One can often hear me say that a designer’s ideas are only as good as their ability to communicate them. This concept becomes most tangible during the construction phase of a project.
Great communication played a vital role in the success of the design and construction team of the South Providence Medical Building project completed for the University of Missouri with the general contractor River City Construction.
According to Kelly Hequembourg, the SPMB Senior Project Manager for River City Construction, communication through good drawings and specifications go a long way to project success, but the most important aspect of project success is the trust established between designers, builders, and the owner with the understanding that project success for the owner is the ultimate goal. Kelly noted that every project experiences the common construction issues of weather delays, constructability issues, and coordination of disciplines and trades in critical spaces, however open communication lines between designers and builders are essential. He was not speaking of just being available over the phone or email, but rather the local presence and timeliness of onsite observation and team solution brainstorming that balanced the design intent and owner’s functional goals of the project with the ability to construct a sound building within the project timelines.
Kelly reiterated that an unfortunate aspect of every project, despite each team member’s strivings, is that no one – architect, contractor, or owner – is perfect. What is important for each member of a project team is to continually bring open and honest communications to the table, always putting the project’s overall success first. When team members can focus on a common goal rather than a personal defense, this leads to an atmosphere that fosters learning from mistakes and problem solving by all team members. This focus on communications seems basic and simple, but it is doing this key task well that is essential to a successful project. When asked what was done new and different on the SPMB project that should be repeated on other projects, Kelly said “working with SOA!”
Some of Kelly’s favorite parts of the project include the central atrium and natural light afforded by the clerestory windows. Kelly characterizes SOA’s design as “not conservative, but not over the top”. The exterior lighting and landscaping compliment the building, offering the University of Missouri a lot of bang for their buck as compared to similar projects.
Kelly sums up what makes a great contractor / architect team –
“Honestly everything that I’ve ever wanted or looked for in an architecture firm, we got with SOA – responsiveness, willingness to work with us, open communication – it’s all there and there wasn’t much to improve on. In my eyes it was one of the best projects to be on and it was because of the people we worked with.”
When the design team’s goal is the same goal as the contractor’s goal – to please the client and put the project first – great projects happen. SOA thanks both River City Construction and the University of Missouri for the teamwork to make a great project a reality.