Written by Simon Jacques, Senior Director, Bristol
There are many moving parts in delivering a new development and, with that, many different professionals working towards the same goal. When it comes to design there are the big thinkers (architects and urban designers) and the technical designers that understand the science to deliver the vision.
As a civil engineer, I’ve always loved the nitty gritty of technical design and making concepts work in practice. But a key challenge I’ve witnessed in my career is when these two disciplines fail to collaborate effectively from the very beginning of a project.
Too often to count, the value of bringing the engineer in early on in a project life cycle is underestimated, with the technical design team only called upon after the initial concept has been agreed. Sometimes, even after it has secured outline planning permission.
The critical issue here is obvious: if a technical design issue is raised after a concept has already secured buy-in from stakeholders, or worse, after permission is granted, the scheme may not be technically deliverable. The result is considerable setbacks, cost overruns and even, in the worst-case scenario, project failures.
The Problem: Overlooking Technical Feasibility
Whether it’s third-party land ownership, a levels issue or a cost implication, it’s only when you drill down to the technical design that these fundamental feasibility issues surface.
When the technical engineering team is brought in later in the process, they may be forced to make significant alterations to the original design, which can lead to delays, increased costs and disputes among stakeholders.
What’s more, failing to think through the technical aspects of a project from the outset can limit the potential to address climate change effectively.
The Solution: Fostering Effective Communication and Collaboration, Early On
To overcome these challenges and maximise the success of a project, designers from across the disciplines must work together from the outset.
Forming a multidisciplinary team from the project’s inception is not rocket science. But how do we foster effective communication and collaboration?
At Pegasus Group, when we project manage complex multi-disciplinary projects we work hard to:
- Foster a team-oriented mindset, emphasising the importance of collective success over individual achievements.
- Promote open communication on effective channels, encouraging team members to share ideas and concerns freely.
- Foster active listening, i.e. truly hearing others’ perspectives, ideas and concerns which in turn improves problem-solving.
- Promote cross-functional collaboration between different disciplines through regular workshops to foster holistic problem-solving and innovation.
- Encourage knowledge sharing across teams, not only in workshops but in informal discussions, to improve outcomes for current and future projects.
These ambitions naturally work best when people can talk easily to each other. It’s one of the reasons we took the business decision to diversify our service offering. By offering the full suite of development advisory services we are, in effect, a one-stop-shop for our clients and it’s a game changer when it comes to collaboration. Our internal project management processes mean that teams will speak every week on a project, if not sooner. And, in reality, rather than waiting for the next team meeting to flag up a technical query, my team can simply get up and walk over to their urban design colleagues.
Edenfield in Lancashire is a case in point. Pegasus led on all the core disciplines to bring the site forward for delivery. After successfully securing the site’s release from the Green Belt and allocation for housing, we prepared a detailed planning application for over 200 homes. Our planners submitted a detailed application in the Autumn of 2022, incorporating the detailed designs for the site’s internal road network, drainage and levels. And the detailed design work took place all in the space of six months.
Through our approach to collaboration, team members could share ideas, brainstorm and collectively address challenges, resulting in a more cohesive and effective final product.
Addressing Climate Change Through Creative Collaboration
At Pegasus our modus operandi is to seek out sustainable design solutions that contribute to a greener, more resilient future. The quest for carbon neutral development projects has rightly become a focal point in the built environment sector and it’s only through collaboration across the disciplines that we’ll achieve it. Green infrastructure interventions like green roofs and permeable paving, which are now commonplace in the urban landscape, show the success of collaboration. These once-innovative solutions were borne out of effective cross-working between the big visionaries and nitty gritty technical teams to deliver solutions that both look good and really work.
Take your typical housing development balancing pond. Yes, sometimes it can be the right solution. But without creative collaboration at that early stage we miss a trick in seeking out the best solution. Ponds are land hungry, annexing anything up to 15 housing plots in a development site. There’s usually a more creative solution to be found by pepper potting drainage interventions across the wider site, such as permeable paving, rain gardens and internal swales, that offer better drainage solutions while freeing up valuable developable area.
If we are to combat climate change we need to be asking where is the next area for innovation in design and how will we achieve it?
When the technical teams are brought into the discussion too late, opportunities are missed. But by working together from the early stages of a project we can identify and incorporate new ways of doing things, whether it’s using the latest alternative materials or getting creative with land uses to maximise benefits.
Let’s Talk
The problem is simple: people not talking to each other early enough in the process.
The solution is simple too: talk sooner and more collaboratively to identify creative solutions that will make a lasting impact for communities and the climate.
The urgency of climate change has never been more acutely felt, and the pressing need to respond appropriately will only grow. As built environment professionals we all have a duty and a unique opportunity to make a positive impact. We need to keep up the momentum of having cross-discipline conversations so that we can capitalise on opportunities to bridge the design gap and keep pushing forward to achieve the best result.
Collaboration really is crucial for the success of projects. Together we can deliver innovative, technically feasible solutions that not only meet aesthetic and functional requirements but also contribute to the global fight against climate change. When experts fail to collaborate well enough, opportunities are missed.
Both design skills are absolutely vital to creating beautiful and beneficial places.
It all comes down to combining the nitty gritty and the big vision.