As a firm, we practice design as an act of service. We work closely together with our clients to create projects that are completely custom and unique to their needs. Well-rounded and well-designed projects should aim to better people’s lives by taking in their ideas and input. As designers and architects, we are driven by the passion of using our skills to help people better their environments. Practicing design as an act of service means meeting our clients where they are, working hard to understand their needs, and leading with empathy and patience to help bring their visions to life. These are the projects that have the power to truly connect people and meaningfully better their environment. Here are a few examples of projects we designed with this in mind!
Church Street Townhomes
The Church Street Townhomes project in Christiansburg, Virginia was developed by Habitat for Humanity in New River Valley. Working together with Habitat for Humanity has been a valuable part of us reaching our goal of building strong communities and it is always a pleasure working with an organization that shares our values. The seven conjoined townhomes are fully accessible for people of all abilities and EarthCraft and Energy-Star certified.
Speech and Language Center
The Speech and Language Center in Harrisonburg, Virginia came to us with a very particular problem. The client needed to grow the functional space of the building while only being able to add a few feet to two sides of the building. We worked closely with the client and the builder to expand the space and were able to successfully deliver the right solution for this business to continue to grow and thrive. Teamwork makes the dream work!
Eastern Mennonite School
The Eastern Mennonite School in Harrisonburg, Virginia was a renovation project aimed at converting a three-story office building into an elementary school. The project focused specifically on sustainable practices and creation care, which was important to our non-profit client. We worked together with the teachers, administration, and students at the school to create a space that would enhance the learning environment.
When engaging a client in the design process it is important for us to make sure they feel heard and know we are here to support them and what they want for the future of their space. We encourage all potential, current, and past clients to engage in conversations with us about what they want for themselves, and their communities, and how we can help them get there. Being in constant conversation with the people we serve is important to us, and we also can do community presentations to share our wealth of knowledge and help advance people’s community building. Including the community in the design process is an invaluable learning opportunity and allows for a greater capacity to make meaningful changes with architecture. Using design as an act of service looks like giving tools to people who do not have them and listening to their wants and needs.
By Principle Architect and Multi-Family Director, Adrienne Stronge. I have always loved books. I have been on a lifetime of adventures from my couch / bed / chair, thanks to the amazing power of printed words. At a very young age I knew two things; I wanted to be an author and I wanted to live in a house with a library. As I got older, I realized that my talents were better suited to creating tangible buildings rather than fictional worlds, but I knew that my hobby would make me a better architect.
Reading allows me to practice designing in my mind, turning written words into beautiful buildings without pictures to guide me. It’s like exercising my design muscle, especially with fantastical worlds that exist outside of our reality. Books also help me practice empathy. Walking in someone else’s shoes and reading someone else’s perspective works towards building empathy for other experiences. As architects, we need to be able to listen and empathize with our clients to create personalized spaces that fully meet their wants and needs.
While I did not become a writer, I do have a “library” with bookshelves shoe-horned into every blank wall of my house. I love having a house full of books and places I can go to comfortably read them. If you are like me and need a place in your home for books, or even just spaces to cozy up with your e-reader, here are some tips below: 1. Make sure your architect knows the size of your collection. Built-in bookcases with adjustable shelves are better than individually bought shelves for safety reasons, but if you will have any heavy furniture pieces, consider adding blocking in the wall for anchoring these pieces. Ensure your bookcases are designed near a bearing wall if you have a large, weighty collection. Don’t forget to design places for any oversized books in your collection, which are best stored flat to avoid stressing the spines.
2. Reading next to a window is one of my favorite places to curl up with a book, but avoid direct light in rooms with books. Direct sunlight will fade spines and make books age faster. Work with your architect to conduct sun studies that will allow enough indirect light to comfortably read but block harmful direct light.
3. You will want to ensure there is no excessive moisture in the room that will house your books. A well-balanced HVAC system with a well-designed and constructed building enclosure is key for this.
4. While I love natural light in my reading space, the room needs ample artificial light for night or rainy day reading. If your reading space will be in the center of your room, consider adding a floor outlet for your reading lamp to avoid trip hazards from wires. Direct, individually switched sconce lights over beds will allow you to continue your reading well into the night when you just need to consume “one more chapter…”
5. I love the cozy image of reading next to a fire. An efficient heat pump should keep you comfortably warm in your home, but you could consider adding a visually appealing electric fireplace. These will give you the cozy effect of reading by a fire, without the introduction of flame and particulates to your library.
6. For a bit of whimsy, consider using a bookcase as a hidden doorway. Creating a secret room adds a fun, unexpected element to your library.
7. Don’t forget your outdoor spaces! Make a cozy nook outside for a great reading spot. My ideal outdoor spot is covered for all weather, includes a ceiling fan to discourage bugs, includes artificial lighting for reading late into the night, and has well-placed blocking in the ceiling so I can install a swing or comfortable hanging chair.
If you’re a fellow bibliophile, be sure to check out the VA Festival of the Book, taking place March 20-24, 2024 in Charlottesville. VAbook.org
What better day than Saint Patrick’s Day than to give you tips for to go green! As a bonus, if you forgot to wear green for Saint Patrick’s Day, maybe you can evade the pinching by trying these green tips! … Ok, that might not fly, but taking care of the environment and creation is a pretty worthwhile reason on it’s own to try one (or all) of these.
Cut your water usage.Not only does this conserve precious water resources but it saves you money as well.
Try a free carbon footprint calculator to identify the ways your household may be producing carbon. Then reflect on how you might reduce your footprint in feasible ways for you.
Choose LED bulbs for more energy efficiency. Not only will you not have to replace a bulb near as often but LED bulbs have some of the most versatile options today with numerous color temperatures, shapes, and sizes.
Install Solar PV on your roof. This can be a large investment, so it’s not surprising that there are often a lot of questions surrounding investment in solar. Eric Beck, owner of Green Hill Solar, and Charles Hendricks answer some of the questions we’ve heard the most. If you’re interested in hearing more, check out the answers and discussion in our blog posts: Should you install solar pv on your roof? Part 1 and Part 2.
Another option for when the Virginia Spring swings from cold to summer-feeling heat outside is to open your windows. This is called Natural Ventilation and it can improve the quality of your indoor air by circulating fresh air, while reducing energy bills when designed right. However, if your allergies are bad in the spring, this tip may not be worth it, and that’s ok.
In an earlier post, I talked about my interview with a client about why old homes are worth saving, and he took me on a tour to share the history while pointing out details. In our interview, our client highlighted the importance of restoring old buildings because “[they] are tangible elements of history,” and emphasized that seeing history in the physical and visual is much more enjoyable than reading it on paper.
He was absolutely right. During the tour, I found myself getting more and more excited about history, especially of historic buildings. Seeing history in-person instead of just reading text connected me to the stories much more than I had before.
All that said, it is ironic that I’m writing about how seeing history in physical form connected me to it much more than reading about the history. To combat the irony just a bit, below are photos with tidbits from our interview and tour.
Photo details of our client’s house
After the Revolutionary War, some Hessian mercenaries (recruited from Germany to fill the British ranks) were left on the continent. They brought some German design elements/heritage with them which blended over time with emerging American preferences. You can see this in the hand carvings and style of the mantles (6 were fireplaces in the house, some restored now).
Downstairs by the kitchen there’s a china cabinet that the current owners painted dark green in keeping with the old color scheme. But if you look inside, you can see the old paint which is a brighter green – more of a lime green. This color was popular among German settlers, including Mennonites, Lutherans, and others who included that color as they moved down into the Shenandoah area from Central Pennsylvania.
Remnants of the lime-green paint are also on this door.
Round brick columns, typical to the time period.
Throughout the years, larger rooms were sectioned off into smaller ones, like the Great Room. They can tell where the Great Room was because the boards are perfectly aligned between a couple existing rooms. Uniform board lengths with no cuts was a symbol of status, which would have been put in the Great Room.
The milk paint on the detailing in this room is mulberry colored. This seems to be a popular color of milk paint for the time.
There isn’t written history of this, but it’s been passed down orally that a cannonball broke this upstairs window.
Builders numbered the attic timber beams with carved roman numerals so they would know the order to put them in when they hauled them to the house.
Wooden pegs in the attic to secure the beams together.
A hanging stepped flue in the attic – a very unique element.
Just for fun. As a photographer, I always love when furry friends come to say hello in my shoots.
Finally, here are a few more pictures from my photoshoot of our client’s porch after the historical porch renovation.
*Content Forecast: This blog includes discussion about trauma. These discussions are located in the First, a quick explanation of trauma. section and are broad definitions of trauma, not specific stories.
In recent years, the conversation around mental health has expanded to encompass various aspects of our lives, including the spaces we inhabit. Architecture, traditionally seen as a field focused on aesthetics and functionality, is now exploring a more empathetic approach known as trauma-informed design. This design philosophy prioritizes the well-being of individuals who have experienced trauma, recognizing the profound impact that the built environment can have on their healing journey.
In May of 2023, I attended Trauma Informed Design: Breaking the Stigma, a Webinar by Lynsey Hankins and Sarah Gomez. As someone who has experienced trauma, the emerging field of trauma-informed design is of particular interest to me. It’s also relevant on a large scale to make spaces more comfortable and empowering. One example in the global context is the collective trauma experienced from the COVID-19 Pandemic, which still impacts many of us on different scales.
*First, a quick explanation of trauma.
Minddescribes trauma: “Trauma is when we experience very stressful, frightening or distressing events that are difficult to cope with or out of our control. It could be one incident, or an ongoing event that happens over a long period of time.” They explain that “most of us will experience an event in our lives that could be considered traumatic” even though it will affect people in different ways. The effects can last long after the initial incident.
Trauma is sometimes split into three broad categories: acute, chronic, and complex. There are also many types including physical, emotional, collective, cultural, generational, natural disaster-related, and many more.
The Built Environment and Trauma
Our surroundings play a significant role in shaping our experiences and emotions. Trauma-informed architecture acknowledges that traditional design principles may inadvertently trigger or exacerbate trauma symptoms. For example, harsh lighting, loud noises, and confined spaces can be particularly distressing for individuals who have experienced trauma. Conversely, a well-designed and thoughtful space can create a sense of comfort and contribute positively to a person’s healing process.
As Lynsey and Sarah explained, “The goal of trauma-informed design is to use empathy to create environments that promote a sense of calm, safety, dignity, empowerment, and well-being for all occupants.” The lens of trauma-informed design is a broad and intersectional lens. “Design decisions should be filtered through the overlapping lenses of psychology, neuroscience, physiology, and cultural factors”.
Design Considerations
Trauma-Informed Design is frequently talked about in regards to public spaces such as hospitals and educational buildings, but it can be applied to any space that we inhabit. There are many many ways to apply this design, but here are just a few things to consider:
1. Safety and Security:
Prioritize creating spaces that feel safe and secure.
Clear wayfinding signs, well-lit areas, and open spaces to reduce feelings of confinement.
2. Sensory Considerations:
Incorporate natural light, soft textures, and calming colors.
Minimize loud noises and disruptive elements
Include natural elements to your design. There is wide-spread documentation that connection to nature provides physical and psychological health benefits.
3. Empowerment and Choice:
Allow individuals to have control over their surroundings when possible.
Provide flexible spaces that accommodate different needs and preferences.
People can use their own artwork in communal spaces. Including people in a space gives choice, control, and belonging.
4. Cultural Sensitivity:
Recognize and respect cultural backgrounds when designing spaces.
Reflect inclusivity and avoid triggering cultural trauma.
5. Community and Connection:
Foster a sense of community that encourages social interaction.
Incorporate communal areas and support networks to promote healing through connection.
The ways this theory can be applied will differ between buildings and inhabitants, but a few key things to consider are spatial layout, lighting, paint colors, noise reduction, biophilia, adding soothing art and visual interest, and designing with the 5 senses in mind.
Trauma Informed Architecture
Trauma-informed architecture represents a shift in a way we approach design, emphasizing empathy and understanding. As the architecture world continues to explore the intersection of mental health and the built environment, trauma-informed architecture illustrates the transformative power of thoughtful design in fostering healing and resilience. As Architects and Designers, we have the unique opportunity and responsibility to influence people’s lives through the built-environment, and trauma-informed design is an important lens for developing our designs.
