Architectural Services
Black Creek Marina Restaurant Design Project in Florida
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Sreela Biswas - February 25, 2025
- 1:39 pm
Sreela Biswas 
Intro
The Doherty Sommers Architects Engineers, licensed across 9 states in the US, is based in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. The company provides complete design packages, including architectural and engineering design.
Our client required a comprehensive architectural and engineering design set for a 4,800 SF commercial restaurant in Clay County, Florida. We developed the design package from minimal input data within a 2-3 week timeline. Beginning with only the space’s outer dimensions, uppteam produced full construction documentation, code-adherent floor plans, detailed elevations, sections, and material specifications.
Task Assigned
The client tasked us with delivering a complete design package for a 4,800 sq. ft. restaurant. This included developing a detailed construction document from the limited information provided, ensuring that all design elements met safety and regulatory codes, and preparing construction documentation for the project.
Challenges
Our team encountered several challenges while providing design support for this project. The primary constraint was incomplete input data. The client provided only the outer dimensions of the 4,800 SF spaces, without internal partition layout, equipment schedules, or finish specifications at project commencement. Our design team developed the preliminary floor plan, leveraging informed dimensional assumptions and setting a working layout that could be revised iteratively as client input was received.
Material and finish selection needed early-stage coordination without confirmed specifications. We proposed several options across key finish categories, upholding design momentum while awaiting the client’s preferred materials.
The capacity and layout of the dining area seating required adjustments mid-process after the client clarified their optional preferences. uppteam revised the arrangement to fulfill both the client’s functional requirements and the compatible occupancy and egress standards.
Code compliance also presented a layered challenge considering the evolving design state. Our experts cross-referenced the developing drawings against Florida Building Code norms (life safety, ADA accessibility, and kitchen equipment clearances) for commercial dining occupancy throughout every revision cycle.
Solutions
uppteam’s architectural designers fixed the incomplete input data constraint by establishing a methodical revision workflow. It entailed producing a working floor plan from available outer dimensions, flagging all assumption-based choices in a tracked revision log, and updating the drawings at every client input milestone. Code compliance was dealt with through concurrent review. Our team cross-referenced every revision against Florida Building Code commercial occupancy requirements, ADA clearance protocols, and kitchen equipment positioning guidelines as the drawings developed.
Additionally, the team developed comprehensive construction documentation after refining the drawings. This included detailed schematics, elevations, sections, and material specifications, providing a clear and thorough guide for the construction team. The final deliverables gave the client a complete package that covered all technical aspects, from the initial concept to construction documentation, along with an accurate 2D floor plan, which can serve as a valuable reference for future needs.
The final drawing package was developed against all available client reference materials. We leveraged AutoCAD for construction documentation, Revit for BIM-coordinated drawings, and Lumion for visualization deliverables. Our team reviewed and reconciled every reference source with the developing design to confirm dimensional precision and spatial consistency with the client’s intent. We then submitted the completed CD set within the stipulated time and received full client approval on the first review.
