Before delving into pre-design, integrated projects begin with a kick-off meeting to explore values. Such a meeting may last several hours or several days, depending on the size and complexity of the project, but the team members must explore the values that underlie the project and agree in their alignment to them. This represents a first step in establishing common ground for the project and developing the deep-rooted working relationships that will be necessary (Figure 2). With this understanding as a basis, the team can begin to work together, negotiate a contract, and communicate effectively.
Questions
(7group and Bill Reed, 2009)
- What are you trying to accomplish by building this project?
- After it is built and occupied, what will define success? What will have been achieved?
- How will the project continue to evolve as a contributing member of its community and place?
Figure 2: A kick-off meeting brings together team members from various project phases
The results of a well-conducted kick-off meeting should be:
- A project driven by values is more likely to result in a green building because human health and ecological wellbeing are topics nearly everyone cares about.
- Exploring values will help participants consider the broader impacts of the project, expanding its possibilities.
- Values address the “why” of the project, which helps unleash aspiration and creativity; greater things become possible.
- The exercise of developing a statement of shared values creates a foundation that makes joint decision-making easier and also builds trust, which is essential for effective collaboration.
Important:
Aligning around values is easier if individuals have the buy-in and authority to speak for their organizations. If an individual commits himself to a set of values, but higher management dismisses this commitment as merely goodwill, then tensions can begin to arise when the team member is called to act on those values.
“While energy is important, I am increasingly interested in the potential of the reframing of health and well-being of the whole (people and place) as the overarching goal, and understanding other targets as evaluation metrics for achieving this.” – Jennifer Cutbill, Intern Architect, DIALOG
Case study: Lion’s Gate Wastewater Treatment Plant