Identity
Product name, code, manufacturer or supplier, material grade, finish, and colour reference.
Remote material approval
Approve materials through specifications, samples, and a visible decision record.
Screens are useful for coordination, but physical samples remain important when colour, texture, sheen, comfort, or fabrication quality cannot be judged reliably online.
Remote-firstClear online reviews, records, and deliverables.
Local coordinationDefined handover to licensed local teams.
Private by defaultClient locations and identifying details stay unpublished.
Direct answer
Remote material approval needs more than photographs and informal messages.
Each selection should record the product code, material grade, finish, colour reference, dimensions, tolerances, edge details, sample status, supplier, intended location, approval date, and approver.
Key controls
A complete approval record reduces substitution and fabrication risk.
Technical fit
Dimensions, thickness, tolerances, edge treatment, slip or fire requirements, and compatible substrates.
Sample status
Digital reference, physical sample, control sample, mock-up, prototype, and approval status.
Decision record
Intended location, date, reviewer, comments, conditions, substitution status, and final approver.
Scope and responsibility
Physical samples are decision tools, not decorative extras.
Where an exact tactile or fabricated result matters, the approved sample becomes the control reference for production and inspection.
Shortlist
Select options against design intent, performance, availability, cost, lead time, and local requirements.
Sample
Request physical samples or prototypes for critical colour, texture, comfort, and workmanship decisions.
Approve
Record written approval, conditions, sample code, date, and intended location.
Control
Suppliers and inspectors compare production against the approved reference and current specification.
Questions
Clear before the project begins.
For projects led by Volume Plan: They can support discussion but should not be the sole approval method for colour-critical decisions.
For projects led by Volume Plan: The procurement plan should identify whether the studio, supplier, client, or local site team holds each control sample.
For projects led by Volume Plan: A substitute is compared against design intent, dimensions, appearance, performance, lead time, cost, and compatibility before approval.
For projects led by Volume Plan: The client’s local architect, engineer, certifier, contractor, or authority confirms suitability before ordering or installation.
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