Commercial Building Design Criteria
Design criteria guide the design, construction and pricing of a commercial building. Using space programs, descriptive narratives, conceptual layouts and outline specifications, design criteria express the owner and regulatory agency requirements a commercial building must meet.
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Purpose
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Design criteria communicate a building's scope, cost, schedule, aesthetic and performance expectations with building designers and contractors. Owners often use design criteria packages to solicit design-build construction services for their projects.
Program
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A space program summarizes the square footage of a building's required rooms and spaces. It describes their occupants, functions and any special furnishings, surface finishes and environment. Diagrams describe area locations, interrelationships and adjacent spaces.
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Concept
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Narratives and graphics describe the building's concept, layout and systems. Scaled drawings may include a site plan, building floor plans and elevations.
Specifications
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Outline specifications list required building materials, systems and equipment, along with quality and performance expectations. Some specifications prescribe particular items already deemed capable of meeting the building's needs.
Codes
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Design criteria reference all building codes, industry standards or specifications that apply.
Service
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An owner typically hires a licensed architect or landscape architect to generate design criteria and disallows this professional from participating in the project's further design or construction.
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References
- Photo Credit blue print building plans image by Stephen Orsillo from Fotolia.com
