I'm not a plumber and I don't think I ever will be. But damn it if I don't realize how easily a good sprinkler system makes my life as an architect easier. Anyone who has ever done a code review will tell you the same thing. Sprinkler systems, while not always required by code, will almost always reduce restrictions and construction requirements for the rest of the project.
The Building Code is primarily concerned with safely protecting the users of a building. It is also concerned with protecting property. Even without specific requirements, insurance companies often reduce homeowners' insurance rates if the project incorporates sprinkler systems. It's a bit confusing, but if you think about it, it's simple.
Each type of construction involves not only an inherent set of potential materials that can be used, but also how flammable those materials are. The allowed floor area is the maximum number of square feet with which the Building Code allows each floor plate of a building to be built. There are graphs that indicate this number based on (you guessed it) the occupancy and the type of construction. An included sprinkler system can expand the allowed floor area, as can the proximity of a building to the property's boundaries.
Another part of the Code that will really blow you away is the allowed building height and the allowed number of floors your building can be built on. You'll find that, like the allowed floor area, a building's height is determined primarily by occupancy and type of construction. Another factor to consider is that many buildings may be limited by real-world elements, such as fire truck ladders and other human safety equipment. There are obvious exceptions (I can see that they are skyscrapers), but keep in mind that many of the code requirements for building height can be reduced as other concessions are made, such as sprinkler systems.
As is often the case with public spaces, local government also has something to say. Sports architects work together with city council members, university staff, and other authority figures. These facilities must comply with local and national regulations and meet all planning requirements. Beyond this, detailed design and documentation, along with project management, are skills in the long list of service offerings.
You want an architect who is not only an expert in designing the type of remodeling or expansion you want, but also an architect with whom you can communicate well and whose cost model suits you. He spent several years managing complex luxury residential projects with notable architects in the Bay Area and, at the same time, implemented systems and processes to improve the experience. Fundamentally, a sports architect fulfills all the responsibilities of a traditional architect in community and sports-related projects. Architects usually don't charge for this time, which focuses on whether the architect wants to take over the project and whether you want to hire him.
Simply put, a sports architect is an architect specializing in sports facilities and related structures. Usually, the contract will include the scope of the work, the services the architect will provide, the schedule of the project, how much the architect will be paid and when.
