This post is part of the ArchiTalks series where a group of us (architects who also blog) all post on the same day and promote each other’s blogs. The Topic ‘Leader’ for this post ‘Dream Project’ is Meghana Joshi.

Ah The Dream Project – the one architectural project that encompasses everything we as architects are passionate about. But what would this dream project look like? Below are a few key characteristics:

1. The Dream Client

This goes without saying; the client needs to be fully on your side throughout the project. That’s not to say he/she will let us get away with any crazy idea – the dream client can challenge, discuss and argue but importantly these ‘discussions’ need to be centred on sound architectural principles and not mere whims.

The Dream Client is honest from the beginning; honesty about what their dreams and aspirations are and honest about their budget. It’s no use saying at the beginning that their budget is €250,000 when clearly half way through they have considerably more in the bank. The client may think they are helping the architect but the design they’ll get for €250k is a lot different from the one at €1 mil

2. The Dream Contractor

Again a pre-requisite. The Dream Contractor has several key characteristics:

• He/She builds what is on the drawings and doesn’t do it “the way he’s always done it”

• He/She doesn’t thrown your drawings around in the office in a fit of temper – yes this really happened

• He/she discusses progress & problems as they arise and works as part of the team to resolve these problems; again not in a fit of temper (and yes this really does happen). If however there is a better way of doing it – I’m happy to discuss this with the contractor

• The Dream Contractor keeps to the budget and works within the realms of the contract

3. The Dream Structural Engineer

In order to create great architecture requires a great team and an often-over looked component of that team is the Structural Engineer. So important his the Structural Engineers role is that I’ve put together a Structural Engineers Fact Sheet on their importance.

What the Structural Engineer can do is to rationalise the physics of a building to work with the architect to create something that the architect on his/her own could not.

The example below shows this well where the Structural Engineer (Paul Cuddy) designed and sized the steel in such away that there is no post supporting the steel in the middle of the sliding doors and there is also no post at the intersection of the steels:

So which of the projects, we have undertaken have come close to this ‘Dream Project’?

After our own house (TEAR SHEET HERE) It has to be the modernist cube adjoining a traditional two storey Irish Farmhouse. A great client, builder & structural engineer. Details on this project can be found in THIS LINK.

You can read how the other ‘Architalkers’ have interpreted this theme below:

Lee Calisti, AIA – Think Architect (@LeeCalisti)
dream until your dreams come true

Eric T. Faulkner – Rock Talk (@wishingrockhome)
Project Could be a Dream – Sh Boom

Michele Grace Hottel – Michele Grace Hottel, Architect (@mghottel)
“dream project…”

Keith Palma – Architect’s Trace (@cogitatedesign)
Lawn Chair