It’s frustrating when design consultants don’t deliver the desired results for your multifamily development project. When misunderstandings are frequent and it feels like your project vision is getting away from you, take a moment to reflect on the design process of your rooftop and outdoor amenities.

Does the firm you are collaborating with have a clear process? Have they set aside time and made the effort to get to the core of what you want for your project? Or, are you just racing through design, hoping it will turn out the way you expect in the end?

Most of the time, these problems arise because of a lack of a strong foundation and a misalignment around ideas and values. Because designing amenities is so exciting, everyone is anxious to begin that phase. But when you jump ahead and neglect project discovery you’ll end up with inferior results.

Don’t Skip the Discovery Phase for Your Rooftop or Outdoor Amenities

The stakes are high at the onset of a project. For the next several months you will be pouring time, effort, and money into the design and development of your vision. Just as you would perform feasibility studies, market research, and due diligence before buying the land, you should be reaching an understanding on design direction before moving forward with design services. 

So before you dive right into design ideas, there are important questions that need to be asked and answered. Each project is different and requires a customized approach. Your design solutions can’t be based on aesthetics or personal preferences alone. They need to be rooted in success metrics we establish during the discovery phase.

What’s Involved in the Discovery Phase?

We’ve talked about how important discovery is to the overall success of your rooftop and outdoor amenities. But what does this phase look like in practice? Here’s how we ensure we’re in perfect lockstep with your vision and goals. 

The Mind Meld

At Loft Six Four we have curated a fun, easy, and proven process to achieve the results you need. We refer to the foundation level of that process as “Mind Meld.”

The name is a reference to the Star Trek franchise where Vulcans like Mr. Spock share a telepathic link. This link, called a Mind Meld, allows participants to become one mind. And that’s what we hope to achieve with every project we take on. 

The purpose of the Mind Meld is to set a strong foundation and deepen rapport with you. It forms appropriate alignment on values for the project and our strategic relationship moving forward. The more you share with us about your expectations for your project, the better we can create the designs that create the successful results you’ve been dreaming about. 

What We Do Together

We get it. As an architect or developer, you have a lot on your plate. The last thing you want is another set of time-consuming meetings to eat up your schedule. 

That’s why we have tailored the discovery level of our process to maximize value while minimizing the cost to you. The Mind Meld offers the highest value to you with the lowest investment because we know how important it is for a successful project. 

During the Mind Meld our team does all the heavy lifting. All you need to do is carve out some time for a quick value conversation. We’ll want to know things like:

• What is your current situation?
• What is your desired outcome?
• What are the main success metrics?
• What’s at stake?

Once we get the necessary strategic info from you, we’ll use it to set project goals and metrics for success that will bring about your desired outcome.

What You’ll Get from the Discovery Phase

To wrap up this phase, we’ll synthesize everything we’ve discovered about your project and deliver you The Purpose Package. This package is a brief guide that summarizes the most important aspects of your project to ensure it’s successful, with options for how to best engage with our team to achieve them.

With increased project clarity, greater confidence, and strategic design partners focused on your desired results, you’ll be ready to dive into the next step of the design process.

Let’s talk about how we can work together on your next project.

Editor’s Note: Originally published September 8, 2020. Updated February 9, 2023 with additional information.