Architects: composers of property symphony to deliver superior service.

Property owners, asset managers, leasing agents and property managers are pursuing a number of new alternatives for the delivery of superior building services and amenities, especially when it comes to the construction of common and individual tenant space. Architects play a pivotal role in the planning, aesthetic design and execution of building renovation and modernization programs.

The architect has always been a key member of the building team, historically in the capacity of creating exterior and interior designs and drafting floor plans for use in leasing. Yet as the real estate business grows in sophistication and tenants' needs become increasingly technologically advanced, the architect's responsibilities and contributions to the successful positioning of a property are even more substantial.

The standard modern building team has increased to a crew of many professionals, each representing a distinct discipline. In addition to the architect, a complement of professionals who specialize in HVAC, power, fire protection, security, lighting, acoustics and communications is important when it comes to positioning an office property to attract quality, credit-worthy tenants.

The architect's contributions to the team have grown in tandem with the size of the team itself. Even while taking clear direction from the project manager, the architect's role on this expanded team can often be likened to that of an orchestra conductor, bringing distinct instruments together in harmony, coaxing excellent performances that brine the musical score to life for the audience. At the same time, the architect is most often in the role of musical composer, taking cues from the owner, asset manager and leasing broker. Working with their input on the property's marketing goals, it is up to the architect to create designs that reflect the desired image and building efficiencies, and then maintain those standards while integrating and accommodating the many other building services and disciplines into the whole. Among the architect's most visible "scores" are the lobbies, bathrooms, elevator cabs and multi-tenanted corridors,which each have tremendous impact on tenant satisfaction and comfort.

With additional contributions come greater responsibilities. Architects must not only understand design and finish issues, but also expand their traditional areas of expertise to make sure their designs accommodate technical subjects such as hvac, equipment rooms, risers rooms for both power and communications, security, emergency generators and other equipment/disciplines. The ability to insure that important technology can be incorporated within an existing property is a compelling service architects provide when a project is undergoing total renovation or tenant construction.

Architects also preserve the uniformity of the design of a space, as well as its function while complying with the american's with disability act. The architect makes sure all codes are adhered to, without disrupting the efficiency of the space, and incorporates it into the natural design of the interiors.

In another modem development, today's architect makes significant contributions to ownership's leasing and tenant retention campaigns - involving construction and the delivery of building services - through the sophisticated employment of computer aided design and drafting (CADD). As the building architect in a number of different properties, including 100 wall street, one chase manhattan plaza and 1180 Avenue of the Americas, we have found that cadd helps owners, brokers and tenants understand their property's existing dimensions and layout - as well as the potential it holds for future growth and design needs.

We are able to help ownership anti leasing agents visualize accurate usable and effective square footage. CADD also enables the tenant and building teams to plan different schemes for accessing building services, communications and other building systems. In many ways, cadd has become a building amenity in its own right, and the architect's willingness to help tenants better understand their space through the use of cadd planning is a very important building service.