Individuals or groups with design projects are encouraged to contact the Design Clinic to discuss their particular needs. lf it appears that the Clinic can be of assistance and that the project has educational merit for student involvement, a team or individual student will be assigned to work with the owner/client. A faculty member will guide the team.
As a college-based organization, the Design Clinic operates on the quarterly academic schedule established by NewSchool. As most students work outside the school during the day and attend classes in the afternoon and evening, Design Clinic work may occur during evenings and weekends. Flexibility is important and the client’s understanding is very much appreciated.
The Clinic’s primary concern is with the education of the NewSchool students who participate in its work. Our intent is to provide meaningful educational experiences and, in order to do so, we may not be able to accommodate some requests for assistance. We believe our input is most valuable in the conceptualization, programming, and schematic design phases of architectural development. We also welcome planning work and community group efforts. We must gear the tasks to the competency of the student participants.
The Clinic reserves the right to decline work that might, in its faculty director’s view, expose the school, students, and/or teachers to risk. Professional liability is a serious concern in architectural practice and is taken into consideration accordingly. We may ask the client to sign a waiver form releasing the clinic from liability. Of course, we will be happy to discuss the ramifications of this with a prospective client.
Many projects are undertaken “pro bono”, or without compensation, particularly when done for non-profit agencies and community organizations. In some cases,a fee is negotiated for the clinic’s services. It is never the intent of the Design Clinic to “underbid” licensed architects and our work may not replace that of a design professional. We often request reimbursement for certain project-related expenses, such as photography, drawing reproduction, supplies, and model-building materials.
- Site Feasibility Studies
- Programming
- Conceptual Design
- Schematic Design
- Renderings
- Model Building
- Color Studies
- Space Planning
- Masterplanning Studies