05.05.2020
Building, design, and construction processes are quite challenging, sophisticated, and complicated. Schedule for the design process may be quite tight and the hours that can be spent on design are not unlimited! Therefore, it is important that each party keeps focus on the most important and essential issues to avoid getting lost in the myriad of technical solutions that require special technical expertise.
Architects have the leading role in the building design. There is a higher requirement for a holistic approach compared to the other designers and engineers, who of course need to have deep specialist knowledge of their own field. The architect is supposed to have a clear vision of the building. The task is to create a pleasant and well-functioning environment for the people who will live or work or spend time in the building. And at the same time, the building will not only be there for the client and users. As part of our living and working environment it will be for all of us, reflecting the level of our civilization. What an inspiring and demanding challenge for a profession!
If architects had no vision, and only practical knowledge of design requirements and building industry restrictions, something decent and safe can be expected, but not much in the way of architectural development, inspiring end results, or beauty that lasts for decades and centuries. But then again, if the architectural vision is there, but there is lack of understanding of client needs, insufficient knowledge of basic engineering, and economic factors, the situation is not great either. Depending on what is lacking, the client may walk away, or the architect may lose control of the design process to engineers, contractors and other parties of the design and building process.
In order to stay focused and to ensure the best overall result, architects need to rely on the expertise of designers, engineers etc. But as the building industry changes and more advanced product solutions become available for different building parts, architects have to collaborate with more professional services in order to take advantage of their expertise. Below I will explain how we at Lumon see our role and mission in the design process and how we can help the architect in the design of balcony glazing and balcony balustrade.
Technical Design of Glazed Balconies in Co-operation with Lumon Professional Sales Team
For us at Lumon, communication with architects is very important and valuable. And it’s always a two-way track. Working on an individual project is typically an interactive, iterative process, where ideas and technical possibilities are exchanged back and forth to find the best solution: aesthetically, technically and economically. In the bigger perspective, this communication helps us at Lumon better understand the needs and wishes of architects. This is vitally important to us and it helps us realize where we should put our efforts when creating new technical product solutions for the balcony facade solutions of the future.
Local and global Lumon websites include a lot of useful information from various benefits of glazed balconies to reference library of various projects and an online planning guide. On our website you can find and download Lumon product library (ProdLib application) that includes all relevant information, technical folders of Lumon products, planning guide for balcony façade, drawings, Lumon GDL-object for ArchiCAD users, numerous test results and more. It’s a very useful and it’s available for you. You can access it and have it updated whenever needed. For Revit users, I would recommend downloading the ProdLib application and then picking up and downloading the Lumon product library that is available there.
Although online tools are valuable and handy, it often that discussions and meetings (offline or online) between an architect and a balcony façade specialist, like us at Lumon, are most effective in clarifying many issues and possibly open new ideas for the project. Expressing the needs, asking the questions, sketching proposals, and sharing information is a great way of finding the best solutions. That’s why Lumon professional sales teams will always be at your service.
