In 2003 we started working with our first international clients. Over the past 10 years we have worked exclusively with people from all over the United States, Canada, and many countries in Europe. In this timeframe, at SARCO Architects we have evolved and honed the way we provide our clients with a great experience even from thousands of miles away.
Many people are hesitant to go into building a luxury home in Costa Rica because they are going to be far away and interacting remotely. Traditional project planning methods don’t really work when the client is so far away.
This is why Roderick created The SARCO System™. The system is specifically designed to allow international clients to build a dream vacation home in Costa Rica. The system removes the traditional obstacles and pitfalls normally associated with building a project away from home.
The SARCO System™ workflow is one of the elements that make SARCO Architects the best architecture firm for international clients. It is a complete company philosophy based on excellence, efficiency, communication, expertise, knowledge and technology.
Backed by over 25 years of construction experience, Roderick instills the core of The SARCO System™ with the knowledge and practicality of a Master Builder and ensures the homes SARCO designs are technically resolved and built problem-free.
The SARCO System™ is based on four main components. Technology, Communication, Integration and Expertise. Let us explain a bit more about what each of those components mean.
technology
Our firm principal, Roderick Anderson is a firm believer in application of technology to our work. At SARCO Architects we invest in the best software solutions, equipment, training and mobile tools. The goal is not only to be at the forefront of technology use, but to do it in a way that provides something special for our clients.
At SARCO we are leading experts in the application of Building Information Modeling (BIM) for each and every project that we design. BIM allows us to design our projects with a level of visualization and precision that is unequalled by other methods. More importantly, we make use of the best tools available to help our clients fully understand and visualize the design and provide their feedback to us. Interactive 3D models on your computer, your iPad or even your Apple or Android Smartphone are great tools to explore the project at your fingertips. Photographic-quality renderings and video animations are essential to help clients visualize the project in the right ambiance and setting of their new home.
More importantly, all our visualization is performed fully in-house, and straight from our project BIM model, not done by some third-party renderer or freelancer that has no involvement in the project design. The latter are experts in creating pretty images, but often are disconnected from the real design, and end up giving owners a false impression of the project.
Communication
Given our clients are always far away while we design and build their dream homes in Costa Rica, communication is key for our service. A full project takes constant interaction between the client and the architect, and making this communication easy and trouble-free is key. Years ago, after completing one of our projects, I decided to backup the emails I had with my client. To my surprise, we had exchanged over 6500 emails!
This is when I knew we had to figure out something better. Today, we use a customised web-based project information management system, where we provide our client and our team members with a single place where all project information and interaction happens. Things are not lost in the cracks, our entire team is always in the loop on the client's needs and wants. Clients can check in at their convenience, from any device, and provide quick and easy responses to anything related to the project.
Our system is accessible from your smartphone, iPad, or your web browser. Easy access from anywhere is essential and provides our clients with the convenience of not being obtrusive with their daily lives.
Integration
At SARCO Architects we believe that successful projects are those where the final results are beautiful, and where the construction is executed smoothly, trouble-free and efficient. Achieving this is much harder than people think. In our experience, one of the things needed to get there is very tight project integration during the entire design process.
Integration is closely related to our BIM expertise. As the design evolves, we start to incorporate components and details of all trades. Structural needs and elements, HVAC systems, ducting, connections, Interior Design details, finishes, custom design elements, Electrical needs, placement of outlets and connections, etc., all start becoming part of a single, integrated project.
This involves much more work on the designing and planning, but irons out the kinks and allows us as architects and designers to visualize where we have certain clashes, and figure out the correct way to address them. Projects are much more deeply developed and analyzed. This way, we identify and correct the issues virtually, on the computer, and not on the site.
Expertise
Being an experienced architect is no easy feat. Collecting years and years of experience is essential to any profession, and architecture is no different. You learn with every new project and its specific challenges and creative solutions needed. However, it is also fair to say that there is no match to real hands-on experience such as the one provided by managing a real construction project. Only working on designing and working on drawings is no match by the on-the-site management and figuring out how things need to be done.
Roderick Anderson has over 25 years of experience in managing an architectural Design-Build firm. This expertise provides the firm with a quite unique perspective of being an architect first and foremost, thinking of how the design all projects to be a balance of beauty and function, but at the same time having the practical experience and pragmatic approach that managing efficient construction provides. Probably one of our clients summed it up best:
Roderick is a rare combination of a true artist with the capabilities of an engineer and manager. The whole process of building the house was a pleasure, we loved the client/architect collaboration and it was as smooth a process as it could be. Roderick's use of technology from the design and computer modeling to the progress report and billing is world class (way better than what our architect and builder in NY is using)! During the whole project we may have visited Papagayo 5 or 6 times but always felt that we had a good sense of all aspects of project status.
Rudy Adolf
New York, NY
The SARCO System™ was created to provide our clients with an incomparable customer experience in providing the best in architectural design and building solutions for international clients. The SARCO System™ ensures that your project is designed and built to exceed your expectations, with unique attention to detail, and with straightforward and successful project development. Our ultimate goal is to create projects so enjoyable for our clients that some of them come back and hire us again!
