Approach

Six phases, one project team, end to end.

The structure of a Berkley commission. The names of the phases are conventional; the discipline we hold inside them is not.

Weeks 1–6

Discovery

Brief, site, audience.

Every commission begins with a discovery phase. For cultural and museum work this means audience research and a positioning study; for heritage commissions, a measured survey and conservation reading; for new-build, a feasibility and site analysis. The discovery output is a written brief, agreed with the client, that the rest of the project answers to.

Weeks 6–14

Concept

Strategy and architecture together.

Concept design and cultural strategy develop in parallel, not in sequence. The architectural concept is tested against the audience proposition, the operating model, and the engineering reality before it leaves this phase. We present a single integrated concept — not a menu of options — with the trade-offs made explicit.

Months 4–9

Design Development

Coordination from the inside.

Design development is run on a single coordinated BIM model (ISO 19650). Architectural, structural, MEP, and conservation disciplines work in the same file. Clashes are detected and resolved internally. The exhibition concept, where the project has one, is developed alongside the building.

Months 9–15

Documentation

Drawings that can be built from.

Construction documentation, tender packages, and specifications are produced to international standards (RIBA Stage 4, AIA CDs, FIDIC). Engineering documentation runs in parallel. The deliverable is a tender package that a serious contractor can price reliably and a less-serious contractor cannot abuse.

Months 12–28

Construction

On site, every week.

During construction the project team is on site, not in the office. We act as supervising consultant, resident engineer, or both, depending on the contract. The team that drew the project is the team that signs off on workmanship, material samples, and progress payments.

Final 2–3 months

Handover

The project does not end at practical completion.

Handover is a project phase, not a calendar event. We deliver an as-built BIM model, a maintenance and operations manual, and a defects-liability period during which we remain accountable. For cultural projects, we hand over alongside opening week.

Standards

We work to international standards by default.

RIBA Plan of Work 2020, AIA construction documentation, FIDIC and JCT contract administration, ISO 19650 BIM. Sustainability frameworks include LEED, BREEAM, and Mostadam. We adapt to local authority requirements where they exceed these baselines — never below.