Finding/selecting an architect

We wanted a modern architect, with experience on the LA west side and also with green aspects of home design and construction. So we went back through all our Dwell and Sunset back copies plus the literature from the modern house tours we had been on.

We next went through the Web sites of architects of interest, developing a list of eight that we contacted by email, asking them to meet us. Our email briefly described our goal and the initial meetings started at the site, as we wanted to observe their reactions to it .

In preparation, we developed an agenda, which evolved through our meetings, as we added to our knowledge, -- such as the importance of an architects access to, and relationship with, general contractors (GC) with experience of building in the modern style.

For us, the following criteria evolved and they determined our short-list and then the final selection:

• Nature of the architects' work todate and how that fitted our (admittedly evolving) preferences.
• The likely cost of of this type of work, based on more recent projects.
• The quality of these recent projects, accepting a lot of that falls on the GC but trying to establish how the architect has influenced, or not influenced, this.
• That amorphous thing called "chemistry," in terms how we would feel working with this person.

For the final four architects on our short-list we then asked to see examples of their current work "in the flesh," and ended up visiting at least 7 houses.