Services
Robert Cohen Architect offers a full range of services. A combination of these services, listed below, can be selected for any project. These ranges of services enable the firm to bring a project from its initial phases of design and planning, to public approvals and final construction.
Planning Services
Design and Construction Services
Sustainable Design
Enviornmental Graphic Design
Existing Condition Surveying
Interior and Exterior Design
Planning Services
Feasibility and Market Studies
Strategic Planning for Facilities and Relocation
Site and Building Evaluation and Selection
- Evaluate, plan, and analyze buildings, facilities and/or sites
- Solve design /development questions related to the location, operations, market, and finances
- Integrate the client's business strategy with a holistic design process to form strategic plans
Master Planning and Urban Design
- Site and building long-range development
- Integrate long range plans into surroundings
- Address new trends and future growth
- Phase master plans for completion
Design and Construction Services
Pre-design and Programming
- Determine design approach and project schedule
- Compare building types and existing facility designs for successes and failures
- Review existing conditions, facility, program, budget and governmental regulations
Schematic Design
- Preliminary Sketch: rough basic design drawings in pen & ink, pencil or other medium
- Address preliminary layout requirements for program, schedule and construction budget
- Solve problems such as circulation and traffic patterns, space relationships and functions
- Find and review alternative approaches to design and construction
Design Development
- Create drawings and other documents that describe the size and character of the project regarding architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical systems, materials and any other elements as appropriate. This includes a selection of fixtures, material finishes and furnishings.
Document types:
- Floor and ceiling plans: layout drawings of each floor
- Elevations: drawing of walls of the facility
- Sections: drawing of the building as if cut through by a plane
- Material boards: sample palettes of all finishes
- Design and detailing: includes cabinetry
- Manufacturer information and product photos of fixtures, furniture and objects
- Renderings: perspective drawings by computer imaging or by hand; quality range from sketch to detailed
- Model Fabrication: three-dimensional scaled representation of a design or construction
Construction Documents
- Develop drawing plans, elevations, sections, details, and written specifications for construction
- Provide information for bidding contractors and conditions of the contract
- Obtain and coordinate approvals from each government regulatory agency
- File documents addressing issues for applications or variance requests with code consultants
- Insure documents comply with government requirements: building, fire, and handicapped laws
Sustainable Design
Sustainable Design incorporates unique features that maximize resources and energy efficiency while minimizing environmental impact. Our firm is a member of Connecticut’s Green Building Council. We can provide the basics of sustainable design or coordinate the assistance of a sustainable design consultant to achieve the highest standards in sustainability. Sustainability is maximized with cutting edge expertise; saving money, reducing energy costs, and supporting the environment.
LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. Important factors in the ecological success of a structure are, measures of energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED provides concise guidelines for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. LEED evaluations apply to all building types and extends its benefits beyond the building footprint into the neighborhood it serves through LEED for neighborhood development.
Achieving Sustainable Design
- Efficiently using energy and water resources
- Planning with minimal site impact
- Specifying recycled and recyclable materials
- Identifying lighting that exceeds federal guidelines
- Optimizing daylight, ventilation while minimizing building life cycle costs
- Designing effective, ecological waste treatment and reduction
- Using local materials to sustain surrounding environments and economies
- Storm water erosion and discharge control as well as water conservation
Benefits
Environmental
- Conserves natural resources
- Enhancement and protection of ecosystems and biodiversity
- Improves air and water quality
- Reduction of waste
Economic
- Minimizes operating costs by maximizing energy efficiency
- Improvement of employee productivity and satisfaction
- Elevates asset value and profits
- use “green” facilities as a marketing or recruitment tool
Health and Community
- Enhancement of air, thermal, and acoustic environments
- Improves occupant comfort and health
- Contributes to overall quality of life
- designing for chemically sensitive and allergic individuals to such compounds from dyes, adhesives, sealers, sealants, finished, and molds
Environmental Graphic Design
Identity, signage, way finding, kiosks, mapping and exhibitions
Existing Condition Surveying
Our team offers Building Measurement Services by producing accurate measured drawings of existing architectural conditions for building and property owners, property and facility management, developers, engineering and construction companies and designers.
Deliverables available include a package of PDF. and AutoCAD files associated by floor. These can be used for purposes of:
- Commercial real estate leasing for Rentable Square Feet (RSF) and pro forma rental rates and Building Area Calculations
- Emergency preparedness
- Asset management
- Legal documentation of Real Property
Extensive digital photos are also provided. We can arrange for reproducible computer printouts and/or electronic files by email or CD-ROM
Other services include:
- Area calculations and reports from client-supplied CAD drawings
- Creation of CAD drawings from client-supplied dimensioned, as-built drawings
- Creation of CAD drawings from plans and spot measurements
- Creation of CAD drawings entirely from on-site field measurements
- Survey of existing corridors and tenant demising walls
- Integration of lease information into rent books for landlords (for tracking vacancies, renewal options, rate escalations, subtentants, etc...)