06 Service 6 of 7 · Facility Planning, Design & Development
Schematic Design
Translating the concept into spatial logic and layout.
Schematic Design (SD) is the first technical phase where your design concept begins to take form in measurable space. It includes early architectural drawings, zoning arrangements, circulation plans, and functional relationships between rooms and departments. At this stage, core decisions about layout, sizing, adjacencies, and movement flows are made to ensure that your future facility will work as beautifully as it looks.
At LBS, we facilitate schematic design with an operational mindset — ensuring spatial efficiency, compliance, and long-term adaptability are embedded from the start.
The Essentials of Schematic Design
Why layout defines more than space — it defines performance.
Establishes Functional Relationships Across Departments
Schematic design maps how different spaces interact: which rooms need to be close together, where public meets private, and how staff, patients, or clients move — ensuring the facility supports efficient, safe operations.
Enables Early Cost and Construction Feasibility Checks
By locking in general space dimensions and zoning, developers and engineers can begin budget forecasting, construction staging, and code analysis — minimizing late-stage surprises.
Drives Regulatory Compliance from the Ground Up
Building codes, health facility licensing rules, and accessibility regulations are all considered at this stage, helping prevent rework and re-approval later.
Facilitates Stakeholder Review Before Technical Deep Dive
Clear and intuitive drawings, rather than overwhelming technical plans, allow clinical teams, executives, or investors to provide input while there’s still flexibility to revise.
How we approach it
Development of Block Plans and Functional Zoning
- Identify departmental adjacencies (e.g., surgery to recovery), patient and staff access points, and major space allocations — optimized for workflow.
Initial Floor Plans and Circulation Paths
- Lay out corridors, waiting areas, emergency exits, and internal travel flows to ensure safe, efficient, and code-compliant movement patterns.
Room Programming and Area Calculations
- Translate conceptual spaces into room types, dimensions, and quantity — balancing capacity needs with budget and site constraints.
Site Orientation and Infrastructure Planning
- Consider building orientation, access roads, utilities, natural light, and environmental factors that will affect long-term comfort and sustainability.
How LBS Helps
Workflow-Integrated Layout Planning
We ensure schematic layouts reflect real-world movement and task sequences — particularly in clinical, hospitality, and high-traffic settings.
Regulatory-Aware Design Support
Our familiarity with local and international building and health codes helps prevent early-stage errors that can derail timelines.
Multidisciplinary Coordination
We bring architects, engineers, operators, and brand consultants to the table — ensuring schematic plans work on all fronts.
Stakeholder-Focused Presentations
We produce schematic packages that are clear and engaging for all decision-makers — whether medical directors or investors.