Variety is the Spice of Life

The variety of architectural projects we have the opportunity to work on is fairly amazing. The types, locations, systems, builders, and clients all have a huge range of diversity. If it is true that variety is the spice of life, we are very spicy indeed. It keeps every day interesting and offers challenges and opportunities. We are constantly learning and growing as designers. We get to work with so many different types of clients from homeowners, to non-profit boards, to industry leaders. We have the opportunity to discuss requirements with building code officials, city planners, fire departments, engineers, sprinkler experts, building product representatives, and contractors. We balance budget, performance, dreams, scope, best practices, workflow, living habits, and more in each day of design.

 

Commercial Building Change of Use – Office to Daycare

Harrisonburg Rockingham Child Daycare

Another project is a commercial building change of use from an office to a daycare. This steel framed structure with open web steel trusses, on a crawl space required coordination between client, engineer, and contractor. We worked for a building committee that reported to the client’s board of directors.

 

Wood Framed Construction

This project featured extra tall wood framed construction over a crawl space, and scissor trusses. We worked for the home owners and also got input from extended family members.

 

Wood Framed Restaurant

Oriental Cafe

This project is a wood framed restaurant with a truss roof. The project required learning about the process of cooking amazing oriental food in a fast food style. The layout of kitchen to allow for flow of product and dining to bring in natural light was critical. We worked through the builder to develop the right solution for this client’s dreams.

 

Historic Porch Renovation

Round brick column on historic porch. View looking into the rising sun.

This historic porch renovation using bricks to create a circular column was a challenge because of how thin the historic columns needed to be to achieve the right historical aesthetic.

 

Elementary School Addition

Eastern Mennonite Elementary School Harrisonburg

This elementary school addition that is steel framed with wood trusses has a lot of specific details that needed to be coordinated. We have been collaborating with MEP Engineers, Structural Engineers, client, building officials, and contractors to get the details just right.

 

Heavy Timber Coordination

rockingham county timber frame home

This custom home added a heavy timber coordination element to a dream home goal. With building science as a primary driver in building decisions we make, this specific material type has an added layer of complexity over some of our other projects.

 

Industrial and More

Add to this mix of project types to others such as industrial, warehouse, change of use commercial projects, interior design consultations, and small residential addition projects and no two days are the same. This is an incredible profession and we are so fortunate to get to work on such a wide variety of projects.

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