Our Process

How We Work

Five stages. Complete accountability at every one.
Here's what working with AED actually looks like — from your first call to the day you get your keys.

01

Brief

We begin with a proper conversation — not a form. We want to understand what you're building, why you're building it, and what success looks like for you. Budget, timeline, lifestyle — it all shapes the design from day one.

Typical duration: 2–4 weeks
Brief stage
02

Concept

We test different approaches to your brief before committing to one. Sketch designs, massing studies, spatial options — this is where we explore. The best concept earns the right to develop.

Typical duration: 3–6 weeks
Concept stage
03

Design Development

Once you've approved the concept, we develop it in full — plans, sections, elevations, material selections, and preliminary specifications. Engineers and consultants are brought in at this stage, so structure and services are integrated into the design rather than bolted on afterwards.

Typical duration: 4–8 weeks
Design Development stage
04

Documentation

This is where thoroughness pays off. We produce the drawing sets and specifications that contractors can build from — without calling for clarification, without making assumptions. Gaps in documentation become costly variations on site. We close those gaps before construction starts.

Typical duration: 6–12 weeks
Documentation stage
05

Delivery

We stay with the project through construction — attending every required inspection stage, managing contractor RFIs in writing, certifying progress payments against completed work, and keeping you informed with regular written reports. Most architects step back at this stage. We don't.

Duration: Length of construction + 12-month defects period

Delivery stage

"The handover is when we find out whether we did our job properly. We treat every inspection as if we're the ones moving in."

— Alexi Ebanks, Principal Architect

Ready to build something
worth building?

Every project starts with a conversation. Tell us what you're planning and we'll tell you what's possible.

Start Your Project