At Pyramid, our vision is rather unique in the professional architecture and engineering services field.
As we look to the future, it is our hope that we can be inspired by the past and resurrect the formerly “traditional” role of architect and engineer as a “master builder”. From antiquity through the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution, the master builder was the key person on a construction project who was fully and solely responsible for the undertaking and completion of the entire project. Regrettably, it was during the litigious 20th Century that this master builder concept was lost, and the architect and engineer began ceding responsibilities to general contractors and construction managers who were more willing to take on these duties. The result was the loss of a professional overseer and advocate for the owner, and the creation of a “team” of players who had often competing and confusing responsibilities and goals on a project.
For the 21st Century, Pyramid brings back that role by accepting a greater responsibility on projects than most other architects and engineers working today. It is not only in the “typical” services of architecture, engineering, interior design programming, and feasibility studies that we take on this greater role but in the atypical services we also offer, such as:
- Expanded construction administration services
- Forensic investigations
- Post-occupancy evaluations
- Building commissioning
- Owner representation
We believe that our clients are better served by our more involved approach. This extensive involvement has allowed us to develop a methodology of bidding and constructing projects that are unique to most architecture and engineering firms. Our extensive knowledge of construction and our willingness to become more involved in all aspects of a project eliminates the tiered system of general contractors and subcontractors which is the conventional method of project delivery. This approach eliminates the costly overhead of a general contractor, resulting in a less expensive construction cost and alleviating such problems as slowdowns and cost overruns. At Pyramid, we practice an “open book” approach to our projects, wherein clients have access to all vital information on their projects, specifically through secure internet access to our firm’s website.
It is our goal to demystify the design and construction process for our clients and to bring back the timeless concept of master builder, saving our clients time and money and achieving structures and systems that withstand the test of time.