Executive design is the moment when architecture ceases to be a vision and begins to function as a precise plan of action. This is the most detailed stage of project documentation, prepared with a view to the real implementation of the investment. It is not built for the office or for formal needs, but so that the building can be made exactly as it was designed. Unlike a construction project, which specifies general solutions and meets the requirements of building law, an executive project answers the question “how to do it in practice.” It contains large scale drawings, exact dimensions, technology descriptions, material lists and solutions of details that were only outlined at earlier stages. It is here that decisions are made regarding the thickness of the layers, the method of joining the elements, the course of installation or the finishing of critical places.
The executive design plays a key role on the construction site. It is an essential work tool for contractors, works managers and supervision inspectors. Thanks to it, situations are reduced in which decisions are made “by eye” or in the process of implementation, without a full understanding of the whole concept. Well-prepared executive documentation reduces the number of questions, downtime and improvised solutions that often generate additional costs. From an investor's perspective, an executive project gives more control over the implementation process. It facilitates comparison of contractors' offers, allows more precise definition of the scope of work and reduces the risk of disputes arising from ambiguous provisions. Each element of the building has a clearly defined standard and method of execution, which translates into the predictability of the final result.
The importance of the executive project increases with the degree of complexity of the investment. With more complex buildings, non-standard construction solutions, high aesthetic or energy-saving requirements, the lack of detailed documentation is very quickly revealed in the course of work. The executive design organizes the entire process, combining architectural, structural and installation assumptions into one coherent system.
Although regulations do not always require its development, in practice the executive project is one of the most important elements of a well-conducted investment process. It is he who makes earlier design decisions not only correct on paper, but also possible to consistently and qualitatively implement.
