Inspired by @bobborson (again) from THIS POST regarding directly schematic designing with the client. I decided to take a similar approach by directly working through ideas and challenges seated alongside the client.

I suppose you could call this an architect-client Charette:

Charette: may refer to any collaborative session in which a group of designers drafts a solution to a design problem

The difference here is that I am the designer getting input from the client. An interesting proposition. But what was the conclusion?

• We did get a result
• We had a bit of fun and chatting as we went
• It’s a little unnerving in the beginning
• The architect still has to do the designing, not exactly ignoring what the client says or wants but working the design to give them what they actually (but do not know) what they really want
• It works perfectly when there is an impasse of design; involving the clients gives them ownership in their design

I may not do this on every job but in this particular instance it worked.