A world of No Design

A world of No Design

Have you ever found just the perfect shirt? One the fits just right and makes you look and feel good? I recently found a nice short-sleeve button-down shirt that is a heavy enough fabric, cut right for my robust shape, and came in my favorite color – black. It is rare to find just the right article of clothing since they are designed for the “average” person, meaning they don’t fit right for a large majority. Most of us have never had clothes designed specifically for our desires, body type, and preferences. Most of us have not experienced design rather live in a world of “no design.”

no design space

In the construction industry, this is also very true. Design can change how you live, work, and play for the better. Yet, design is almost always cut out of the budget. You hear the phrase code minimum as a standard to achieve when it is actually the minimum quality allowed by law. The result is seen in projects that in no way are customized to meet your goals for living, working, or playing. Most of our buildings and outdoor spaces are not designed to enhance our lifestyle or business or family life, they instead rely on “no design.” In the United States, we largely have not experienced quality design. Our homes in many cases are built to the lowest possible quality and are generic, not designed for a specific lifestyle. Many of our commercial projects are also generic, maximum leasable space the site will allow without thought to what could be if time was spent on design thinking.

future design

How can we change the future if we don’t stop and design the future we want. We need to have skilled and trained designers creating our spaces where we live, work, and play. We need to raise the quality of our built environment to make intentional decisions about what is important for our collective future. Design matters and together we can build a better future through design. If we continue to move towards generic solutions for our built environment we will miss the opportunity to live the fullest life possible.

 

Architecture is frozen music

Architecture is frozen music

Our world is a better place because of music, art, and architecture. “Music is liquid architecture; architecture is frozen music” according to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. We work hard to deliver quality architecture and at supporting the music and art community. From our First Friday art openings to sponsoring the Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir, we look for ways to promote art and music in our local community. So when we were approached about doing a renovation design for the stage at Natural Chimneys Park and Campground, we jumped at the opportunity.

Natural Chimney park and campground, located in Augusta County, is a beautiful place on its own, but it is also home to some of the best music we have ever experienced. Each year, the Red Wing Roots Music Festival takes over the campground for a weekend in July. This annual family-friendly event brings together amazing music and people. The existing stage on the campground was adequate, not designed for musical performances, and in need of a facelift. We came up with a bold scheme after meeting with the festival organizers and hearing their goals. We learned more about lighting, photography, and sound for a band performance in order to create the right type of space. Our goal was to make a performance venue that fit the surroundings, could be built for the desired budget and framed the performances. We wanted it to belong to the place, telling a story, inviting others into the space to create memories.

The result of our design work is this heavy timber structure built in collaboration with Herr and Company, Venture Builders, and Blue Ridge Timberwrights. This space, which was intentionally designed, has become one of our happy spaces in the valley.

“Music is liquid architecture; architecture is frozen music” according to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Remodeling with an Interior Designer

Remodeling with an Interior Designer

Remodeling your home can be an overwhelming venture especially when you don’t have a solid vision. There are a million questions to answer once you decide to remodel your home – Should I add cabinets? What color should they be? Will the cabinet color match the floors or should I get new flooring? It is easy to drown in what-ifs, but hiring an interior designer can relieve most (if not all) of the stress that comes with this decision-making.

John Kitchen After

Interior designers have the ability to take a step back and look at the bigger picture, they break down this process step by step and make it easier for clients to maneuver. They can completely envision a room by just looking at paint swatches and floor tiles. This is what makes them such a crucial tool in the remodeling process- they act as a guide that listens and understands your own individual style and brings in complementing elements. No need to worry if your style is still undiscovered – that’s another part of their job, discovering it for you. Basically, they can see the future of your home before the construction process has even started. 

Our in-house interior designer, discusses what she does and how she makes the design process easier, and cheaper for those looking to remodel their homes. This kitchen in Mt. Crawford is an excellent example of how to translate ideas into reality. This particular client was wanting to expand their kitchen and open it into the rest of the house, with one simple change of removing a wall we took a once closed-in overwhelming space and transformed it into an area the whole family could cook together. We also brought in details such as a chrome sink, tiled backsplash, and white countertops to make this space easy to clean for a growing family. Interior designers don’t just consider the now, they consider the future and the direction of your life.

If you are considering remodeling your own kitchen and have no idea what direction to go in you can rest easy knowing that interior designers do that for you. Our job is much more than selecting colors and finishes, we interview clients on their lifestyles, hopes, and goals and creates spaces for that unique individual. Aesthetics aren’t everything when it comes to her design process (although they are very important). Functionality takes the driver’s seat when it comes to details, from the way the sun reflects on paint and how rooms interact with one another through the home. Online house plans don’t listen to or understand your lifestyle and home needs, interior designers do.

Brethren & Mennonite Heritage Center

Brethren & Mennonite Heritage Center

Our mission is to not just be a leader in the future of design but to also be a leader in making a difference in our communities. Part of the way we do that is by using our skills to support local nonprofits, such as the Brethren & Mennonite Heritage Center. One of the first projects we assisted on was the structural care and climate control of the Burkholder Myers House. This historic home lacked the climate control needed to withstand the varying temperatures and humidity the environment provided, and with quick action and the expertise of our team, we were able to provide a plan to preserve the structure with minimal damage. 

As our involvement grew deeper with the center as sponsors of the Sing Me High Festival and Charles’ daughters frequently volunteering there, we learned of the value of this place in Harrisonburg. We were asked to volunteer our time to help develop a master plan for the long-term sustainability of the center and jumped at the opportunity. This planning phase for any sized organization is crucial to put a plan in place for future generations. While the main focus of the center is to look back at the history of Brethren and Mennonite, it is also looking to preserve heritage in the future. The center has resources that need a home – Hildebrand Church and heavy timber. It owns wagons with no wagon shed. The visitor’s center is not adequate for the needs long-term. So with our ability to visualize what can be in a place that is still growing, we set to work. Joining a committee with deep knowledge of the history of this center and also of Brethren and Mennonite stories we set forth to plan the right solutions while navigating zoning and code compliance. The process took many meetings and we learned a lot about the flow of tours, history, and needs. From those discussions, we were able to draft a master plan for the future.

This long-range plan will guide decisions for future additions to campus that will assist in providing more educational opportunities such as a Poultry House, Wagon Shed, and Carpentry shop. These resources not only allow volunteers to share information with visiting patrons but also host hands-on activities for local field trips. There are plans for a bank-barn, visitor’s center, moving Hildebrand Church, and expanding the 20th-century display along with functional solutions like parking, trees, and a new visitor’s center. The planning document allows for discussions about priority, budget, and schedules for even the most basic decisions – like when to hire a civil engineer to design storm-water solutions and verify compliance with local regulations.

Our work at the center not only benefits our communities but also gives us insight into the history of this place and the heritage that shapes it. As we began designing a simple (brooder) poultry house we learned a lot about the process from 100 years ago to not only care for the poultry but how buildings took shape in a practical and functional way. This new structure expands the offerings of the heritage center and allowed us to learn. A special thanks to JZ Engineering for helping us design a historically accurate 100-year-old structure.

Brethren and Mennonite Heritage Center has and continues to be a crucial part of our communities as a resource for education and volunteer opportunities. As we strive to build a better community through design, we are proud to partner with such a beautiful and meaningful organization.

Elk Rock Meadow Farmhouse

Elk Rock Meadow Farmhouse

The Elk Rock Meadow Farmhouse has started to take shape. I visited the top of Afton Mountain yesterday to see how things were going and to enjoy the views. Herr and Company have started their work with site layout for this majestic farmhouse project that will capture views across the Appalachian Trail of the Blue Ridge. This new neighborhood has a couple of houses already and the addition of this farmhouse continues the tradition of beautiful homes.

The challenges of the last year have been well documented. We were forced in a very short amount of time to adapt our business to a virtual world with remote workers. I met with these clients on a regular basis using zoom, text, and phone calls. We exchanged ideas as they told me their dreams of living in this beautiful place close to family. We sketched, erased, changed, and modified to develop the finished product. The Elk Rock Meadow Farmhouse will sit near the entrance of the neighborhood and fits just right into the topography of the site.

Working with clients online and remote was a challenge. It makes it harder to read body language, or to point at items on the screen, and communicate desires. We had to learn from each other through the process to be better at communicating and the process has made us stronger designers. We achieved Architectural Board Approval for the design with no modifications – a difficult challenge for any neighborhood. The house has a sophisticated style and one that will fit well in the neighborhood. The interior layout will enhance livability for this family, I hope for many generations. The house is custom just for them and is designed with aging-in-place features, durability, and of course healthy indoor air in mind. I cannot wait to see it take shape.