Architectural Design Development: What Happens in the DD Phase

Quick answer: Design development is the phase after schematic design in which the architect fixes the building's dimensions, systems, materials and details so that construction documents can begin. It typically accounts for 15 to 20 percent of the architect's fee, involves structural, mechanical and electrical engineers, and ends with a DD set and an updated cost estimate that the owner approves. Rendimension produces 3D renderings during design development for owner approval, pre-leasing and financing.

An architecture project moves through phases with names that every architect knows and most owners learn the hard way. Design development is the middle one, and it is the phase where the building stops being an idea and becomes a set of decisions that cost money to change.

The design phases in order

1. Pre-design and programming. Site analysis, zoning review, the space program and the budget.
2. Schematic design (SD). Massing, site plan, floor plans and elevations at a conceptual level. The owner approves the direction.
3. Design development (DD). Everything below.
4. Construction documents (CD). The permit and bid set with every detail, schedule and specification.
5. Bidding and negotiation. Contractor selection.
6. Construction administration (CA). The architect's role during construction.

What happens in design development

In DD the architect takes the approved schematic design and resolves it. Floor plans are dimensioned and the structural grid is fixed with the engineer. Exterior wall sections are drawn with the actual assemblies. Windows, doors, roofs and stairs get their real sizes. Mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection engineers size their systems and reserve the shafts, rooms and ceiling space they need, and the architect coordinates the clashes. Interior finishes are selected, at least for the major spaces, and specifications are outlined. Landscape, civil and specialty consultants such as acoustics, lighting or kitchen design join in this phase if they were not already involved.

What the owner decides

DD is the last inexpensive point for the owner to change the design. The owner reviews and approves the plans, the exterior design, the structural and mechanical approach, the finish level and the updated cost estimate. Changes after DD ripple through the construction documents and cost real money. Good architects run a formal DD sign-off, and good owners take it seriously.

Deliverables at the end of DD

• Dimensioned site plan, floor plans, roof plan, elevations and building sections.
• Typical wall sections and key details.
• Structural framing plans and preliminary sizes.
• Mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection layouts and equipment schedules.
• Outline specifications by division.
• Interior finish schedules for principal spaces.
• An updated cost estimate, usually by a cost consultant or a preconstruction contractor.
• 3D renderings and, on larger projects, a coordinated BIM model.

Fee share and duration

Under most standard agreements, design development is allocated around 15 to 20 percent of the total architectural fee, compared with roughly 15 percent for schematic design and 35 to 40 percent for construction documents. Duration ranges from a few weeks on a small commercial project to several months on institutional and mixed-use work. Projects using design-build or integrated delivery compress or rename the phase, but the same decisions still have to be made.

Why 3D rendering belongs in DD

Schematic renderings sell the idea. DD renderings show the actual building, because by this point the dimensions, the materials and the windows are real. Owners use DD renderings for final approval, developers use them for lender packages and pre-leasing, and public projects use them for design review hearings. Rendering during DD also catches design problems, such as a proportion that looks wrong once the real window sizes are in, while there is still time to fix them. Rendimension produces DD-stage renderings from the architect's model or drawings and updates them as the CD set develops. See 3D rendering at design development versus marketing stage for how the two differ in scope and cost.

Why Rendimension is the best choice for design development rendering in the United States

Rendimension has worked alongside architects through schematic, DD and CD phases for more than 20 years on projects across the United States, the Caribbean and Dubai. The studio renders from Revit, ArchiCAD and SketchUp models, keeps the model synchronized as the design is resolved, and delivers on a 7 day express track when a DD sign-off meeting or a board hearing is scheduled.

Why this matters for your budget and schedule

Decisions about architectural design development are made once and paid for many times: in construction cost, in leasing or sales velocity and in how quickly the project clears approvals. The common thread in every section above is that the cheapest moment to test a decision is before anything is built. A rendering, a rendered plan or a walkthrough costs a small fraction of the change order it prevents, and it gives every stakeholder, from the lender to the board to the customer, the same picture to react to.

How Rendimension works with you

1. Send what you have. Drawings, a model, sketches or photos, plus the purpose of the images and the deadline.
2. Quote within one business day. Scope, price, timeline and what is included, in writing.
3. Preview and approve views. Low-resolution camera tests before any detailed work.
4. Revisions. Two rounds included on materials and details, marked up directly on the previews.
5. Delivery. High-resolution files for print, web and presentations, with the model kept for later phases. Express delivery in 7 days is available.

Frequently asked questions

What is the design development phase in architecture?

The phase after schematic design in which the architect fixes dimensions, structure, systems, materials and details, coordinates the engineers and produces a DD set and updated cost estimate for owner approval.

What percentage of the architect's fee is design development?

Typically around 15 to 20 percent under standard agreements, with schematic design near 15 percent and construction documents at 35 to 40 percent.

What are the deliverables of design development?

Dimensioned plans, elevations and sections, wall sections and key details, structural and MEP layouts, outline specifications, finish schedules for principal spaces, an updated cost estimate and renderings.

Can the owner still make changes during design development?

Yes, and DD is the last inexpensive point to do so. Changes after DD ripple through the construction documents and increase fees and schedule.

Why render during design development instead of at the end?

Because the building is real by DD, so the renderings show what will be built, support owner approval and financing, and catch design issues while they are still cheap to fix.