A modern revisioning of the Master Builder model

Michelangelo Buonarroti was one. So was Filippo Brunelleschi. Like most of their renaissance-era contemporaries, they defined themselves as Master Builders – visionaries who not only designed the greatest buildings of their day, but who also managed every aspect of the construction.

Over the centuries, that traditional architect’s role has narrowed. After the completion of the design phase, today’s architects typically hand the drawings over to the general contractor and limit their involvement to consultation and interpretation of the drawings. And that approach has worked well enough over the years. But as the technology of design has surged forward in recent years –from basic pencil-and-paper plans to finely detailed digital models – exciting opportunities have arisen for a revival of the Master Builder model. Architecttura has enthusiastically embraced that opportunity.

This office complex in Windsor, Ontario was designed and built by Architecttura using the principles of our Master Builder model.
Ongoing management and intelligent, preemptive upkeep are projected to provide the property owners significant long-term savings.

For the client, the advantages are huge. The Master Architect model seamlessly merges the architect’s, engineer’s and builder’s roles into a single, cohesive process. Whereas, in the (recent) past, these roles were performed as “silo” tasks, the Master Architect model now weaves them together as interlaced components of a single, focused effort. This ensures that the original design intent is understood and applied in every phase of the project, from initial concept through to the final built form. It fundamentally eliminates the possibility of conflicting views, standards, applications and executions while placing responsibility for the entire project in the hands of the professionals who most intimately know and understand the project.

Moreover, it allows us to manage the process, and our clients’ interests, throughout the process and beyond. This overview extends the term of professional representation to the entirety of the building’s life cycle – informing long-term update plans and managing ongoing economic factors. For many clients, this long-term commitment to the value and viability of the building makes the Master Architect model a welcome new approach.

If you want to know more about our Master Architect model and how it boost the long-term economics of your building project, please contact us. We’d be happy to discuss this and other ways in which we’re building intelligence into everything we do. Meantime, stay tuned for more. And please join us in celebrating our milestone 25th year of service.