Charrette – A series of meetings and design sessions facilitating creative problem solving in design and estimating to achieve a client’s goals in an untraditional accelerated timeframe. 

This type of working session quickly builds trust in the process, trust and relationships among the team members and fosters a true understanding and support of the project.
 

The following key strategies are essential to a successful charrette.

• Work Collaboratively
  All parties that play a vital role (designers, decision makers for client, contractor) must be involved.

• Complete Design Team
  Having all vital members of the design team present will eliminate re-design because wisdom of each specialty area will be continually reflected thru the process.

• Compress Work Sessions
  The process of pre-construction typically takes place over a period of 2-3 months with bi-weekly meetings between the designer, contractor and owners, board, council or committee.  Compressed work sessions or “charrette” is a series of meetings, estimating and design sessions facilitating creative problem solving to achieve a client’s goals in an untraditional accelerated timeframe.
  
  
• Communicate in Short Feedback Loops
  During the charrette, design ideas are created based on the Needs Analysis completed prior to and presented within a few hours for review, critique and refinement.
  
  
• Study the Details and the Whole
  A lasting agreement between the Owner and Contractor is based on a fully informed dialogue, which can only be accomplished by looking at the details and the big picture concurrently.  Time discussing these two scales also inform each other and reduce the likelihood that a fatal flaw will be overlooked in the plan.
  
  
• Produce a Feasible Plan
  To create a feasible plan, every decision point must be fully informed and discussed.  Exploration of materials and construction methods not only educates the client but continues to build unity and trust amongst the team members.
  
  
• Include a Multiple Day Charrette
  The charrett should consist of three feedback loops (1. needs analysis, design and feedback, 2. redesign, estimate, review and feedback, 3. redesign, estimate, review and feedback) Please call us to receive this free schedule for a charrette process.
  
  
• Location of the Charrette
  Holding the charrette on or near the proposed building site is good from the standpoint of giving the team an understanding of the culture or flavor of the design intent based on current facilities.  On the other hand, holding the charrette off site gives the Owner/team a chance to remove themselves from their daily environment and this may assist on thinking “outside the box”.