The architect draws, the engineer calculates, and finally the contractor is handed the finished drawings and calculations. Construction gets under way. It is a sequential process that shapes the vast majority of construction projects in Denmark. But there is a need to break out of a framework with a built-in, inflexible form of collaboration that brings a risk of cost overruns, errors and the shifting of responsibility.
If the contractor is involved while the architect’s vision for the building is still on the drawing board, the final drawings and calculations can take account of the contractor’s practical questions, needs and requirements. Closer and earlier collaboration can help shift the contractor’s focus away from the fixed profit margin and benefits the progress of the project.
We can start by involving the contractor earlier, so the construction process becomes more agile. When suppliers become partners, everyone shares the same goal, and the project can be adapted far more quickly to changing circumstances along the way.
IPD and integrated construction offer valuable inspiration if you want a smoother and more efficient construction process. Here, it is not only about involving the contractor earlier, but about seeing the construction process as a cycle of phases.
