MIYAAR
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Ways to engage

Four routes.
One responsibility.

Engagement models

The right model depends on what you already have — a trusted contractor, an existing building, a site you have not yet bought, or nothing but an intention.

Compare the models

Design-build is a delivery method in which one firm holds both the design contract and the construction contract. The client has a single accountable party, and conflicts between design intent, buildability and cost are resolved internally rather than escalated to the client to arbitrate.

The client should not
be the referee.

Under separate appointments, the architect and the contractor each answer to you — and to nobody else jointly.

When a beam depth destroys a ceiling line, when a duct route cannot be concealed, when a specified stone is unavailable, somebody has to decide. Under separate appointments that somebody is usually you, under time pressure, with incomplete information and two parties each explaining why it is the other one’s problem.

Design-build removes the referee role. It does not remove the conflicts — those are inherent to building — it just puts them inside one organisation that is answerable for the outcome.

01Design-build vs separate appointments

Architect + contractorIntegrated design-build
Coordination conflictsEscalated to the clientResolved internally
BuildabilityDiscovered at tender or on siteTested during design
SubstitutionsOften a procurement decisionA formal approval event
Cost certaintyFirms up at tender, lateDevelops from M2 onward
Single accountabilityNoYes
Client role in disputesRefereeDecision-maker
Design independenceHigherRequires trust in one firm
Competitive tenderingStraightforwardPriced within one relationship

The last two rows are the honest trade-off. Design-build concentrates trust in one firm and prices within one relationship. If open tendering and independent design review matter more to you than single accountability, separate appointments are the better choice — and we will say so during qualification.

02The four models

01

Integrated Design-Build

Architecture, interiors, procurement and construction under the clearest possible line of accountability — one contract, one team, one responsibility for the outcome.

Best when

You want a single party answerable for design quality, cost and programme, and you value clarity over managing multiple vendors.

Scope

  • Full design authorship across every discipline
  • Statutory approvals and authority liaison
  • Procurement, vendor selection and long-lead control
  • Construction execution and site management
  • QA/QC, commissioning and handover
  • Structured aftercare

MIYAAR carries design, cost and delivery risk together.

02

Design + Project Management

MIYAAR authors the design and manages coordination, quality, programme and approvals while construction is contracted separately.

Best when

You have a trusted contractor, or a contractor is mandated, but you want the design intent professionally defended on site.

Scope

  • Full design authorship
  • Tender documentation and contractor comparison
  • Site supervision and design-intent review
  • Programme, quality and change management
  • Inspection records and snag control

MIYAAR carries design and coordination risk; construction risk sits with the contractor.

03

Interior Turnkey

A complete interior journey from space planning and BOQ through to installation, snagging and handover.

Best when

The building exists and you want the interior delivered whole, without assembling vendors yourself.

Scope

  • Space planning and interior architecture
  • Material, lighting and joinery detailing
  • BOQ, procurement and vendor management
  • Installation, styling and snag closure

MIYAAR carries the complete interior outcome.

04

Project Blueprint

A paid pre-project study that clarifies brief, site potential, investment range, risk and the recommended path — before you commit to a full commission.

Best when

You are evaluating a plot, comparing approaches, or need a defensible investment range before releasing capital.

Scope

  • Life Brief workshop
  • Site and regulatory assessment
  • Indicative spatial programme
  • Investment range with stated assumptions
  • Risk register and recommended delivery route

A standalone deliverable you own outright, whether or not you continue with MIYAAR.

03Design-build questions

What people ask
before signing.

What is design-build?

Design-build is a project delivery method in which one firm holds both the design contract and the construction contract. The client has a single point of accountability, and conflicts between design intent, buildability and cost are resolved internally rather than escalated to the client.

How is design-build different from turnkey?

Turnkey usually describes the commercial outcome — a finished, handed-over space at an agreed price. Design-build describes who is accountable for producing it. A turnkey contract can be delivered by a firm that did not design the space; design-build means the designer and the builder are the same accountable party.

Who carries the risk in a design-build contract?

The design-build firm carries design risk and construction risk together, which is the central advantage: there is no gap for the two to be blamed on each other. The client carries scope-change risk, decision-latency risk and anything explicitly excluded from the contract.

Can I appoint MIYAAR for design only?

Yes, under Design plus Project Management. We author the design and manage coordination, quality, programme and approvals while construction is contracted separately. It suits clients who already have a contractor they trust.
The M0–M9 framework Investment guide

Not sure which model
fits your project?

Ask us at M0