Assembling A Collaborative Team - Other - Page 51
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The brief is used to capture client discussions and positively concludes
the WHY questions, allowing the project team to move forward confidently.
However, it may also impact on the WHO, WHAT, WHEN and HOW aspects
required to deliver the Project Objectives, and therefore the brief and its
relationship to other documents (many of which will be contractual in nature)
need careful consideration.
The three stages of the project brief
The project brief is a core project document during the initial project stages.
The RIBA Plan of Work 2013 envisages three stages of brief development with
the Final Project Brief being agreed at the end of Stage 2 in parallel with the
client’s agreement to the Concept Design. This does not mean that the brief
is necessarily ‘frozen’. It underlines the fact that change following the
commencement of Stage 3 can have significant cost implications (as outlined
on page 6) and therefore proposed changes to the brief, or indeed any change,
should be dealt with using a stringent change control process. The purposes of
the three briefing stages are outlined below.
Strategic Brief at Stage 0
The purpose of the Strategic Brief is straightforward: it should address the
client’s Business Case and Core Objectives. For example, is a new building
required? Would an alternative approach achieve the desired outcomes? Should
an existing building be extended or refurbished? Where a number of sites are
considered, which meets the strategic goals of the client best?
Initial Project Brief at Stage 1
The Initial Project Brief should begin to put more flesh onto the bones of the
Strategic Brief. It should consider specific spatial requirements, the desired
Project Outcomes, Sustainability Aspirations, Quality Objectives and the Project
Budget (see below). Depending on the nature of the project, it may contain very
precise and detailed information that may be contractual (for example, room
data sheets with environmental and other building services parameters).
Feasibility studies might be required to test the relationship between the site and
the core brief requirements to make sure that the brief is as robust as possible
prior to the commencement of the Concept Design stage.
The definition of Project Outcomes needs careful consideration, particularly if it
is intended that they become contractual requirements that will be measurable
on completion. When the client intends to use the information produced during
the design stages for the operation of the building, this fact must be included
in the brief to ensure that the developing design takes cognisance of any
such requirements.
www.ribaplanofwork.com
