Difference Between Commercial and Residential Architecture

Constructing a new building - be it an office or home is quite stressful. Amongst that, selecting the right architect, who would help you to realize your dream is also a matter of anxiety. Be it a commercial architecture or a residential architecture design, the homebuilders need to find out the right architect and the best structural engineering firm.  A residential architecture definition states how a residential architect rightly balances the art and functionality for designing, remodeling and creating residential buildings, condominiums and apartments. Residential architects know the best way – ‘How to design a residential house?’ However, they are not the best persons for designing an office space. Nor would the commercial architect design a comfy home. So, before taking a decision, it is important to know the difference between residential and commercial building architecture.

What is residential architecture?

Residential architecture considers all the safety standards of a residential building structure. The residential architects have sound knowledge of safety norms for attics, stairs as well as the architectural, structural, electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems of the house. They carve out the right balance between art and functionality to build design and remodeling. Homebuilders get residential architecture design services from architectural engineering firms or self-employed architects.

Roles and Responsibilities of Residential Architects:

• Collaborate with home builders and contractors for building houses, apartments, etc.

• Coordinate with interior designers for creating a personalized concept within homes.

• Build living spaces, kitchen and bathrooms.

• Design residences based on building plans for decorative components.

• Ensure that the residence building follows the plumbing, electrical, and other city codes.

What is commercial architecture?

Commercial architects are involved in creating competent commercial architectural plans with more rooms, making space for more people to live at the same time. The commercial architects create the building designs and specifications for offices, retail outlets, factories, shopping malls, air and rail terminals, hotels, hospitals, sports and leisure facilities. Commercial architects usually work in offices, establishing building plans and consulting with Architectural, Engineering and Construction clients. They also have to pay a visit to the construction sites for monitoring the progress of construction activities. Some commercial architects work for large construction firms, while others are self-employed.

Roles and Responsibilities of Commercial Architects:

• Work on large scale commercial building architecture projects, crafting commercial buildings such as banks, hospitals,  offices, etc.

• Create commercial architectural plans, facilitating clients to understand commercial safety regulations and building codes and ensure that the commercial building meets those requirements.

• Plan for commercial components like elevators, loading docks, parking space, lobbies, public rest-room, etc.

• Commercial architecture design-build firms build an accurate space for large and safe gatherings of people through implementing safety exits, access to fire extinguishers and other fire code requirements in the building plan.

• Consult with building designers, ensuring that all facets of the building are as per client requirements.

• Include public broadcast systems, audio-video as well as performance spaces in churches and other places of worship.

• Collaborate with the technical team during the design build process for installing ATMs and create the right space for enabling access to electricity as well as internet connections.

What is the difference between Residential and Commercial Architect?

Here are a few points to distinguish between residential and commercial architects:

Specific Clients:

• Residential architects cater to a specific group of clients. They collaborate with home builders, and other individuals to deliver a complete solution starting from development, designing to construction management.

• Since commercial architects work with large projects, especially non-residential structures such as a mall or retail store, their target groups consist of the general public. Their commercial spaces are visited by a large number of people. 

Structural Requirements:

• Residential architects consult with the structural engineering firm for creating rooms for the inhabitants. They fulfil the needs of the resident and design the structure in such a way that it provides maximum comfort to the dwellers.

• Commercial architects build commercial spaces for retail stores, malls and corporate offices, where several people come and go. Hence, the structural requirement for commercial architects often becomes challenging, as some of the commercial spaces include several rooms such as the storeroom, conference room, and many more.

Safety Rules:

• Residential architects often have to pay heed to the safety regulations of residential construction. They are well-versed with the technicalities and know the safety rules for attics, stairs as well as electrical and plumbing lines.

• Since commercial spaces involve many rooms and people, the safety rules are different from the residential construction. Commercial spaces have additions like escalators, elevators, cafes, changing rooms, conference room, gymnasiums, etc. Hence, with each room, the safety norm changes making it a bit challenging.

Creative Freedom 

• Residential architects enjoy creative freedom and often they have to deal with inexperienced clients. While giving any suggestion, they don’t have to take the permissions from any authority, as their works are executed on an individual basis.

• Commercial architects may not get such creative freedom and their building designs depend to a great extent on the style and the projects they are choosing. Further, they consist of being a part of the large construction team, which makes it difficult to share design ideas.

So, these are the differences between commercial and residential architecture. Despite the differences, you may consult a single expert to manage both the architectural and commercial building projects. Get in touch with the best commercial residential architect firm in USA – Tejjy Inc. and manage your home renovation, bathroom remodeling and other office building projects. Consult 202-465-4830 or info@tejjy.com for your complete architectural, structural and MEP building requirements.