Of what was stated in the manifesto. Not losing sight of the intent can help improve construction document coordination thereby improving project delivery. And it can reduce the stress of ALL those involved in the project.

All involved in the construction industry must k ow what is good design.

That’s what was conceived and our job is to make it happen.

We are contracted to design, communicate that design, and then enforce that design. Our job is not Drawings and specs; those are our tools. A carpenter isn't hired to hit nails with a hammer but to build buildings.Design intent is often lost when the design team hands off their design to the production team. The production team hasn't been told the design intent. They were given a schematic design to develop and turn into construction documents. If the teams within a firm cannot communicate design intent internally, how can they communicate it to others?

The concept of the Design Intent Gap resonates with the work I spend much of my time considering because it speaks to the continuity between early design thinking and the systems that ultimately shape the built environment. Buildings begin with thoughtful decisions regarding materials, assemblies, performance expectations, and the ways people will interact with the spaces being created. Those decisions reflect technical knowledge, architectural judgment, and an understanding of how buildings contribute to safety, accessibility, durability, and long-term environmental responsibility.As a project advances through documentation, procurement, and construction, the communication of those decisions becomes increasingly important. Specifications are central in this process because they translate design thinking into coordinated system requirements, defined performance criteria, and documented expectations that guide the broader project team. Within areas such as Division 08, where materials, mechanics, accessibility, security, and durability intersect within a single architectural element, the careful articulation of these requirements carries particular significance because the components that form an opening influence daily use, public safety, energy performance, and the long-term resilience of a building.For this reason, the conversation surrounding the Design Intent Gap holds particular relevance for me. It reflects the importance of maintaining continuity between the reasoning that informs design decisions and the technical systems that ultimately bring those decisions into physical form. Work involving specifications, collaboration with manufacturers, and technical education exists within this space, supporting the careful transfer of knowledge from design vision into coordinated documentation and ultimately into the constructed environment.This continuity also supports broader goals that matter deeply within the profession, including the responsible use of materials, the advancement of building knowledge, and the creation of environments that serve diverse communities with safety, accessibility, and dignity. When intent is carefully articulated, thoroughly documented, and thoughtfully carried forward, buildings more fully embody the expertise, responsibility, and progress that shape the future of the built environment.

if well understood by all parties involved in the project throughout the duration, then there is an alignment of expectations, which becomes the main point of either satisfaction or dissatisfaction regarding the eventual outcome of the project.

knowing that the client is receiving what they expect in principle seems obvious however as an industry what can we be doing to assure that this expectation is met? This is not about adding more processes, but building habitual alignment into the culture of delivery.

Design intent matters to us because ExoWall is not just a wall system—it is a performance promise, and we engineer, coordinate, and install it exactly as intended to protect the building, the schedule, and the client’s trust.

It's why we do what we do. Architecture doesn't exist without a concept and a story that illustrates what we are doing and why. The design intent behind a project is the soul of the work we are doing and the entire point of being an Architect depends upon it.

To eradicate VE