10 Ways to Make Your Construction Project More Memorable

Step 1 – The first step in making a memorable construction project has to start off with the Client. Words of economic wisdom: “The Customer is King”. Those involved in the early stages of any construction project – Architects, designers, etc. – have to encourage the Client to actually want to go for something “memorable”!

Step 2. – Decide what “memorable” is actually going to mean and to whom! Is it to be an iconic building?  Is it to be something which fits into the existing visual amenities but enhances them? Is it to be pure function and speed of construction? The Client, the general public and the construction contract workers will all have different opinions as to what “memorable” actually means!

Step 3 – This assumes the decision has been made to go for something iconic. At the planning stage have a good look at the archives and find something to emulate. Events, styles and historic periods have all influenced the build of memorable construction projects. Which is going to go down best for this one?

Step 4 – Before any final decisions are made it is a good idea to consult with the local residents. They are going to have to live with it in their neighbourhood. If the proposals appeal to their aesthetic tastes then the building is far more likely to be considered memorable.

Step 5 – This next step is getting real high-brow! Shapes, colours and effects create emotional responses in people. To judge what these are is beyond my modest abilities but the Designers and Architects need to have conversations with the Client about it. Trouble is that all people aren’t alike and what some find makes them happy to see, others find to be an eyesore.

Step 6 – At last we are out on site! From the point of view of the construction team the first thing that makes a construction project more memorable is when the job has a leader who manages to get everyone involved working happily together as a Team.

Step 7 – Now if the people building the construction project are perplexed about what they are being asked to do you can bet on one of two reasons. First is that the project isn’t very memorable at all; mundane rubbish. The second is that the design concept is so good that they don’t actually know what they are doing until they have finished. When they have and they step back to look at it and say “Wow! Did we do that?” you know you have a memorable construction project!

Step 8 – Finish on time, to budget and to standards – in fact, finish early if you can!  Steps 6, 7 and 8 are what might make the construction project memorable to the men who built it. The test of that is whether they revisit it in the future to admire their work!

Step 9 – Here we are back to thinking of the people who live in the locality. Give them progression up-dates. These can be via social media, with web cams or time-lapsed films. If you are brave you could arrange site visits for the neighbours to have a look around to see what you are doing. If you are very brave you could even arrange a visit for the local kids!

Step 10 – Once the job is finished, make a spectacle of it! Commercial or industrial premises? Organise conducted tours and let people see what you have done. A new house? Welcome the new owners when they arrive to move in. A bottle of wine and a few cakes go down really well!