Design Process
At Coburn, we don’t have a preconceived design style or solution type that we force on to each project. We allow the design to develop out of the client, the context the project constraints, making it inspired, efficient, and unique. We understand that this is a radical departure from the way other experiences that out clients may have had, and we embrace that difference. We have found that the greatest design is not completed by one person working in a vacuum but rather are achieved by a team of invested parties working together to address all aspects of a solution simultaneously.
While each job in our office has a single point of responsibility in the form of a design principal that is the project leader and manager, all of our personnel have the opportunity to contribute to all the projects in our office.
We find this removes any trace of the selfish ego that is often found in architectural forms, and replaces it with creativity, teamwork, and a devotion to the good of the project. One of the tools we have used and refined over the past two decades is the concept of the design charrette. This intensive design session brings representatives from all aspects of the project including design, costing, project approval, entitlement, constructability, end users, sustainability, and others together for a work session to design the project from the ground up as a cohesive unit. This session can last anywhere from two hours to five days depending on the scale of the project. Regardless of the length, the result is the same; by conceptualizing the project with all concerns incorporated at the outset, we drastically reduced the number of surprises, additions, and cost overruns later in the job, and the diversity of opinions result in a stronger, more considered and better final design product. We have used this model to successfully design a host of projects throughout the Front Range and beyond.
We Create
Great PlacesOur singular design approach allows concepts to arise from the site context, the program and the client’s vision, affording unique solutions for every project. Our designs draw consistent praise from clients, municipalities, and end users in large part because they are place-based – responding directly to the immediate context and environment.
With nearly 30 years of experience working directly with Coburn’s in-house construction department, our architects and planners have assembled a knowledge base usually reserved for contractors and construction consultants. This results in an integrated approach, wherein the considerations of budget and constructability are incorporated into the project at its inception, creating a more cost- and time-efficient result without compromising the design. Our in-house Planning and Sustainability Services further this concept, allowing us to take an integrated approach for all aspects of each project from the outset.
Coburn has gained a reputation as an exceptional architecture and planning firm due to our marriage of relentless creativity, diverse experience base, and dedication to satisfying the full set of project criteria from the outset. We have developed a design process and team that defies conventional classification and enables us to create inspiring and practical solutions for any type of project in any type of location.