Feasibility Studies, Needs Analysis & Programming
It’s important that the scope and financial implications of your project are well understood before a penny is spent on design or construction.
Pictured: FDA reviewing project drawings (left); Robert Campbell (right)
Strategic Planning
Before a design team is hired, land is purchased, or renderings are prepared, every Owner must come to grips with some very important questions and make a number of key decisions:
-
What do you hope to build?
-
Who are you building it for?
-
What activities does it need to accommodate?
-
How big does it need to be to accommodate those activities?
-
What is the business model under which it will operate?
-
How much will it cost to build and to operate?
-
How much land will you need?
Without the answers to these questions, nothing can or should be designed.
Expert Knowledge
FDA staff are skilled, experienced planners, and know how to conceive and execute a planning process to help you answer these questions, no matter how complex the project. We are adept at working with multi-faceted Owner groups that involve board members, staff, faculty, elected officials, artistic leadership, performers and musicians, and even audience representatives. We tailor our work plan specifically to each client.
Often, we assemble and manage a team of supplementary professionals that include financial planners, cost estimators, or acoustical consultants to undertake a specific assignment. We also have managed architectural design competitions and more traditional selection processes for architects and acoustical consultants.
Deliverables
A planning process can result in a range of work products, including:
-
Market Research
-
Needs Assessment / Existing Conditions Survey
-
Survey of Existing/ Competing Facilities
-
Comparables / Benchmarking Information
-
Projected Utilization Profile
-
Projected Operating Pro Forma
-
Governance and Management Plan
-
Building Program (a detailed brief for the project)
-
Site Requirements
-
Site Analysis
-
Projected Construction Cost
-
Projected Design and Construction Schedule
-
Case Statement / Description of Project Objectives