Architectural print production, brought in-house

Stuart Michael Associates is an established architectural practice based in Hampshire, specialising in residential projects from extensions and renovations to full new builds. Their work demands precise technical drawings, accurate colour for material specifications and client presentations, and reliable output for planning submissions. As a practice where design quality is the product, the standard of their printed output directly reflects their professional credibility.

Producing architectural drawings, plans, and client presentations externally created a workflow bottleneck that affected project timelines. Turnaround on plan revisions depended on third-party availability, and the cost of outsourcing accumulated across a busy project pipeline. Stuart Michael Associates needed a large-format printer that could deliver the technical precision required for architectural drawings, the colour accuracy needed for client presentations and material boards, and the reliability to support their day-to-day workflow without specialist print management expertise.

Colyer specified the HP DesignJet Z6 Pro, a large-format printer designed for colour-critical architectural and design applications. The Z6 Pro delivers exceptional colour accuracy — essential for material specification boards and client presentations — alongside the line precision required for technical drawings and plans. Its speed and reliability make it suitable for a busy practice producing output daily, while its straightforward operation means architectural staff can produce prints without dedicated print operator support.

Architectural drawings, client presentations, and planning submissions are now produced entirely in-house, eliminating external print dependencies and their associated delays and costs. Turnaround on plan revisions dropped from days to the same working session, enabling Stuart Michael Associates to respond faster to client feedback and planning authority requirements. The colour accuracy of the Z6 Pro improved the quality of client presentations and material specification boards. Having reliable in-house capability gave the practice greater control over their project delivery timeline.

Having the HP DesignJet in-house has changed how we work in our practice.

Stuart Michael Associates