24/07/2026
Predesign - the modern approach to Architectural services
Post 2 - The Feasibility Study
Just like in project management, as part of the scope of works you need to see if the design is going to feasible. Its a step that is often skipped in this predesign phase. And then we spend countless hours trying to make it a workable solution.
Under the UK's RIBA Plan of Work, this is called Strategic Definition: before any design work begins, the client and their advisers build a business case, weigh up options, and test the project against budget and risk. No design team required yet, just clear thinking about whether a building project is genuinely the best solution to the problem at hand.
The AIA frames it similarly: predesign services exist to establish a shared vision, let everyone explore options before committing to detailed design, and give the architect a properly defined brief to work from. Done well, this stage avoids the false starts and mismatched expectations that derail projects later.
A feasibility study is the cheapest insurance policy in the whole project.
In Australia, feasibility also means an early read against the National Construction Code, the performance-based code covering structure, fire safety, accessibility and sustainability that every design will eventually have to satisfy. Understanding those constraints for the relevant building class up front avoids building a business case around something that can't be certified later.
For renovation, extension or adaptive reuse projects, reality capture makes this stage far more reliable. Instead of testing options against a rough as-built sketch, a scan-to-BIM model of the existing building means the business case is built on real dimensions and real constraints, not assumptions.
Please note: this post has ai analytical content, combined with real world experience.
References:
• RIBA Plan of Work 2020, explained — Architecture for London
• AIA Contract Documents — Predesign Services: Prepare for Success
• National Construction Code (NCC) — Australian Building Codes Board
• Draftech — From Scans to BIM: Reality Capture
The short video is from a point cloud 3D LiDAR scan taken to illustrate the existing conditions of a site before being converted to a medical practice.
The digital twin can be used by the client, the project manager (Ardor Projects), and the fit-out contractors to confirm the scope of works, to discuss changes, and the final design can be rendered with RCX so you can see the possible design, before going even starting the construction.
It all starts with 1 scan, 1 site visit, and 24/7 access to walk through the space to check what is there.
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