Multi-architect design Collaboration on Integrated Urban Complex Development in the Netherlands
by Rizal Sebastian
J. of Design Research (JDR), Vol. 3, No. 1, 2003

Abstract: Contemporary large multifunction urban project involves a whole design team that consists of multiple international architects next to multidisciplinary building specialists and multi-organisational stakeholders. Within the design process of such multi-architect projects, the level of complexity is very high due to the complicated functionality requirements; the jurisdictional, political, social, and economical constraints; the involvement of a large number of participants –including public-private partnerships– with often conflicting values; and the high ambition toward top architectural quality. Respectively, conventional project management is inadequate and hence a coherent and unambiguous design management approach is demanded. The purpose of this paper is, therefore, to refer to both theory and practice in preparing a framework for architectural design management in order to be applied in multi-architect projects. This paper studies the collaboration within the design process of two recent projects in The Netherlands. It discusses the objectives and potentials of the projects and analyses the actual problems. The first case is an urban renewal project in the heart of The Hague, a historical city where the central government of The Netherlands is located. The integrated urban complex, which is named The Resident, has been completed early this year. The second case is the new city-centre of Almere, a polder city that is currently expanding in response to its rapid growth. The ongoing development is unique compared to any other city in The Netherlands because it intends to build a completely new, large-scaled, and integrated urban complex within the existing city-centre. In both projects, many well-known architects have collaboratively shaped the master plans and the building designs. Having analysed the case studies, this paper finds that the projects are strongly characterised by their uniqueness and dynamics, which multiply the degree of complexity and make the projects difficult to be compared to any references. However, since top designers and specialists are involved, the design group contains a collection of high quality tacit knowledge. Intensive social processes significantly influence the design and the exploration of the tacit knowledge. Respectively, this paper argues that the architectural design management has to encourage the reflection-in-action by the design group to clarify and solve the complex problem sets. Respectively, socio-psychological approach has to be implemented to manage the organisational reflection-in-action and to optimise the collective creativity through social interaction between the design actors.

Online publication date: Wed, 10-Aug-2005

The full text of this article is only available to individual subscribers or to users at subscribing institutions.

 
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.

Pay per view:
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.

Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the J. of Design Research (JDR):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:

Username:        Password:          Forgotten your password?

Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.

If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com