Your first meeting with an architect is an opportunity to explore ideas and decide whether you want to work with a particular firm, while giving the designer a chance to develop a vision for your project. While you don’t need to bring in a fully flesh-out vision for your building, having some information about your company and parameters can help the architect develop a concept you’ll love. Below are a few tips for getting the most out of this important meeting.

How to Plan for Meeting an Architect

Explain Who You Are

Understanding who you are as a company and the image you wish to project is crucial for creating a winning design. Before your meeting, prepare some bullet points about your company as a whole, including your branding and the purpose of the project. Are you a startup tech company with a younger workforce, or are you planning an upscale retail space tailored to high-end buyers?

Gather Your Own Concepts

Each architect has their unique style and approach to design, but your own ideas can serve as a crucial jumping-off point. Even some photos of other spaces you love or sketches of possible floor plans will give an architect a place to begin working out a proposal tailored to your needs.

Set a Budget

Every construction project is shaped to some extent by the available resources, so it helps to have some idea of the budget before your first meeting. If your initial design costs more than you estimated, you can always adjust the numbers or modify the building plans.