If you’re embarking on a construction project, choosing the right building design company is arguably one of the most critical decisions you’ll make. The design firm you select will have an immense impact on the aesthetics, functionality, operating costs, and overall success of your new building for years to come. Hire the wrong firm, and you may end up with a building that doesn’t fully meet your needs or align with your vision and preferences. No pressure, right?

When evaluating potential design partners, it’s tempting to focus on flashy portfolios and big reputations. But you need to look deeper than that. You want to have candid, probing conversations to truly understand each firm’s capabilities, experience, and approach. While every firm will put their best foot forward and showcase their most impressive credentials, your task is to dig beneath the surface. 

In this blog post, I’ll share the five most important questions in my opinion to ask when interviewing prospective building design firms. Learning the answers to these questions will give you tremendous insight into whether a given firm is the right fit. I’ll also suggest some bonus questions to round out your interview list. My goal is to equip you to make an informed hiring decision that leads to a smooth, successful design process and an incredible final building. Shall we get started?

Question 1: What is your design approach and philosophy?

A design firm’s underlying philosophy tells you a great deal about their values, perspectives, and ways of working. You want to find a firm whose approach aligns with your own goals, priorities and vision. Otherwise, you may end up with a finished building that misses the mark or feels foreign to you.

When discussing design philosophy, get into specifics like:

– Aesthetics – What architectural styles, features, and finishes does the firm gravitate toward? Do they prefer dramatic, signature buildings or understated, timeless structures? Is there a strong continuity in their work or does each project get a unique look?

– Functionality – Does the firm prioritize practicality and purpose or push the envelope on experimental designs? What’s their track record for delivering functional buildings optimized for their intended use?

– Sustainability – How much emphasis does the firm place on eco-friendly design and reducing environmental impact? Do they actively incorporate renewable energy, passive design, water conservation and so on?

– Cost Considerations – Does the firm aim for opulent luxury or prudent efficiency? What examples can they share of bringing projects in on or under budget?

– Creative Process – What does their design process look like day-to-day? Is it highly collaborative or more isolated? How much do they utilize the latest technologies like parametric modeling?

– Problem Solving – How do they approach complex design constraints and challenges? Are they excited by innovative problem solving? Can they share clever solutions from past projects?

– Client Relationships – What’s their philosophy on interacting with and serving clients? How much education do they provide? How transparent is their pricing?

Pay close attention to how the firm describes their philosophy. You want confidence they’ll translate your aspirations into reality, not just impose their own style and preferences.

Question 2: What types of buildings have you designed?

It’s crucial to understand a firm’s direct experience designing different types of buildings related to yours. A stunning portfolio doesn’t guarantee their designs will work well for your specific needs. 

Explore details like:

– Industries – What industries have they worked on projects for? Commercial offices, warehouses, retail stores, hospitals, multifamily housing, etc.? Is their specialty relevant to you?

– Scales – What sizes of buildings have they designed? 100,000 square foot office towers? Small boutique retail spaces? Massive stadiums? Do they have experience at the scale you’re contemplating?

– Uses – Have they designed buildings with similar functions to yours? Laboratories, data centers, flex industrial spaces, and so on? Specialized uses require specialized expertise.

– Locations – Does the firm have experience designing in your geographic area? Local climate, codes, labor pools, and supply chains impact the design.

– Budgets – What ranges of project budgets have they worked within? Does their experience cover projects of the cost scale you expect? Bigger budgets may require different design considerations.

– Past Projects – Can they share great case studies of successful buildings similar to yours in purpose and specifications? The closer the similarity, the better.

Ideally, you want a firm with extensive exposure designing buildings just like yours. Their past work will prove they can create an optimal design tailored to your needs. 

Question 3: How do you incorporate sustainability into your designs?

Nowadays, most clients prioritize sustainable design. An environmentally-friendly building provides ongoing cost savings and reduces ecological impact. Be sure to probe how prospective firms actively integrate green principles:

– Passive design – Do they optimize daylight, natural ventilation, shading and other passive techniques to cut energy use? Ask for examples of successful strategies they’ve employed.

– Water conservation – What tactics do they use to minimize water usage? Xeriscape landscaping, low-flow plumbing, rainwater harvesting, graywater systems, and more? 

– Energy efficiency – How do they design highly efficient building envelopes, HVAC, lighting, and other systems? Do they target ENERGY STAR ratings and net zero energy?

– Renewables – Do they often incorporate solar PV systems, geothermal wells, wind turbines, etc. to generate energy onsite? How do they determine feasibility?

– Materials selection – What is their process for selecting sustainable building materials? Do they prioritize durability, recycled content, non-toxicity, and local sourcing?

– Waste reduction – How do they design to reduce waste in construction and operation? Design optimization, prefabrication, onsite recycling facilities, and more?

– Certifications – What green building certifications have they completed? LEED, Passive House, Living Building Challenge? How committed are they to certification?

Take note if the firm seems lukewarm about sustainability or doesn’t showcase much experience with environmental design. A building with green DNA will save money and resources for decades to come.

Question 4: What is your process for collaborating with clients?

Since designing a building involves countless decisions, close collaboration between designer and client is crucial. Before hiring a firm, ensure their process enables productive teamwork.

Look into details like:

– Visioning – Do they have a structured process for helping clients clarify their vision, goals and priorities? How do they capture your aspirations?

– Communication – What methods and frequency of communication will they provide throughout the design process? How responsive are they? 

– Education – Will they take time to explain design concepts and engineering principles to help you make informed decisions?

– Feedback – When and how can you provide design feedback? How open are they to new ideas and changes mid-stream? How quickly can they iterate?

– Participation – At what key points in the process can you actively participate in design decisions? How will they facilitate collaborative choices? 

– Pricing Transparency – How transparent is their pricing? Will they explain costs and keep you updated on budget impacts of design decisions?

– Problem Solving – Will they actively involve you in evaluating design challenges and exploring creative solutions?

You want confidence in a smooth, educational working relationship. Verify they won’t simply present you with finished designs, but collaborate all along the way.

Question 5: How do you stay current on the latest design trends and innovations? 

The world of building design evolves at an astounding pace. You want a partner who actively educates themselves on the newest technologies, materials, codes and best practices. 

Ask about things like:

– Continuing Education – Do they require employees to pursue ongoing learning? Do they incentivize conferences, courses, certifications?

– Professional Engagement – Are they actively involved with leading industry organizations like the AIA to help advance the field?

– Material Research – Do they have a structured process to continually research emerging building products and assess their viability? 

– Technology Adoption – How much do they invest in adopting new technologies for design, visualization, collaboration, analysis, etc.? Do they stay on top of software advances?

– Code Expertise – Do they diligently monitor updates to building codes, energy standards, safety regulations, and local policies?

– Industry Publications & Media – What thought leaders and publications do they follow to stay aware of trends and innovations?

– Site Tours – Do they regularly tour newly completed projects to experience cutting-edge solutions firsthand?

– Awards & Competitions – Do they enter design competitions to showcase forward-thinking work? Does their work garner industry recognition?

Look for a curious, growth-oriented firm with their finger on the pulse. Their hunger to learn will lead to creative, informed solutions leveraging the latest advancements.

Bonus Questions

Here are some additional insightful questions to pose:

– How large is your current capacity to take on new projects and meet deadlines?

– What analysis and modeling tools do you use to simulate building performance?

– What sets you apart from competitors in this region?

– What services do you provide in-house vs. sub-contract externally?

– Do you have dedicated BIM experts to create digital models, renderings, etc.? 

– What types of designers and engineers do you have on staff? Architects, landscape architects, civil engineers, and so on? 

– Can you share 2-3 client references we could contact about their experience?

– Are you open to providing a fixed overall fee rather than hourly billing?

– How robust is your professional liability insurance coverage?

– Do you offer both design-only and design-build services?

– To what extent do you survey and analyze the site as part of your design process?

– What BIM and CAD platforms do you use? Do you develop digital twins of designs?

– How will you guide us in prioritizing must-haves vs. nice-to-haves within our budget?

Conclusion

Choosing the right design partner is a complex, high-stakes process. The questions you ask during interviews will reveal meaningful differences between firms that brochures won’t. Listen for thoughtful responses that build confidence and strong rapport. 

Probe past polished presentations to have real conversations focused on your particular project. And by all means, request client references to hear firsthand experiences. 

Most importantly, find a firm that truly listens, communicates openly, and facilitates an interactive, educational design journey. With the right collaborator by your side, your building dreams will become reality.

I hope these questions help you make a discerning, wise choice. Please reach out if you need any guidance or feedback as you navigate this monumental decision. I’m always happy to lend an ear!