Integrated design
is a collaborative method for designing buildings which emphasizes
the development of a holistic design. (In philosophy, any doctrine
that emphasizes the priority of a whole over its parts is holism.)
Conventional building design usually involves
following a path from owner to design professional to builder to occupant.
This path doesn't always invite all affected parties into the planning
process, and therefore does not take into account their needs, areas
of expertise or insights. In some cases, using the conventional method,
incompatible elements of the design are not discovered until late
in the process when it is expensive to make changes. In contrast,
the integrated design process
requires multidisciplinary collaboration, including key stakeholders
and design professionals, from conception to completion. Decision-making
protocols and complementary design principles must be established
early in the process in order to satisfy the goals of multiple stakeholders
while achieving the overall project objectives.
In addition to extensive collaboration, integrated
design involves a “whole building design”
approach. A building is viewed as an interdependent system, as opposed
to an accumulation of its separate components (site, structure, systems
and use). The goal of looking at all the systems together is to make
sure they work in harmony rather than against each other.
With current technologies, every object and
connection detail are virtually built and keynoted on a single working
model. Consequently, this working model generates accurate drawings
from conception to completion, creates stunning presentation material
for every phase and develops accurate takeoffs.