What does it mean that you're a 'Design-Build' Studio?

What exactly is a Design-Build studio?

We are! A Design-Build studio is a mash-up of designers, artists, creatives, fabricators, and builders who help design the project, manage its construction, directly build parts (or all) of it, and hire other professionals as required to complete the Project.

So what can you really do?

We can design and build anything at the drop of a hat, but we mostly focus on sustainable interiors, custom furniture, creative elements, and we're getting into buildings. We've got a lot of experience with creating spaces, environments, buildings, permits, drawings, pieces, products, and custom fabrications that are unique yet affordable, interesting, and productive.

So you guys can make just about anything?

Almost anything. And for the things we can’t make in-house, we pull in other creative folks from our vast series of local contacts. From whole buildings to creative offices to single pieces of furniture to twenty-foot-long beanbag tentacle couches, we get great stuff designed and made on time and on budget.

What sort of clients do you work with most the time?

People just like you! Our clients tend to be other businesses or people needing a new office space, creative environment, promotional pieces, prototypes, or custom fabricated elements. We've done a few interiors for private homes and designed a house or two as well. We've also got a line of products for sale on our online store. And sometimes we're hired by other designers to help them with the realization and fabrication of their big ideas. We love to collaborate with others, and just think of what we could design and make for you!

What are you really trying to do as a company?

Our goal is to make great things happen. It’s to create truly inspiring, awesome, and creative spaces, buildings, furniture, and products. We’re trying hard to make the world a more interesting, better designed, more productive, more sustainable, and overall better place. Really.

How does Because We Can differ from a typical Architecture or Interior Design firm?

We contrast to a typical Architecture or Interior Design firm in that they usually only handle the design and maybe oversee the construction of a project. An Architect won't be able to directly produce the custom creative elements themselves, instead having to rely on others to do so, raising the cost of the project and limiting how creative they really can be. They also won't have as much of a connection to the actual construction of the project, giving them less control over the final results and costs. While we’re not Architects (yet), we do work very well with them when they are needed for a project by enabling them to deliver better work in less time than they could before. We do that by consulting with them on the details of fabrication, sharing our drawings and models directly with them, and by collaborating with them to make our clients happy.

How does Because We Can differ from a typical construction firm or Contractor?

We also contrast with a typical Contractor which usually only handles the construction of the project. A contractor won't want to take on the risk of doing something more creative, as that can create unknown challenges and be a difficult project to bid. Most Contractors also don't have access to the technology we do, making it expensive and difficult for them to build anything custom and complex. And while we're not contractors, we work very well with them when they are needed for a project, enabling them to deliver much more than they typically could before. We do that by giving them clear, concise and accurate drawings, ready made CNC-cut templates and parts to aid their work, and via our information-rich Building Information Models.

So you're like peanut butter and chocolate together?

As a Design-Build studio we feel that we can provide the best of both the design and the construction worlds, while minimizing the downsides of each. Because we design and build the project ourselves, it allows us to break the Project into smaller 'chunks' which can happen in parallel to each other. This allows for your project to happen much faster, as well as giving more control over the budget and schedule. Having the project in small, incremental phases keeps you in the loop about where your money is going, when the project will be done, and generally gives you more control. It also lets us split out the more specialized portions of the work to be handled by the necessary certified professionals. This saves the budget from being eaten up too quickly, thus allowing your dream project to be a reality.

What is the source of Because We Can's super-powers?

What truly makes us different are these five things:

1. Agile Management and Process. In the end it's really all about people, not tools or technology. We use modern management ideas borrowed from the agile software development and lean manufacturing worlds to quickly deliver on the challenges our projects bring to us. This allows us to get the most from our teams, and to move fast on many issues at the same time, while keeping the clients involved, in control, and informed at every step of the project.
2. Building Information Modeling and Integrated Practice. A major part of any project is managing all the information therein. We use the latest in Building Information Modeling applications along with project Wikis and online document management systems to increase efficiency, reduce errors, and encourage tight communication within the team. This allows us to welcome changes, move quickly while keeping everyone together, and it allows our clients to know exactly where things are and what's going on within their Projects at any time.
3. Automated fabrication and mass customization. While we might not have flying cars and jet packs in the 21st century, we do have big robots that make things. We use computer automated tools to directly produce parts for the project right from the same design files we're using to generate the presentation, shop, and contract drawings. This automation reduces the price of custom work into the range of more typical mass produced work while retaining all of the design intent and creativity. This allows us to deliver totally unique and wildly creative projects yet keep to accessible budgets.
4. Sustainable materials and building practices. Building something always means something else is destroyed. We're in it for the long haul, so we focus on using sustainable, recycled, and/or local materials and labor. We don't want to work with toxic materials or in a bad environment and our clients shouldn't have to live with such things either. We also try to make our projects in the most efficient way possible, and make them to be as effective as possible, so that they will last a long time and be gentle to our world.
5. Open business and financial reporting. Projects cost money and time. We've got nothing to hide. Our business model, plans, schedules, and even financial reports are open for any to review. We feel that this builds trust with our clients, collaborators, and employees while contributing to our industry.

Why should I hire Because We Can?

All of this together saves time and money and also lets us deliver completely unique projects with many custom elements that fit your needs better. Projects that make you or your business more happy and productive, and directly incorporates your ideas, while maintaining affordable and reasonable budgets. Also, we're a lot of fun to work with. Just ask our clients!