“We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to lead the overall design and architecture of this impressive development,” explained Doug Carter, Principal, DCS Design. “From the start, our key goal was to create an architectural statement that would reinforce the positive changes already occurring in this neighborhood, coupled with a quality of design that reflects the high standards and traditions of the community.”

“We are very excited to be part of this team who is helping provide much-needed and attractive housing and amenities at both market rate and affordable price-points for people in our community,” continued Lena Scott, Principal. “It was a greatly coordinated effort between the owners, contractors, the city and the design team!”

Comprised of three buildings, West Alex includes 278 market rate housing units, 74 affordable dwellings, a 75,000 square foot Harris Teeter, 50,000 square feet of ground floor retail, and 60,000 square feet of office space. Future development at the site includes senior housing and additional office space. DCS Design is the architect for the three buildings and the interiors of The Array and The Nexus, the market-rate and affordable housing components.

The post West Alex <br>a new mixed-use development<br>in Alexandria appeared first on DCS Design.

In a picture-perfect world, all the design elements would be defined, approved, and remain relatively unchanged from the initial concept all throughout the completion of the project – a perfectly linear process from beginning to end. But in the world of architectural design, it rarely works out that way.

In fact, the whole process ends up looking more like a team race, one that can only be won by making sure all the participants make it to the finish line together. The tricky part is that more and more team members join the fray as the race continues, and every individual has to do their part to make sure the newly-combined group successfully reaches the shared goal together. This is why collaboration and teamwork are incredibly important skills in our day-to-day work.

Making the Puzzle Pieces Fit

Good design rarely happens in a vacuum. Quite the opposite! The success of any design firm (as well as the success of its partners) is contingent on merging a myriad of design ideas, concepts, and objectives from different groups in a way that ultimately aligns with a client’s vision. The challenge is oftentimes, the design is determined well before branding, creating additional costs and scheduling setbacks for everyone.

Whereas the architectural design team is involved from the very beginning of the project, branding agencies oftentimes come in at later stages in the design process. This lapse of coordination can greatly affect the architectural design, which at this stage is well established, resulting in the teams having to scramble to align the design with the brand.

Consider the common situation in which the colors of a space suddenly need to be changed to align with the newly-approved brand style guide as the space is ready to begin the construction phase. Or a new logo has been developed which could affect the entire design theme. Or a building has been designed to create a specific presence and attract a certain tenant or resident demographic – and then the building is named something to the contrary. In these instances, speed and decisive action are of the absolute essence if both architectural design and branding teams want to avoid serious setbacks for their clients.

Our Solution

In considering these all-too-common instances, wouldn’t it make sense if the brand was being developed along-side of the design? And by team members who have access to the same information…and to each other?

As a solution, we have created DCS Elevation, our in-house branding division. During the Visioning and Discovery process, the architectural and branding teams work together to gather and share information critical to both aspects of the process. The DCS Elevation team then develops the brand identity, messaging, and appropriate brand components, and works closely with the design team to ensure all are incorporated into the architectural design.

By providing a single-firm approach to both these vital design components, we can save our clients time and money while creating a more unified project approach. Most importantly, we create award-winning designs which showcase our clients’ unique brand to achieve their goals.

Races can be challenging, but the finish line is most attainable when running a well-orchestrated relay – and being handed the baton by someone who’s worked beside you the entire way.

The post Successfully Integrating Branding With Architectural Design appeared first on DCS Design.