Choosing an architecture studio for a residential development requires comparing scope, evidence and decision control, not only a fee. The starting brief should record the site, planning information, unit mix, target areas, market position, construction budget, programme, consultants and BIM requirements.
Maiz & Diaz Arquitectos publishes 46 multi-family developments within a portfolio of 99 unique projects. This guide is a practical appointment checklist; it does not attribute clients or services that are not publicly evidenced.
A ten-point brief for the first feasibility meeting
- Site identification and available planning documentation.
- Ownership or acquisition status and relevant deadlines.
- Indicative unit number, mix and target areas.
- Target buyer and market positioning.
- Construction budget and cost assumptions.
- Required stages and deliverables.
- Consultants already appointed and coordination responsibilities.
- BIM uses, exchange format and level of development.
- Approval process and named decision makers.
- Programme, dependencies, risks and information still missing.
Compare proposals on an equivalent scope
A clear comparison identifies what is included in feasibility, concept design, planning documentation, construction documentation, coordination and site supervision. It also records the number of options and revisions, specialist services, exclusions and the boundary between the studio’s programme and authority timescales.
Evidence available before appointment
Use the residential architecture service for developers, the analysis of 99 projects and the public project portfolio. For Marbella applications, check the municipality’s current planning forms and guidance.
Next step
Send the available brief and clearly label any assumptions. The studio can then define the first useful stage and prepare a scope-specific proposal. Contact Maiz & Diaz Arquitectos.
Questions before appointing an architect
What does a studio need to assess a residential development?
It needs the site, available planning information, programme, indicative unit number and mix, target areas, market positioning, construction budget, programme and already appointed consultants. Missing information should be recorded as an assumption, not hidden.
Can feasibility be commissioned as a separate first stage?
Yes. Feasibility can be a standalone stage before full design. It should define what is assessed, what is delivered and which decisions remain subject to later reports or permissions.
What determines the architect fee for a development?
Scope, floor area, unit number and mix, planning and technical complexity, programme, commissioned stages, consultant coordination and BIM deliverables. Proposals should therefore be compared on an equivalent scope.
When should the unit mix be fixed?
An initial hypothesis is needed at the start, then tested during feasibility and concept design against the plot, planning rules, target areas and market positioning. Later changes should be tracked because they affect the project.
What should concept design deliver?
At minimum, a site strategy, general organisation, massing, relationship with the setting, preliminary areas and a record of pending decisions. The appointment should state the number of options and revisions included.
What does BIM contribute to a property developer?
A coordinated model supports joint review of architecture, structure and building services, clash detection, change control and document consistency. The developer should agree BIM uses, responsibilities, exchange format and level of development.
What should be reviewed before acquiring the land?
Applicable planning, land classification and use, buildable area, site coverage, height, setbacks, constraints, access, available services and possible specialist reports. The review should use official information and state its limitations.
How can experience in comparable developments be evidenced?
Through published projects with location, building type, declared units and external sources where available. Maiz & Diaz publishes 46 multi-family developments within a portfolio of 99 unique projects; unverified clients or scopes are not extrapolated.