by Kate Walde Bauer, IIDA, NCIDQ

Why hire a design specialist? Why go to an orthodontist for braces? There are as many specialties within design as there are specialties within dentistry. If patients need a check-up or cleaning, they go to their general dentist, and if they need braces, they go to their orthodontist. The same applies to the field of design.

If clients need a building planned and designed from the ground up, they hire an architect, who designs from the outside in. If clients need an interior space designed for their orthodontic office, they call their orthodontic interior design specialist, who designs specifically for the way they practice. Interior architects and interior designers enhance the function and quality of interior space and design from the inside out.

The goal of hiring an orthodontic design specialist is to enhance your office functionally and aesthetically. An orthodontic design specialist can also help you establish your project type and budget. Having your design specialist design and manage your project will, in the long run, save you time and money, as they are experts in the way you work and in the overall design process.

Specialties Within Design

Commercial and residential interiors are the two main categories under the interior design “umbrella,” and both have very different focuses. Commercial spaces abide by stricter code restrictions and regulations, use high-performance materials, and are more intense in the overall design process. A commercial interior designer has the expertise to design within the constraints and code restrictions of a public, commercial space.

Within commercial design are a number of specialties, including hospitality, government, retail, education, and health care. Within the health care speciality are design professionals that specialize in orthodontic and dental offices. They are experts on design principles pertaining to health care offices, including traffic pattern and flow, high-performance materials, and spatial functions and adjacencies for your dental office design.

Product- or Custom-Driven Design?

When selecting an interior design specialist for your office, it is important to consider whether or not you wish to have a product-driven design or a “custom-driven” design.

While both design types accommodate different practice types, the “product-driven” design is typically designed around specific products and prefabricated cabinetry. This design service is typically provided by product manufacturers.

The custom-driven design is based on a program analysis and an extensive design process. The objectives and growth projections for the practice are weighed in the beginning research and programming stages to ensure a functional, creative, and cost-effective design result. This service is typically provided by independent design specialists.

2010-04 093511 2010-04 09-03Phases and Team Members

The design process will vary from project to project due to different project types, practice size, design complexity, budget, time constraints, and the cooperation of the client. There are numerous members of the design team including you, your staff, your landlord, a broker, an interior design specialist, an architect, a contractor, subcontractors, engineers, and manufacturer representatives.

Having your interior design specialist act as your consultant, designer, representative, and overall “go-to” person will save you time, headaches, and money throughout the duration of your project. It will also help keep your design process organized and focused on your creative vision.

The interior design process includes location research, program analysis, schematics, pricing exercises, and construction administration. The creative process focuses on the needs and resources of the practice. Here is a rundown of the phases of the process.

Phase A: Preplanning

Team Members: Client and Design Specialist

Most interior design experts offer preplanning consultation services that assist you in deciding whether you want to remodel your existing office or move to a new location. Your current space may or may not be the best fit for your practice’s needs or growth. Through pre-planning, the client and the design specialist evaluate the spatial needs for growth, if any, and determine the right direction for the practice. If you decide that your practice will relocate, your designer can work with your broker to create a series of “test-fit” plans, to test out generic orthodontic office layouts within the new spaces under consideration. Test-fit plans can also be a valuable tool in negotiating your lease or purchase agreement.

Preplanning consultation services can also assist the orthodontist in establishing a realistic budget and time line for construction. Establishing a budget early in the game is one of the most important decisions you can make, as it influences many decisions throughout the design process.

Phase 1: Program Analysis and Benchmarking

Team Members: Client and Design Specialist

If you have already established the location of the project and you simply want an office remodel, you and the interior design specialist can begin programming and benchmarking. During this phase, you discuss requirements for the project and the feasibility of meeting the requirements within the constraints of your budget and building.

In addition, the design specialist analyzes the structure and performance of your practice, and you make predictions about how you plan to practice in the future. Together, you identify problem areas and discuss the leading offices in the industry.

All of these factors contribute to establishing the appropriate square footages for your office functions, answering questions such as the size of the waiting room, the number of treatment chairs in the clinic, and how big the break room needs to be. This phase is a snapshot in time used to analyze the design-related areas of improvement and confirm the designer’s understanding of your requirements.

Phase 2 : Schematic Design

Team Members: Client and Interior Design Specialist

Once you have signed off on Phase 1, the design specialist creates floor plan diagrams to create preliminary space allocations and planning ideas. This helps communicate square footage and space assignments, layout, circulation, and “flow” pattern options within the parameters of the site, budget, and code requirements.

By seeing a diagram of the space, the client can determine what is most important for the overall design of the office. The design specialist also studies the design concept for the project, preliminary materials and color palettes, furnishings, and branding.

If you are happy with the current layout of your office but it seems a bit dated, you may want to consider an office “facelift.” A facelift is different from a remodel in the sense that construction and permitting are not involved. Walls, ceilings, plumbing, and lighting fixtures remain in their existing locations, but new finishes, furniture, fixtures, and equipment are introduced within the space. New artwork, signage, and branding principles can also be refreshed. An office facelift is a cost-effective solution that can enhance the look of your office and create a workplace that your employees and patients will love to experience.

Phase 3 : Design Development

Team Members: Client and Interior Design Specialist

In this phase, the approved schematic design work from Phase 2 is refined so that the scope, style, and size of the project are generally fixed. The updated drawings typically include extensive notes and details showing wall, ceiling, and flooring types; plumbing/electrical locations; a plumbing/electrical schedule; finish locations and schedule; and furniture, art, and signage locations. Interior elevations and cabinetry details are designed. Final material palettes and design ideas are approved, and the project is ready to move forward.

Phase 4 : Bidding

Team Members: Client, Interior Design Specialist, and Contractor

I recommend that the drawings from Phase 3 be distributed as a “pricing plan” to general contractors for bidding. The general contractors and subcontractors can use this plan to accurately price the project. Your interior design specialist can assist you with bid selection and interviewing as required for the job. Based upon pricing and interviews, you can determine your design priorities and move forward responsibly with the project at hand. Having a set of complete design-development drawings and one “go-to” design manager will save you from added costs, time, and headaches down the road.

Phase 5: Construction Documents

Team Members: Client, Interior Design Specialist, and Architect

Once you have approved bids and signed an agreement to move forward with the project, the architect creates the construction documents. This set of documents typically includes construction methods, details, and code review by the architect, as well as mechanical, electrical, and plumbing drawings by the respective engineers. This legal set of drawings organized by your design specialist is to be stamped and approved by the architects, engineers, and the city of jurisdiction. Your contractor will obtain all legal permits and approvals, and will build based on this last set of drawings.

Depending upon the proposal, the fees for construction documents may or may not be included at this time. Whether you decide to separately contract your architect or have their fees included within the overall interior design fees is totally dependent upon your preferences. Your design specialist should discuss your fee options with you earlier on in the project to avoid any hidden fees. Be sure to receive proposals from your design specialists that include “guaranteed maximum costs.” This way you can compare all of your design proposals “apples to apples.”

Phase 6: Construction Administration

Team Members: Client, Interior Design Specialist, Architect, and Contractor

At this time in the design process, your project is under construction and soon will be ready for completion!

Although the designing and permitting is complete, you will still need your entire design team on board to ensure a quality and well-organized project. The general contractor is responsible daily for the health, safety, and quality of construction for your project, as well as for managing the quality and delivery of services from the subcontractors. Your architect will frequent the site and coordinate with your contractor on the construction of your project. Your interior design specialist will also frequent the site and will approve samples and submittals for finishes and shop drawings. In addition, your design specialist determines amounts owed to the suppliers and contractors based upon observations and evaluation.

A Final Word

Every project is different, so the phases, designs, and budgets for each project will vary. The above description of the design process is an overview of what you might expect for a complete office remodel. Whether you are looking to relocate or redesign your existing office, your orthodontic interior design specialist should be there to smoothly guide you through the entire process. Your interior design specialist can help design and manage your project from start to finish so that the project is creative, organized, on time, and on budget.

KateBauer Kate Walde Bauer, IIDA, NCIDQ, is an interior architect and consultant in Edwardsville, Ill. She can be reached via katebauerdesign.net.