You’ve Searched, “Modern Architect Near Me”, Now What?
You’re starting the planning for a new home, and you know you want to work with an architect so you go to Google and type in “Modern Architect Near Me”, to come to find an overwhelming number of architects In your area. How do you choose? What is the process for narrowing the search down? I will walk you through the process I would recommend as an architect on how I would go about selecting an architect.
Narrow Your Search
First, you can be more specific in your search. Would you like a modern home? Then be sure your search for, “Modern Architect Near Me” rather than “Architect near me”. Modern is a niche sector of architecture and it can narrow your search. The “near me” search typically searches a pretty wide area, sometimes within your entire zip code, so you can narrow that down by typing a specific area. For instance Kiawah Island, SC has a very specific set of guidelines within the Kiawah ARB to follow and you may want to work with an architect that has experience there, so you would type, “Kiawah Island Architects”
1. Do you like what you see?
Take a look at the images they have shown, do you see aspects you like about them? Look for the quality of space, and light and how they approach the connection to the context. Also, look for the aesthetic appeal of the website, have they presented their work in a clear cohesive manner? It can be a reflection of their presentation style and can give you an impression of what you may see when they would present a design to you.
2. Do they speak to you?
Does it feel as if they are speaking to you in their branding and messaging throughout their website? Do you share their mission? Do you share their priorities in design? How have they differentiated themselves? At Habitable Form, we design modern homes nestled in nature, we collaborate with you to design a home unique to you and your site. Does this seem like you and your site?
3. Do you feel a connection?
Go to the “about” section and read the bios of the lead architect and team. Do you find any common interests? Do their values as an architect align with what you would like for your project? What type of recognition do they have? Have they been published and received awards for the quality of their work? Read the referrals and see what their clients have to say about their experience working with them. Where did the clients see value? Sometimes how the architect sees themselves and how the client sees them can be two different things.
How do I find a Modern Architect Near me?
So you’ve narrowed it down to a few candidates that fit the above criteria, the next step is to reach out and arrange for a time to speak with the architect so you may get a sense if they are someone you would like to work with. It is a long and very personal process in designing your home, and you want to be sure that they are someone you trust and feel you can confide in. The more you can open up to the architect in the process of design, the better home you will have because if you have the right architect, they will personalize the home to you.
Ask the architect how soon they get into design with you. If you know you want a highly personal home, that suits your site then you would want to hear that they take a lengthy process to get to know you and your family’s needs as well as the constraints of the site before they begin to design. If you would like to work with us on your new home design please reach out for a conversation!
