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HOW WE
WORK
Andre Johnson Architects asserts that good design is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also reaches the essence of the human spirit and aspirations.
Andre Johnson Architects believes deeply that the best design solutions are the result of a collaborative process. Our studio culture is one which encourages and values contribution from all team members. We believe diversity of backgrounds and experiences enriches any process. When this diversity is tapped and allowed to interact, it has consistently yielded the most holistically appropriate byproduct for us. The prioritizing of collaboration extends to our clients and consultants as well. An earnest and diligent exchange of ideas is essential to reaching the most successful outcomes.
We take great pride in what we believe to be an authentic and honest design process which delivers the highest quality results for us and our clients. This approach is deliberate and structured yet flexible and adaptable to the be able to effectively respond to the varying dynamics of the design challenges we are tasked with.
VISIONING SESSION
Each of our projects begins with a vision session where project goals, aspirations, sensitivities, and schedules, among other topics, are established and shared. These sessions involve any stake holder in the project per the client’s discretion. They provide a basis for mutual understanding of what the project intends to achieve once complete, what the steps leading to that completion will be, and when those steps are anticipated to be taken. In addition to input from the client and the users, often the vision session involves participation from community members who may be outside of the entity or institution for whom the project is being pursued yet will be impacted in some way by its undertaking. Andre Johnson Architects is very conscious of and sensitive to the impact any construction project has on its immediate physical and human context. We feel fortunate to have worked on several projects which served the communities where they were located, in very meaningful ways. In some cases, our efforts contributed to communicating the history and identity of those communities to the world.
INTEGRATION
Another essential component of the AJA process is early engagement with the consultant team. We know that the successful delivery of a project is not solely based on the efforts of the architectural team. Collaboration with the various consultants, even in the conceptual phase, has proven to be effective in allowing for us to understand as many implications of the design decisions we make as possible. Over the years, we have had an opportunity to build and sustain great relationships with several excellent consultants across disciplines. This familiarity allows for an efficient and seamless exchange of information as we work through the design process together.
DESIGN TOOLS
We believe that the best designs are derived from truly clear, yet compelling concepts. Through our iterative process we strive to reinforce the generative ideas that are the essence of each of our projects at all stages. Proficiency with the tools we use to explore our design thoughts and ideas is requisite to our way of working. While we know that there are capable consultants whom we can hire to produce physical models and 3d visualization, we do not employ those services out of house. We believe that some of the most impactful discoveries in the design process are made through the act of creating these instruments. Our team is constantly exploring and developing capability with the tools we have, while researching new methods of manifesting and testing our design thoughts.
