A Positive Contribution: The (not-so) Secret Sauce of Great Work, Collaboration

As human beings, living in a society means that we are hardwired to interact with others, whether we want this at all times or not. Social interactions is what makes life meaningful and full of exciting moments. If we take this analogy into the world of business, especially creative one such as landscape architecture, it will help us appreciate the true meaning and necessity of collaboration as it is what makes projects unique and innovative.

‘Being curious and open to communication is key to establishing strong relationships within the project team, and this is something upon which we at HarrisonStevens pride ourselves.’

Working in the construction industry can be challenging and rewarding at the same time. Having something you imagined being realised in real life beats all the hiccups the project might encounter on its way. However, the process of transforming something from paper into reality is not so straightforward and requires everyone’s involvement and expertise.

The process of collaboration is as important on the early stages of the project, through brainstorming, research and design meetings, as on the later stages, when unforeseen challenges arise during site work and require immediate and thoughtful resolution. Being curious and open to communication is key to establishing strong relationships within the project team, and this is something upon which we at HarrisonStevens pride ourselves.

Each consultant on a project has their own expertise. Whilst it is important to act with competence and abide by the rules on your chosen profession, it is undeniably valuable to have an understanding of other disciplines and key challenges and aspirations they might encounter and have. A common challenge that some projects come across is finding a symbiosis between the creative and pragmatic, conceptual and practical. Understanding structural requirements and seeing them as an opportunity rather than a challenge can be the basis of an innovative design solution, which in turn make projects unique and inspirational for others. Some excellent examples of collaborative team work can be seen in HarrisonStevens projects such as Holyrood North, Fletton Quays in Peterborough and the Masterplan for Cork City Docklands.

So, what are steps in achieving successful collaboration on the project? Whilst it is not a prescribed recipe and what worked on one project might not necessarily be productive in a different context, the fundamental principles are respect, trust and desire to reach common goals. These can be communicated through consistent information and knowledge exchange, designed to keep the team in the loop for overall progress to ensure no consultant is operating in a silo. There is also the art of ‘asking the right questions’ to prompt resolution of any potential challenges at an early stage.

Some projects can allow for a greater freedom and opportunity for collaboration. For example, in case of the Annan Harbour project that HarrisonStevens are currently working on, the architect saw it to be beneficial for the team to visit Copenhagen and analyse projects in similar context and use. This in turn boosted creativity within the team and resulted in a strong and comprehensive design solution, supported by input from every consultant and the client, who also attended the study trip. In situations where trips are not possible, there are other ways of setting the scene for productive collaboration such as design workshops, brainstorm sessions and BIM coordination. Collaboration is a (not-so) secret sauce for great work. Seeing the beauty in presented challenges and finding innovative solutions gives the team power to push beyond established boundaries and test new ways of designing, which in turn creates a positive contribution to our environment, natural and built. So, without further ado, let us to continue to collaborate and achieve more!