Architecture taken through to the technical detail

We are your project’s technical team

We come in wherever the project needs us: at the first idea, or halfway through. You get the material you apply for the permit with, price the work from, and later check the contractor against.

PlanningFeasibility studyTechnical consultancy and management

What the rules allow on the plot, what can be built, on what rough budget and over what timescale. Decisions get made on figures before anything is drawn, and the same team carries the permit application.

DesignCoordinated drawingsArchitectural design

Architectural design and coordination of the engineering disciplines in BIM: the clashes get resolved in the model. Out comes the full set the permit is applied for with and the building is built from.

CostingBudget with quantitiesTechnical consultancy and management

Quantities measured off the drawings, specifications by trade, unit prices: before you commit the money you can see where every figure comes from. On procurement we keep the record of who quoted, what was approved and what turned up on site.

Support on siteReports that stay in writingTechnical consultancy and management

An architect goes to site, signs the log and measures what has been built against the budget. Each visit ends in a report, with photographs and a list of what needs putting right. And diagnosis of defects when you need to know why something happened and what to do about it.

The studio, in figures

24

published projects

6

works built

162,300 m²

floor area declared across 20 projects

9

cities

7

departments

7

projects with an award

2013–2026

years of published projects

Built work

The studio’s six built works. Competition entries and proposals are on the site, labelled as what they are.

Where each person starts

I have a plot and I want to build on it.New build

We check what the planning rules allow on your plot, what can be built and what it costs, before drawing anything. Then we develop the full project through to the drawings and the permit application with the curaduría (the licensed private office that issues building permits in Cali and other large Colombian municipalities; in smaller ones, the municipal planning office).

I already have the house and I want to change it.Renovation and extension

We start from what is actually there: what can come down, whether another floor is viable (with a civil engineer’s structural opinion), and what costs more than it looks. Design, works planning and finishes, with no surprises halfway through.

I want a bespoke design and I do not know where to start.Bespoke design

We start from how you want to live or work, not from a drawing. We set the brief, the budget and the timeline in order, and that turns into something you can look at and correct (massing, plans, images) before committing to anything.

It is cracking. It leaks. Something is wrong.Building diagnosis

A technical inspection to establish what is happening and why, before spending on repairs that do not address the cause. You get the diagnosis in writing, with the remedies and the order to do them in.

I need someone to keep an eye on my building site.Construction supervision

Technical supervision independent of the contractor: quality control, programme, quantities and regulatory compliance, with reports that are put in writing and hold up if you have to make a claim.

We need to get a public project built.Public space and civic buildings

Schools, cultural centres, administrative offices and public space. It is where most of our work is, and where the studio’s seven competition awards come from, six of them national public competitions.

I need a professional opinion from someone who knows.Professional opinion

An architect looks at what you already have (a drawing, a quote, someone else’s report) and tells you what is sound, what is missing and what they would ask before signing. The first conversation costs nothing. If the case calls for more, you get a written technical opinion.

How to work with us

It moves in steps, and at each one you decide whether to carry on. The first costs nothing and lasts 15 minutes.

1. 01 · First call

   Fifteen minutes with an architect. We tell you whether we can help, what your case involves and what the next step is.

2. 02 · Technical consultation

   An hour with an architect on one specific point: a crack, what the planning rules allow on your plot, whether a budget makes sense.

3. 03 · Site visit with report

   We go to the plot or the building. You come away with a written report: what you have, what constrains it, what needs doing and in what order.

4. 04 · Feasibility study

   What the planning rules allow on your plot, what can be built, a rough budget per square metre, and a programme.

5. 05 · Concept design

   Site layout, plans, massing and images. The project stops being an idea and becomes something you can look at and correct.

6. 06 · Detailed design and building permit

   Construction drawings, coordination with the other engineering disciplines, a priced bill of quantities, and filing with the curaduría.

7. 07 · Construction administration

   Technical support during construction, with reports and control of quantities.

From the first sketch of your house or building to the drawing the permit is applied for with, from our studio in Cali. This is where it gets decided how the space is lived in, and how it looks before it exists: plans, massing, images and walkthroughs to look at and correct, and then the drawings coordinated with the engineers. If the project is also going to be sold, we design how it is shown.

Concept designConcept design for architectural and urban projects

The spatial ideas that set a project’s identity, function and coherence. Includes context studies, site analysis and the development of the base ideas that steer the architectural, urban or landscape design from the earliest stages.

Architectural designFull architectural design

A project taken from concept proposal through to construction drawings. Each design answers to the conditions of the site, what the client needs and the technical standards that apply, so that it works, looks right and can actually be built.

Interior designInterior design and architectural fit-out

Interiors shaped around their use, identity and comfort. Brings together materials, lighting, furniture and finishes to improve how the space is used, keeping it visually coherent and technically compliant through refurbishment or fit-out.

Urban design and landscapeUrban design and landscape architecture

Projects for public space and outdoor areas, worked through movement, sustainability and shared use. Includes parks, paths, squares, gardens and street furniture, joining what is built to what grows and to how people use it.

BIM coordinationTechnical design and interdisciplinary coordination (BIM/CAD)

Production and coordination of technical information across every stage of a project. Brings structural, hydraulic, electrical and mechanical disciplines together under BIM or CAD, so that what reaches site is compatible, accurate and buildable.

Priced bill of quantitiesConstruction budget from measured quantities

It comes included in the project. Once the design is settled, the quantities of work are measured off the drawings and priced, trade by trade: from the studio’s own price database and, for anything out of the ordinary, from real quotes. The result is a budget with quantities, unit rates and a total, which tells you what the build will cost before it starts and lets you compare contractors’ bids against the same list.

Graphics and wayfindingGraphic design and wayfinding for shops, commercial units and offices

Graphic systems and visual solutions applied to built environments. Includes signage, ambience, corporate identity and spatial communication consistent with the identity of the project or the brand.

Branding for developmentsBrand and marketing design for property developments

Visual identity, promotional material and presentation strategy for a development. Strengthens the link between the architecture, how it is communicated and the market it is aimed at.

Renders and walkthroughsArchitectural and product visualisation (renders, animation, walkthroughs)

Photorealistic images, video and virtual walkthroughs that convey the design accurately. Digital visualisation makes the technical proposal easier to grasp, supports decisions and helps sell the project.

What you contract when the project is already moving and has to be held together: finding out whether the numbers work before anything is drawn, carrying the permit application, buying with prices compared, and checking that what gets built is what was contracted. Every strand ends in a document: a study, a report, a signed minute. Nothing is left as a spoken agreement.

Site supervisionTechnical management and site supervision of building works and maintenance programmes

Planning, control and technical supervision of preventive, corrective or refurbishment works. Covers regulatory compliance, documentary traceability and quality of execution, with technical reports, contract follow-up and resource control.

Project managementEnd-to-end management of architectural and property projects

Overall coordination of a project from inception to handover. Brings together technical, administrative and financial management to meet scope, cost, time and quality targets, working to established project management methodologies (PMI, ISO 9001, ISO 55001).

Procurement and contractingTechnical procurement, contracting and site supply management

Planning, assessment and control of the purchase of materials, equipment and specialist services. Includes technical review of specifications, supplier analysis and documentary traceability of deliveries, to keep costs down and quality up.

Feasibility studiesTechnical, financial and sustainability appraisal of property projects

Feasibility studies (technical, constructional, financial and environmental) that establish whether a project stands up before anyone commits to building it. Decisions get made against costs, risks, programme, return and sustainable performance.

Building inspectionBuilding inspection and defect diagnosis

An on-site inspection of an existing building to establish its condition: a record of the damage, the likely cause, an opinion on whether it is safe to occupy, and a report listing the work in order of priority. This is what clients hire after an earthquake, before buying a property, or when a commonhold needs an independent opinion. Structural integrity is signed off by a civil engineer, the professional the law reserves that signature for.

Technical consultancyTechnical consultancy for construction and refurbishment works

Technical and administrative support during new build or refurbishment. Includes review of designs, programmes, budgets and construction processes, to keep the work compliant, well built and efficient.

Compliance auditCompliance auditing and management of technical and regulatory risk

Independent assessment of technical, legal and regulatory compliance on works or contracts. Includes risk identification, documentary review and on-site verification, for transparency, conformity and continuous improvement.

Building auditTechnical and post-occupancy auditing of buildings and property assets

Assessment of how a building in use is actually performing. Looks at defects, maintenance condition, energy efficiency and associated risks, and sets out plans to improve both the fabric and its operation.

Permits and planningTechnical applications, permits and liaison with urban planning authorities

Management of the technical and administrative processes needed to get a project approved, amended or regularised. Includes liaison with the curadurías urbanas (the licensed private offices that issue building permits in Colombia’s larger municipalities) and with regulators and planning reviewers.

Working on what is already built, and handing it over running. We start from what is there (a measured survey, the state of the services, what is holding the place up and what can come out) and finish with the space furnished and equipped: layout, finishes, furniture and kit. The studio specifies, buys and takes delivery, so the opening date has someone answering for it.

Refurbishment and renovationDesign, engineering and construction of refurbishment and renovation works

Technical and aesthetic work on existing buildings through controlled renovation and adaptation. Covers survey of current condition, works planning, choice of materials and management of finishes, keeping the building usable and worth what it was.

Survey and condition reportMeasured survey and condition report

What is there, before anything is drawn: a measured survey of the property, the state of the services and finishes, what can be taken out and what is holding the place up. It is what prevents the surprise halfway through, which on a refurbishment is the most expensive overrun and the most common.

Bringing a building up to codeBringing an existing building up to code

Accessibility, escape routes, fire protection and whatever a change of use triggers. We check what the rules require for the use you want, what is missing, and what it costs, before you sign a lease or a purchase, not after.

Fit-out of shops and officesFit-out of shops, offices and commercial space

The full fit-out of a space handed over as a shell or in another use: layout, finishes, lighting and the coordination of electrical, plumbing and air services. It hands over a space ready to trade, with the programme tied to the opening date.

Bathroom and kitchen refitsBathroom and kitchen refits

The two rooms that concentrate the cost and the risk of any refurbishment, because they touch wet services, tanking and ventilation. Design, specification of fittings and finishes, and control of the works.

Finishes and specificationFinishes: specification and control

Selection of materials and finishes, samples managed with the supplier, sign-off with the client, and checking on site that what went in is what was approved. It is where it gets decided how the refurbished space looks and how it ages.

FF&E · furniture and equipmentFF&E · furniture, fixtures and equipment

Everything that furnishes a space without being part of the building: furniture, decorative lighting, curtains, specialist joinery, appliances and equipment. Specified during design, priced, compared across suppliers, bought, and received installed.

OS&E · operating suppliesOS&E · operating supplies and equipment

What a space needs in order to operate and that does not get installed: linen, crockery, glassware, utensils, uniforms and cleaning equipment. It follows the FF&E, and it is what lets you open on the date you promised.

Bespoke architectural components: drawn, engineered, made and installed. Joinery, worktops, doors, glazing, street furniture, lightweight roofing, play areas, sculpture and signage. Sizes come off the building as built and not off the drawing, and the studio answers for the piece once it is in place.

Joinery and woodworkDesign, fabrication and installation of joinery, architectural woodwork and timber structures

Fitted furniture, linings and timber structures designed and made to order. Joins bench joinery to industrial processes, with the technical treatments that keep timber stable, sound and good-looking.

Countertops and worktopsDesign, fabrication and installation of worktops and surfaces

Kitchen, bathroom and commercial worktops in natural stone, engineered quartz, porcelain or solid surface. Sized off the building as built, material selected, samples managed, fabricated and installed.

Doors and framesDesign, fabrication and installation of doors and frames

Bespoke doors, frames and fitted wardrobes in timber, metal or both, with their ironmongery and their installation. Sized off the real opening and not off the drawing, which is the difference between a door that closes and a door that has to be made again.

Glazing and light enclosuresDesign, fabrication and installation of glazing and light enclosures

Windows, glass partitions, balustrades and light enclosures: glass and framing selected for the use and the exposure, fabricated and installed. It covers the safety and solar-control specification, which is what almost nobody specifies and everybody complains about later.

Bespoke street furnitureDesign, fabrication and installation of bespoke architectural and street furniture

Furniture made to measure for interiors, outdoor areas or public space. Each piece is worked through ergonomics, durability and visual coherence, using precision manufacturing and materials chosen to last.

Lightweight roofs and shadingDesign, fabrication and installation of lightweight roofs and shading structures

Lightweight structures, canopies and pergolas for outdoor areas. Structural engineering and architectural design together, for thermal comfort, sun protection and a coherent look across car parks, terraces and common areas.

Bespoke playgroundsDesign, fabrication and installation of playgrounds and recreational areas

Play space built end to end around safety, accessibility and durability. Designs meet national and international standards and use certified materials that stand up to daily use.

Sculpture and public artDesign, fabrication and installation of sculpture and public art

The technical, structural and constructional side of sculptural and artistic work. Concept design, three-dimensional modelling, structural engineering and specialist finishes, bringing identity and cultural value to an urban or corporate setting.

Architectural signageDesign, fabrication and installation of architectural and urban signage

Complete signage systems for buildings, public space and corporate environments. Graphic design, materials engineering and accurate installation, for legibility, accessibility and visual coherence with the architecture.

What comes after handover, which is when a building starts to cost money. We look at what is there, set out what needs doing and when, and deal with what is already damaged: façades, roofs, services, wet areas and outdoor space. When something fails and nobody knows why, it gets diagnosed before it gets repaired. Repairing without knowing the cause is paying twice.

Maintenance supervisionSupervision of maintenance and building works

Making sure maintenance or repair work is carried out properly: technically, administratively and on paper. Covers quality checks, contractor control, compliance with standards and programme follow-up.

Maintenance planningPlanning and control of preventive and corrective maintenance

Maintenance programmes that keep buildings and installations running. Includes scheduling, a record of every intervention, resource management and technical control, to get more life out of the asset.

Defect diagnosisForensic inspection and diagnosis of building defects and pathology

Specialist inspection to identify and analyse structural damage, cracking, water ingress or deterioration, and to define how to repair it. Uses forensic diagnostic methods to establish causes, risks and repairs that hold. Structural integrity is signed off by a civil engineer, the professional the law reserves that signature for.

Emergency recoveryEmergency response and post-event recovery for buildings

Technical coordination after fire, earthquake, flooding or partial collapse. Includes assessment of the damage, structural evaluation and an action plan to get the building safely back into use. The structural evaluation is signed off by a civil engineer.

Predictive maintenancePredictive maintenance and technical asset management

Maintenance programmes based on actual condition and performance data. Uses inspection, monitoring and control of critical variables to get ahead of failures and keep operating costs down.

Digital asset managementDigital maintenance management and asset control

Digital platforms for recording, tracing and following up maintenance. Performance indicators, intervention history and predictive alerts, so technical and administrative decisions rest on something.

Building servicesMaintenance of plumbing, electrical and sanitary installations

Preventive and corrective maintenance routines on technical services and networks. Includes functional testing, fault correction and certification of compliance under the RETIE, RAS and NTC standards that apply in Colombia.

Facade maintenanceFacade maintenance and restoration

Repair and technical cleaning of facades on residential, commercial or institutional buildings. Covers crack control, replacement of materials, sealing and surface protection, on both visual and regulatory criteria.

Landscape upkeepMaintenance of landscaped and outdoor areas

Upkeep of gardens, green areas, paths, furniture and outdoor surfaces. Includes plant health control, irrigation maintenance and specialist pruning, so the setting stays healthy and looks it.

Playground upkeepMaintenance and certification of playgrounds and recreational areas

Inspection, repair and certification of playgrounds under the Colombian standards NTC 5627 and NTC 5665. Keeps public or private play space safe, durable and accessible.

Pools and wet areasMaintenance and automation of wet areas, pools and water systems

Specialist operation, diagnosis and maintenance of pools, fountains and spas. Brings together hydraulic, electrical and automation control through remote monitoring, for water quality, efficiency and safety.

Roofs and waterproofingMaintenance and restoration of roofs and waterproofing systems

Inspection, repair and upkeep of roofs, coverings and waterproof membranes. Includes assessment of leaks, replacement of materials and application of waterproofing systems under technical quality control.