The forces at play
An interior design project passes through design phases, permit procedures, site works, bespoke fabrication and deliveries. Each step has its own timing, specific constraints and margins of unpredictability. The studio controls project quality, supply coordination and the orchestration of decisions. The timelines of public authorities, the structural condition of the property and technical contingencies remain outside direct control. Planning reduces risks and anticipates problems, yet construction work entails variables that can shift the calendar even when method is rigorous.
The preliminary rigour
Care during the design phase prevents delays on site. Before any work begins, every element must be defined: complete execution drawings, verified systems coordination, confirmed materials, engaged tradespeople. This preparation takes time. An outside observer may perceive it as a slowdown. Investing in preliminary definition means avoiding corrections on site, where every change carries a multiplied cost in time and money.
Supply management follows the same logic. As soon as the client approves a choice, we initiate the quantification process and refine specifications according to the supplier's production standards. Dialogue with craftspeople and manufacturers allows us to monitor lead times and coordinate deliveries with site progress. Final logistics require tight planning to avoid weeks of waiting between one installation and the next.
The structural unknowns
Interventions on existing buildings carry unknowns that emerge only once demolition is underway:
- structural problems;
- non-compliant systems;
- compromised substrates;
- traces of asbestos;
- hidden damp.
These occurrences are common in older properties. Preliminary analyses, exploratory openings and site visits with specialist technicians reduce the risk. When a contingency arises, subsequent works cascade and the programme must be recalibrated.
The permit constraints
Interventions on listed historic buildings or significant structural modifications require approval times that depend on the relevant authorities. Condominium dynamics add a further layer of complexity:
- restrictions on working hours;
- noise limits;
- rules on the use of common areas;
- permits for scaffolding and public-space occupation.
Planning and preliminary analyses allow these constraints to be anticipated, but authority response times remain an independent variable.
The time of making
Bespoke elements with high technical content constitute the most sensitive category: special joinery, complex cabinetry, natural stone work, customised lighting systems. Production times can extend over weeks or months. Once an order is placed, acceleration becomes difficult.
The most frequent error concerns the perception of available time. Postponing a decision or changing it after approval reopens the cycle of quantification, verification and production. The chain lengthens and the delivery date shifts. Expecting speed after weeks of indecision ignores the physics of the manufacturing process.
The site factors
The construction site is sensitive to external factors. Weather conditions affect laying, screeds, roofing work and window installation. Site accessibility, logistical constraints and the urban context can slow handling and deliveries. Work sequences have technical times that cannot be compressed: a screed must dry, paintwork must cure, a system must be tested.
Continuous coordination and constant presence allow control to be maintained. Signs of slippage are recognised when a delay impacts subsequent phases and the programme loses grip. In these cases we intervene to reorganise sequences and contain the domino effect.
The margins for compression
When a client asks to compress timelines, the concrete possibilities are limited. We can press tradespeople and smaller suppliers, intensify site presence, optimise overlaps between compatible works. For industrial production and bespoke items with cycles already underway, room for manoeuvre is minimal.
Some accelerations must be refused. Manual work, decorative finishes, precision installations require time and concentration. Forcing these processes means accepting an inferior result or having to redo. Quality is often proportional to the time dedicated.
The client's role
Active client participation is decisive for calendar adherence. Stylistic choices, furniture, colours, materials are the decisions that most often generate slowdowns when postponed or reconsidered. Every element approved and then modified requires recalibration of the whole to maintain compositional balance.
The most effective way to sustain project rhythm:
- consolidating choices within requested timeframes;
- trusting the reasoning that accompanies each proposal;
- raising doubts before formal approval;
- avoiding autonomous interventions on site or requests outside the agreed scope.
Punctuality in decisions allows the project to advance steadily. When this mechanism stalls, the consequences spread across the entire journey.
The flow of method
A well-managed project proceeds at a constant pace because each phase has been prepared by the previous one. Setbacks exist, but they are absorbed by a system that has room to manoeuvre. Projecting precise figures for overall duration is difficult: every project and every site constitutes a case of its own. The method minimises controllable variables and faces unpredictable ones with preparation and readiness.
