I’m always amazed at the relationship between For Impact Organizations with large building initiatives and their architects/designers/master planners.
Nick and I are working closely with five or six of these situations right now. The biggest lesson we try to communicate is that the ARCHITECT/DESIGNER/MASTER PLANNERS work for you… not the other way around!
What does this mean? It means you’re in charge. It’s your project. Be an entrepreneur. Don’t get railroaded into spending 3x (3 times) the dollars for a 2x (2 times) the space… when 1x (1 time) the need is the right answer!
There has to be some oversight. There has to be some thinking. There has to be some guidance given. There has to be some match to constituent CAPACITY.
At a meeting Monday night, a really smart board member who also happens to be a real estate developer with national projects, made the point that real estate and building decisions come down to these 3 things.
1. PRIORITIES
2. SCOPE
3. COST
Figure out how you can apply those 3 things when you’re having a “serious conversation” with your architects and designers.
Special, Special, Special Note:
I’m watching organizations spend hundreds of thousands of dollars and many months/years for the “BUILDING” PLAN & MODEL… and (relatively) NOTHING (time or money) for the corresponding FUNDING PLAN & MODEL.
It sure seems like these two things are connected and should have ‘equal’ weight, but maybe that’s just me.
