Concept design

Concept design generally takes place after feasibility studies and options appraisals have been carried out and a project brief has been prepared. The concept design represents the design team’s initial response to the project brief. Some designers will differentiate between ‘concept design’ and ‘scheme design’. In this case, the ‘concept’ is the initial design idea, whereas the ‘scheme’ develops the concept, taking on board more functional and practical considerations. Most project plans have now combined these two steps into the single stage ‘concept design’, or ‘concept’. Concept design is followed by ‘detailed design’ or ‘developed design’ during which all the main components of the building and how they fit together.

Scheme Design

One of the outputs of the concept design stage is to produce a report which records the design concepts for major aspects of the project that might be worth developing as detailed designs. The report also identifies instructions required from the client.

Detailed Design

Detailed design is sometimes referred to as ‘developed design’ or ‘definition’. It is the process of taking on and developing the approved concept design. By the end of the detailed design process, the design should dimensionally correct and co-ordinated, describing all the main components of the building and how they fit together. However, technical aspects of the design may require further development, design by specialists may not yet have been fully incorporated into the design and it will not have been packaged for tender. Detailed design should provide sufficient information for applications for statutory approval to be made.

Specification

Specifications describe the materials and workmanship required for a development. They do not include cost, quantity or drawn information, and so need to be read alongside other information such as quantities, schedules and drawings.