CREJ

September 2020 \ BUILDING DIALOGUE \ 15 PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP | PEACE OF MIND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SWINERTON VISIT SWINERTON.COM Bridging the Gap cal. The general contractor needs to be brought in ear- ly enough to have an appropriate seat at the design table, but ideally not until there is a concept that is trending to- ward the final solution in order to avoidwasting their time. That allows both core teams to unite, strategize and make decisions. Everything must be sensitively planned, priced, permitted, ordered and installed at just the right time. For example, concrete, themost time-sensitive of materials, has to come in at the exact right time, often within minutes, to install it when it arrives. Paint has sun, temperature and precipitation factors to weigh. Every decision – every bolt, every window, every square inch – requires forethought and a staff dedicated so seeing it through. They all need to be working well together. It’s critical for the project’s suc- cess. The projects in these pages are hard to create; from be- ginning to the end. Attentively sorting project goals, priori- ties and challenges is intense. Coming up with appropriate design concepts and solutions, figuring out the details and documenting themeffectively, while balancing cost, perfor- mance and availability, is demanding. Physically building, especially in the heat of summer and cold of winter, can be as hard or even harder. So, while each of these companies has principals and partners who are the face of their or- ganizations, and often the name of their company, the point is, they don’t make these spaces, their teams do. While they might set the tone and direction of the team, and often are the ones in the press photos, success is de- termined by the project team’s ability to work together more than anything else. A good team is everything. With all the uncertainty around us right now, in our in- dustry and beyond, we each have a responsibility to put in a little more effort. Communication styles and clarity are complex in normal times. However, these days strong teamwork is further challenged by the risks associated with physical proximity. We should start by giving each other some extra grace and understanding. Try especial- ly hard to listen and learn what fellow team members with diverse skill sets and unique insights are thinking. Trade ideas and critique openly but respectfully. Have high expectations but be a good teammate. It’s essential to creating a great built environment. As one member of many teams, as someone aiming to create meaningful places for people to flourish, I am deeply grateful to all the teams that we support; and know they matter now more than ever. \\