By Whitney Van Dean, AIA, LEED AP, CFI Workspace
A lot goes into achieving a beautiful, comfortable, welcoming workspace that supports an organization’s culture. No one knows that more than the A+D community and project managers who make it happen. As workplaces continue to evolve in this return-to-work environment, so too has the role of furniture dealerships. Today, dealer partners have become an invaluable, collaborative resource providing product and finish selection, budgeting, phasing, and logistics planning.
A key service focuses on working side-by-side with A+D and project managers helping them earlier in the project and perfecting the finest of details. Looking back to my 20 years as an interior architect and project manager, I recognize the challenges faced with each new project and find there are some constants.
Never enough time
I remember the days of selecting fabrics, browsing countless chairs and tables, searching out the right accents, and sometimes selecting wall art. Today, architects and designers don’t have enough time in their day. This is why I’m asked to help and take on many of these time-consuming tasks.
To support their A+D partners, dealers interpret the designs in order to develop complete furniture packages. This includes space planning, specifying products and finishes, providing 3D visualizations of the space, and budgeting. By taking these tasks off their plates, our partner firms can focus on the architectural details, which are countless.
Bringing designs to life
To answer the many design questions that come up during each project, the use of 3D visualization tools such as CET Design help streamline the decision-making process. By presenting variations of designs onscreen, client teams can see a complete furniture package that showcases the designer’s vision. Colors, sizes, and configurations can be changed within the interactive tool and rendered in real time for buy-in.
From there, a validation package, including image galleries of final selections and pricing, is created. This reduces errors and translates to detailed furniture coordination drawings for project installation.
Understanding the space
It is not enough to simply know the measurements and make the right selections. It becomes a matter of integration – taking the well-designed drawings, creative vision and space itself, then making sure what is on paper or screen will translate into a comfortable and thriving workspace.
Personally, I love walking though job sites. As an architect, I’m always looking at how furniture integrates and reinforces the architectural elements and details within the space. Having someone who understands the constraints and possibilities is helpful in providing A+D teams with the best possible solutions.
These are only three of the many ways furniture dealers help A+D and project management teams regularly.
However, if I was to provide one overriding takeaway, I’d say that companies like CFI are invaluable resources.
Partnering with a dealer representative that understands the challenges facing A+D teams and has “walked in their shoes” can prove invaluable. The results show it.
Whitney Van Dean, AIA, LEED AP is an account executive at CFI Workspace. Whitney is a registered architect with over 25 years of professional interiors experience including corporate furniture and design. She regularly works with clients on regional, national and international projects.
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