’s decided that the rectangular shape would be more ideal as far as project costs and expediting the permitting process. So in the next few drafts the goal is to utilize the existing building basement and limit modifications to existing parking areas.

ReThinking the Site Plan for Phase I & II: After internal review and contemplation we decide; Phase I building will be rectangular, Phase II building will be connected to Phase I building, rather than a separate building at the back of the lot. We conceptualize a 2 story building for Phase II, connected by an elevator tower and a roof top patio for summer time social functions. The patio will overlook the wooded area at the back of the lot as shown on our schematic site plan. Leaving most of the parking, as it helps to control construction costs and minimizes Utility upgrades that could cost well over $100,000.

Final Layouts: We’ve decided to remove any angles from the building and square it off, this will also reduce construction costs. The site planner positions our floor plan foot print on the site along with the Phase II layout, a 10,000 sq ft. building.

Design Management for Building Shell Architecture: The engineering firm hired for the project provides site planning, civil engineering and in-house architecture. The initial schematic building concepts are unappealing so we decide to bring in a consultant to help out. Hiring a consultant is a bit of an extra expense, but not as expensive as getting it wrong! Bringing a talented team together is a key advantage of independent design management process.
After an extensive Branding Consultation with the doctor we narrow down architectural details, and prepare concept boards for the building shell.

Concept Board by Green Curve Studio

The consulting architect selected for this project is an international globe trotter working for a renown architectural firm headquartered in Manhattan. For larger developments tapping into big talent at a reasonable cost can expedite the entire plan development process.
Building Shell Option I- developed by consulting architect: This option features a flat roof with a cantilevered trellis and mixed finish materials.

Building Shell Option II- developed by consulting architect: Option II features a tilted overhanging roof line and has more street presence the Option I.

This is the doctors preferred Option. Before making a decision we need to consult the structural engineers about construction costs. We are told by the engineers the massive roof design will require union steel workers to be on the job for a couple of months. There is also a concern about thermal dynamic forces (wind up lift), expensive anchoring hardware would be required to secure the roof. As you can see the proposed roof is massive extending from left to right. But the doctor wants to capitalize on the curb appeal the design provides.

So we take the team back to the drawing board and we sketch out a compromise to discuss with the engineers. Our team suggests that we significantly scale back the tilted roof, repositioning it over the Vestibule, Reception Room and Front Desk. We shift a few interior walls to be
used as bearing walls to support the roof, allowing us to cut costs significantly and retain the architectural feature. Actually we all agree we like this option the best.

Full view windows showcase ceiling architecture, lighting and activity in the space will pique the curisoity of passersby who will want to come in and check it out.

Below you can see the master plan including our featured roof top patio for summer time social functions, and the outline of Phase II building. The collaboration has resulted in zero impact on storm water run off as Phase I & II buildings are over existing paved areas. This smart strategy has saved tens of thousand of dollars in utility construction.