Architect Selection

A wise associate once told me that it is easy to make a decision by finding reasons to eliminate choices; that the greater challenge, leading to a stronger outcome, is to base a decision on examining the high points of all choices. The Sherborn Library Trustees and Design Study Committee recently put this theory to the test and it worked most favorably.

On Tuesday, April 6, the Trustees held a special meeting to select the architectural firm for our conceptual design study to renovate the facility, which is now 40 years old. The Trustees unanimously voted to work with Beacon Architectural Associates of Boston, pending the success of contract negotiations. By this vote, the Trustees concurred with the recommendation presented by the Library Design Study Committee.

This case lent itself to testing the decision theory, as it was rather difficult to go the other route of focusing on reasons to eliminate any of our choices. By default, we were faced with awesome talents, skills, and track records of the competing firms so we could only examine strong points and best match them to our assessment of the Library's site-specific needs and future projections.

No, it was not an easy decision to make and many fine attributes must be left behind. We have learned alot by our architect interviews and deliberations. Yet we have much more to learn from Beacon's architect, Richard Smith, as well as much to cultivate in Beacon by our expectations.