DESIGN CONSULTANCY
We believe that all great places are created with a comprehensive and committed approach to design quality.
Great design can come in many forms and it is essential that whichever design concept and styles are adopted, these are carried out faithfully, in a way that enhances the everyday experience and creates a long lasting quality and identity. We work with placemaking clients to define capacity and feasibility, understand the local character, create and evolve design concepts from first sketch to developed design stage, establishing a clear design rationale for developments at every scale.
This page includes the scope of our main service offer, but if you’re looking for something a little different, please feel free to get in touch - we will be more than happy to see if we can help.
Design review of an urban regeneration site looking at the relationship of tall buildings to the public realm
DESIGN BRIEFS & REVIEW
Drawing upon our experience as a Design Review Panel member for Lewisham Council, our consultancy work includes producing design review documents to support developer and Local Authority clients to maintain design quality and integrity throughout the development process.
MAAK provides ongoing design support to the Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company, in a role akin to the town architect, overseeing 'design control', producing design briefs and design codes for developer architects at the beginning of the design process and design reviews for developer designs as plots are developed. MAAK has also provided one-off design reviews for developers seeking independent input upon developing project designs.
With a background in architecture and also masterplanning, MAAK fully understands the development process from concept through to construction and can help clients navigate the process of achieving a smooth planning journey as well as a deliverable and high quality project.
Local character extract assessing local settlement & key features
CHARACTER
No project stands alone, there is always a context. Wherever a project is located, new designs bear a responsibility to recognise, respect and respond to the local environment.
Our work does not involve replicating the local designs, it uses locally relevant characteristics to inform designs. Urban structure, form, styles, details, materials, composition, proportions and massing are analysed and will, where relevant, have bearing upon the proposed layout design, landscape design and architecture. This approach ensures a connection to the locality is always embedded as an integral part of all design work, whether a contemporary, traditional or a hybrid appearance strategy is adopted.
MAAK produce local character analysis studies to support design concepts and review local planning approaches and decisions to identify the core areas which new projects will need to address to assist the chances of a positive planning outcome.
Design concept that adopts structural and massing typologies found within local rural & village precedents
CONCEPT
Every project requires a clear design concept that brings together the varying requirements of the development. The design concept is evolved from a clear understanding of the opportunities and constraints that impact the site in terms of physical, financial and regulatory context.
Our concept design approach seeks to create a natural balance between the key drivers of the development, creating a strong structural design framework within which the more detailed aspects of the project can evolve.
MAAK is skilled in producing opportunities and constraints plans, design rationale diagrams, concept masterplans and design vision illustrations and documents to support early development analysis, design & planning presentations.
Capacity study for an urban regeneration site
CAPACITY
Our work is rooted in the concept of delivering realistic, quality and inspiring places and buildings. From the outset we consider how the concepts and ideas can be delivered by the developer and contractor.
We produce feasibility and option studies that are more than numbers. This work is borne out of an integral understanding of development and construction requirements, so that risk is minimised and development appraisals can be based on more robust design proposals.
Framework masterplans assist in defining development areas and key infrastructural land take as well as the initial design parameters. More detailed studies help understand housing mix and density compared to initial site appraisal and planning context.
Architectural modelling is used to create design studies setting the project within its context
ILLUSTRATIVE DESIGN
The design process can be lengthy and involve numerous stakeholders. Designs need to be brought to life and to be technically understood at every stage of the the process.
We create illustrative designs for projects in the form of layouts and three dimensional illustrations, to help all parties understand the proposal both visually and technically.
MAAK also has extensive experience creating Design Guides and Design Codes for developments, setting the design 'rules' to be applied by the developer and helping the ensure planning authorities have confidence in the quality that will be delivered on site.
Detailed planning packs demonstrate street scenes, materials and detailing
DEVELOPED DESIGN
The final pre-construction design stage is where all the analysis, concepts and design elements are brought together within the detailed planning application. It is here where the thread of the design story comes to its conclusion, with a level of detail and design quality required to enable an expedient planning approval.
MAAK architecture offers detailed design services covering layouts, floorplans, elevations, sections, house type designs and packs and development illustrations. Our detailed planning designs are produced with the technical design stages in mind, minimising the time required for redesign or design adjustments to suit on site delivery.
As well as Design Codes and Design Guides, we deliver comprehensive Design & Access Statements, fully coordinated with the design team inputs.
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