Achieving design value depends upon the collective efforts of all participants involved in the design and realization of buildings, necessitating the establishment of appropriate managerial frames as well as the assembly and maintenance of effective teams. Building design management is a rapidly evolving field and this special issue of the journal Architectural Engineering and Design Management examines a variety of approaches to design management from different perspectives. The underlying argument is for the better management of design value in an increasingly complex building sector.

Written by international experts in the field, the core themes include the modelling, coordination and management of design information; the definition and realization of architectural value; digital outsourcing of architectural services; knowledge capital in architectural education; and the importance of cultural issues. Design management is addressed from the perspective of consultants and contractors, which helps to illustrate the dynamic interrelationships between people, technologies and management.

This peer-reviewed publication will be invaluable reading for lecturers and students on architecture, built environment and civil engineering courses. The contents will also be of interest to professional architects, engineers and sponsors of design and construction projects.

Content - Editorial, International Building Design Management and Project Performance: Case Study in Sao, Paulo, Brazil, Design Management from a contractor's Perspective: The Need for Clarity, Forming Core Elements for Strategic Design Management How to Define and Direct Architectural Value in an Industrialized Context, Modelling Trade Contractor Information Production, Rules of Engagement: Testing the Attributes of Distant Outsourcing Marriages, Building Stories Revisited: Unlocking the Knowledge Capital of Architectural Practice, Book reviews