The Art of Product Research and Selection

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Barbara A. Nadel, FAIA

How Large Organizations Approach the Discovery Process

Large firms, public agencies, and in-house facility managers with high dollar volumes of work often approach product research and selection differently than small to mid sized organizations. Firms specializing in project types, such as education, historic preservation, or office interiors, for example, may have longstanding relationships with industry representatives. With greater purchasing power and opportunities, many major manufacturers routinely seek out large organizations to show them new products and developments in the pipeline. Sometimes they will invite designers to participate in focus groups. These trusted relationships provide design professionals with more choices to share with clients, and allow them to work directly with manufacturers to customize and develop new products for specific needs. Large organizations often devote significant resources and personnel to product research.

Herbert Lynn, AIA, Associate Partner, and Director of Research and Specifications for Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, New York City, works on every project in the office. During conceptual phases, designers go to the staffed materials and catalogue libraries, containing samples from every manufacturer in the world, to see what may be useful. Binders contain samples, agency approvals, New York City-approved testing methods, and where a material is installed in New York City. The materials library lighting is color corrected and located to allow natural light, fluorescent and incandescent lighting into the space, to simulate proposed conditions.


A well-stocked material library, with catalogues and samples, is an essential tool during early project design phases.
(Photo: Skidmore, Owings and Merrill)

The New York-based SOM Lab, a firmwide clearinghouse for design concepts, researches product performance, and new, innovative materials and systems from around the world. If a question arises regarding titanium, for example, the Lab accumulates information and sends inquiries to SOM offices on the internal intranet, while searching for related materials.

Searches include contacting architects, manufacturers and fabricators in Europe, if need be, to find information. Topics evolve based on project need, such as curtain wall, point supported glass, metal and green roofs. Information is reviewed by the firm's Technical Group, which establishes product evaluation criteria, such as codes, liability, durability, past product history and location. Findings are posted on the office intranet for internal distribution.

"We balance innovative research against potential liability risks. We review constructability and budgets, and will speak with engineers, and research and development groups, not just local sales representatives. Hard copy data, printed catalogues, PDF files, and CAD details are very useful," says Lynn.

Once products are selected, meetings are held with manufacturers and fabricators. During the project concept phase, sample palettes are developed, and codes reviewed. For example, using glass calls for preliminary energy calculations, percentage of allowable glass, and products applied to previous projects. Documentation lists products used for each project, citing finishes, manufacturer, and location, and is available to team members. During the construction documents phase, the project team knows what is being used and where. An in-house committee organizes over 60 luncheon seminars annually, with product sales representatives.

 

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Originally published in Architectural Record.
Originally published in May 2005

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