Thoughtful Planning
Habeeb & Associates Architects starts every planning project by working with you, our client, to understand the community, shared heritage, and aspirations. Building owners sometimes wrestle with the challenge of incorporating tradition with the need for modern, technologically advanced facilities. In order to gain the utmost understanding of your needs, we immerse ourselves in the community. Only then can we design a long-term plan that reflects the collective ideals of all stakeholders.
Planning provides the opportunity to reflect on history and heritage, to assess current conditions and needs, and to create a vision
to prepare for
the future.
-Steven Habeeb,
H&A President
Studies & Assessments
H&A's investigative techniques coupled with our staff experience empower us to discover the cause of complex building failures, develop cost-effective remedies, and predict future capital requirements. Since the firm's inception in 1998, we have conducted hundreds of studies. The three most frequent types are outlined below.
Facilities Condition Assessment
Facilities Condition Assessment
A wide range of clients request our help with Facilities Condition Assessments (FCA), also known as Capital Asset Assessments, or Physical Conditions Assessments. However termed, it examines the existing conditions of a building(s) and is used to determine the prioritized scope of work needed to maintain current and future operations. Although we tailor studies to client specifications, a typical FCA covers five main areas: 1) Site, 2) Building Envelope, 3) Building Interiors, 4) Mechanical, Plumbing, & Fire Protection, and 5) Electrical.
Many clients use our findings and related cost estimates to develop a short or long term plan for maintaining their building.
Educational Adequacy Assessment
Educational Adequacy Assessment
An Educational Adequacy Assessment is used to evaluate how effectively the given space meets the programmatic needs of the school. Encompassing a variety of educational factors such as teaching methods, enrollment projections, and space needs, H&A is able to develop recommendations that offer solutions to ensure the long-term viability of the school.
Feasibility Study
Feasibility Study
A Feasibility Study is used to determine if the desired scope of work can be accomplished within a given budget. Entirely dependent on the client's needs, some examples of this type of study include evaluating the development potential of a number of sites, determining whether a new building or a renovation is more optimal, and/or the possibility of an adaptive reuse of a building. H&A establishes a preliminary design and provides a data-filled report that proposes various alternatives so our clients can make informed decisions.
Master Planning
The all-encompassing Master Planning process takes many of the studies outlined above into account. The Facilities Condition, Educational Adequacy and Feasibility each play a part in determining a preferred course of action.
When crafting a Master Plan, H&A believes the best outcomes result from working closely with all stakeholders. We conduct interactive visioning sessions with the community, numerous staff interviews, and surveys of principals, department heads, student and faculty representatives, and maintenance staff. Each of these groups offer the diverse points of view needed to devise a comprehensive road map that stems from the mission, culture, and goals of the owner.
H&A works diligently to turn concepts into reality. We generate 3D designs and visuals using the latest rendering software, building information modeling (BIM) technology, and even our drone. By illustrating ideas in this way, they are easier to comprehend yet remain cost-efficient for our clients.
Concepts turned into Designs
