Eight Steps in the Design Process

Program design elements, such as group size, classroom size, the indoor-outdoor relationship, and easily accessed diapering and toileting facilities with adjacent handwashing sinks, all have a great impact on the functioning and design of a child care center. Program directors and facilities managers can use this article to further their understanding of all aspects of building design and costs.

Feasibility Study
Programming
Schematic Design
Design Development
Construction Documentation
Bidding and Negotiation
Construction Administration
Post-Occupancy Training

1. Feasibility Study

This first step undertakes to examine the issues that will make the project feasible or unfeasible, and in some cases to determine the best strategy for proceeding with the project. The following may be addressed in the Feasibility Study:

Budget and scope of the project: Will the proposed project work at the desired budget?
Site analysis: Is the site chosen suitable? Is it zoned for the project? Are there sufficient parking, utilities, etc.?
What is the best strategy for developing the project on a given site?
What is the optimal size and type of building and play yard? Will a specific building work?
Is the building or site chosen structurally sound? What will be required in the way of soils tests, seismic upgrades, etc.?
How will other site considerations, such as sound levels, traffic, etc., affect the project?
Are there any toxins or hazardous materials to be dealt with?
What other cost, planning, and design constraints might the project run into?
Preparation of a report, which documents all of the findings of the study and makes recommendations for proceeding with the next steps of the project.
By addressing these questions up front, we can avoid costly and frustrating surprises down the road.

2. Programming

Programming is the process used to arrive at the set of criteria on which the design is based, and by which it is later evaluated. The programming phase is where the project is built—not brick by brick, but decision by decision. This is the time when a common vocabulary for the project is created, and preferences and requirements are determined and built into the overall picture before time is invested in design.

One of the most important purposes of the program is to reduce the need for later backtracking and redesign. A thorough programming process is essential for maintaining an orderly and cost-effective design process later in the project. We have found that many problems that people encounter with the design of their centers could have been avoided with a thorough programming process. When working with a construction professional they may go through a detailed list of criteria in looking for program needs that translate into square footage or other design requirements. For example, one of many questions for infant care that we would ask would be if the school or parents will provide the diapers, and if cloth or disposable diapers would be used. In this simple example, if the design does not accommodate the center’s needs, there will be problems with storage space, delivery, and odors in the classrooms.

Programming usually involves a meeting or series of meetings with the center’s director, and in many cases the teachers, other staff, and possibly parents. In the programming meetings, the client’s specific goals, priorities, and uses for the spaces are discussed in detail. All of the requirements of the project are then put into a clearly-organized written program, which will be a reference throughout the design process.

Items specifically analyzed in the programming phase typically include the following:

Goals, needs, wishes, limitations, expectations, aesthetics.
Scope of work: the number of children in the program; size of the building; number of rooms; room adjacencies.
Activities to occur in each room and outdoor play area.
The Center’s Education Program: Pedagogical philosophy; parent interaction; staffing; meals; etc.
Classroom observation.
Safety and security requirements.
Existing and new utility locations and requirements.
Site context: Weather, noise, solar access, vehicular access, handicap accessibility, sense of entry, site analysis.
Codes and regulations: Outline of planning and building department parameters.
Budget and priorities: Preliminary cost analysis usually based on area and/or volume, to be refined later.
Project Scheduling.
In the case of reusing an existing building: Carefully document and evaluate present building and its conditions. Determine what can be reused, what must be discarded, what must be rebuilt.

3. Schematic Design

Based on an approved Program, the Schematic Design synthesizes the program into a defined, feasible design. The design will be shown in the form of Schematic Drawings, and in some cases a study model. The Schematic Design will address all significant areas of design and will be reviewed with the client before proceeding with more detailed drawings. A preliminary cost estimate is also usually provided at this stage.