Abstract

The artist is one who, upon perceiving and interpreting his context, begins to develop certain beliefs/philosophies. He then investigates, through various media, ways in which to express those ideas/philosophies with the collective. Detail Exchange is a group of artists who use architecture as their medium. We believe that architecture shapes not only the physical environment, but also the actions and activities, as well as the attitudes, ideas and beliefs of a culture/society. Through the consideration of all of the facets of responsible architectural design, such as meticulous site analysis, comprehensive programmatic investigation, exploration of progressive structural systems, devotion to honesty in materiality, and cost-conscious budgeting we seek to generate built work that explores and expresses our beliefs and thereby enriches the lives of those around us.

Detail Exchange is not a traditional architecture firm, but rather a full on design/build practice. We offer the services of a conventional architectural office and also provide all elements of the construction phase including cost analysis and estimating, bidding, management, coordination and execution. Our motive behind taking on the responsibility of both architecture and construction is simple: to extend the design process further and coalesce it into the process of making. In addition, there are also other satellite benefits to this “turn-key” approach. First and foremost, it saves the clients in terms of schedule and economics with more rigid control and the lack of hindrance from outside parties. Second, it fosters more intimate relationships between architects and builders. And most notably, we have found that this integrative approach bridges the gap between our artistic intention and the realization of the final product.