Project Update: George’s Flowers Progress is Blooming!

by Charles Hendricks | Jul 21, 2026 | architecture, community, Not used, project update, Roanoke, Roanoke Architect

Project Update in Roanoke: George’s Flowers is Blooming!

We are really excited to see the progress taking shape at George’s Flowers near Tanglewood Mall. The existing building, which housed Audiotronics did not represent the innovative brand of George’s Flowers, so we jumped at the opportunity when he asked us to design a solution. The building, which was built with few windows to the outside, is being opened up to allow in the light, and so we can see all the cool things inside that George’s will create.

The interior spaces are being completely reworked to make this a functional and FUN place to work and shop. The display space will allow for even more must-have items to be displayed. The new coolers will keep the floral arrangements crisp and looking fresh. This is a straightforward commercial renovation that we hope will grab the attention of all who drive by, especially anyone who needs to grab some flowers on their way home from work!

This project is a great example of why you need an architect for your commercial renovation project. We have spent time listening to our client’s goals and working with the contractor and suppliers to make sure it all fits inside the existing building. The coordination with HVAC, plumbing, cooler suppliers, and the contractor has been key to keeping the project moving on a fast timeline so there is little downtime for this commercial business. We are maximizing the opportunities that the existing shell building provided and adapting it so it meets the image and reputation of this amazing business. Our integrated design approach that invites in the contractor team has reduced the timeline and questions during the build, which saves our client money and maximizes the contractor’s profit potential.

Stay tuned for more images of this conversion in Roanoke!

Project Update: George’s Flowers in Roanoke is Now Under Construction!

by Charles Hendricks | Jul 10, 2026 | architecture, community, project update, Roanoke, Roanoke Architect

George’s Flowers is now under construction!

Blog by: Hannah Cundiff

Growing up in the Roanoke Valley, there was really only one florist shop that you’d see: George’s Flowers. Since 1981, they have served the area, delivering to many surrounding cities such as Danville, Moneta, Salem, Hollins and more. Being a Roanoke native, I have driven past their original location a countless number of times. George’s is a small but iconic business in the Valley and is finally getting the upgrade they deserve. But why are they relocating?

The former location on Franklin Road neighbored the Roanoke River. What people may not know is that the area is prone to flooding, and George’s was unfortunately affected by these recurring floods. This created ongoing challenges for them, and the move to Ogden Road became the ultimate solution.

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The business will soon be moving into the former Audiotronics building on Ogden Road. Our part in the process was to design the renewed space to fit George’s Flowers perfectly. Overall, the move is perfect for them, as it gets them out of the flood zone, and into a more business-dense area of the city.

As George’s Flowers gets ready to bloom in their new spot, there’s a real sense of anticipation in Roanoke. This move means not just a bigger and better space for creativity and beauty to flourish, but a bigger and better space that will also better serve their community. Moving to such a lively area in the the city is going to amazing for their business and we are so excited to see the final pieces come together for them!

To learn more about the project and move, visit these links:

George’s Flowers Website

The Roanoker Magazine

WDBJ 7

WSLS 10

Intern Spotlight: Calvin’s First Year at Princeton

by Charles Hendricks | Jun 26, 2026 | Not used

Reflection, Experience, Knowledge

Join our intern Calvin, as he reflects and walks through his experience during his first year in Princeton’s architecture program.

After finishing my first year of college, there were many aspects of the experience that were different from the expectations I had a year ago. At Princeton, nobody can declare their major until the spring of their second year. Knowing this, I was expecting the opportunities offered in the architecture program to first-year students to be limited. However, the schedule is much more flexible than I anticipated, and I was still able to take three architecture courses this year: one theory course in the fall and two studios in the spring. Second-year students have even more opportunities; I am currently enrolled in one urban studies and two architecture courses for the upcoming semester.

Being an independent person who doesn’t like to ask for help, I was not expecting to be involved as much in the studio culture. However, I often found myself talking with classmates, both about our projects and unrelated topics. Each student has their own desk, which I believe contributes to the collaborative environment. On Sunday afternoons when I would often be by myself, I would take breaks and look at the work that my classmates had on their desks. Taking two studios this past semester taught me even more time management and planning skills than I already had. At the start of every week, I would create a schedule for what tasks I have to do each day, which helped me stay on pace to manage all my assignments and spread out similar work such as long readings. Planning my time well allowed me to keep up with my coursework, participate in club athletics, and work a few nights a week in the dining hall.

Both my studio classes involved interesting assignments that helped me think about architecture in different ways. The first, entitled “Geometry and Architectural Representation,” focused on abstract modeling and design. Over the course of the semester, I created a three-dimensional shape and built it as a model, drew sections and obliques of it, inverted it, and finally sheared and built a new split model. The second studio, “Introduction to Architectural Design,” focused on more concrete buildings that can be inhabited. For most of the semester, we were focused on designing a building for the train and bus station on campus. The professors slightly modified the site to include a slope and removed a side road to create elevation challenges.

Despite all the surprises, many aspects went the way I expected. My studio classes were challenging and time consuming, although very enjoyable. They were different from the worksheets, readings, or papers for other classes and working on them never really felt like doing schoolwork. Overall, I enjoyed my first year and am very excited to further my education in architecture.

Hit the Road: Ray Gaines Shares the Legacy of Route 66 at the CSI Conference

by Charles Hendricks | Jun 26, 2026 | Construction Specifications Institute

There is nothing quite like the allure of the open road, especially when that road is the Mother Road itself. This past May 2026, our very own Raymond E. Gaines, FCSI, CCS, CDT, AIA, took the stage at the CSI North Central Region Conference to deliver a captivating presentation titled “Route 66 Remembered”.

As a self-proclaimed “Road Scholar” who has personally road-tripped down most of this iconic highway, Ray brought a unique blend of historical expertise, architectural insight, and firsthand travel passion to the conference.

Early Memories: Where the Passion Began

Every great obsession has an origin story. For Ray, the spark was ignited in the summer of 1959 during a family road trip.

The first two vintage photographs featured in his slideshow are treasured snapshots from that very vacation. In fact, the very first photo under his “Early Memories” slide features his mother standing proudly alongside the family’s first brand new car, framed by the rolling hills of the American landscape, taken at or around the petrified forest in Arizona. That 1959 trip kicked off a lifelong love affair with Route 66, eventually inspiring him to return as an architect and historian to document its changing landscape.

The Evolution of the Mother Road: From Earth to Concrete

For architects and specifiers, Route 66 isn’t just a symbol of Americana—it’s a living timeline of American civil engineering and infrastructure design. Ray’s presentation dived deep into the literal building blocks of the highway, showcasing the evolution of pavement cross-sections over the decades:

1900–1920: The era of earth roads, gravel surfaces, and early oil macadam pavements.
1920–1930: The introduction of asphalt macadam and early Portland cement concrete pavement to handle increasing automobile traffic.
1930–1940: The standardization of the typical 2-lane geometric highway and more robust concrete specifications.
1940–1975: The transition into heavy-duty flexible and rigid pavement systems capable of supporting post-war commercial transit.

Beyond the pavement, Ray highlighted the structural art of the highway: its bridges. Attendees were treated to a retrospective on iconic crossings like the Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis and the Brush Creek (Rainbow) Bridge near Riverton, Kansas—notable for being the very last remaining of three Marsh concrete arches along the entire route.

Preserving Mid-Century Roadside Architecture

You can’t talk about Route 66 without talking about the vibrant, neon-lit architecture that grew along its shoulders. Ray explored how small-town business owners created a distinct visual language designed to catch the eye of drivers traveling at 50 miles per hour.

From the iconic Wigwam Motel and the Wagon Wheel Motel to mid-century staples like Ted Drewes Frozen Custard and Luna Cafe, these structures represent a fascinating chapter in commercial architectural history. They remind us how deeply transport infrastructure shapes the built environment around it.

Route 66: A Quick Timeline

To put the highway’s lifecycle into perspective, Ray mapped out a few of the critical milestones that defined its rise and eventual decommissioning:

Date	Historical Milestone
April 30, 1926	The highway numbering controversy is officially settled during a pivotal meeting in Springfield.
November 11, 1926	The National Highway Numbering System becomes official, giving birth to Route 66.
October 13, 1984	Williams, Arizona is bypassed by I-40, marking the end of the line for original town bypasses.
June 27, 1985	Route 66 is officially decertified by AASHTO, shifting from an active highway to a historic legend.

Cruising into the 21st Century

While Route 66 may have been officially decertified in 1985, Ray’s personal travel logs prove that its spirit is very much alive for modern adventurers. From starting at the “Begin” sign in historic Illinois (a nod to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) all the way to the end of the trail at the Santa Monica Yacht Harbor, the route remains a bucket-list pilgrimage for anyone who loves history, architecture, and design.

A Note from the Road: Navigating Route 66 today requires a bit of planning and a lot of appreciation for the preservation efforts of local communities. It’s a brilliant reminder that good architecture and thoughtful engineering leave a footprint that outlives any official highway status.

We are incredibly proud of Ray for representing our firm at the CSI North Central Region Conference and sharing his unique, deeply personal history with the great American road trip.

June Series: Light, Space, & Gathering

by Charles Hendricks | Jun 5, 2026 | Not used

Light, Space, & Gathering: A June Series on How Architecture Holds Life

Architecture is often described in terms of form and function, but its deeper language is quieter: light shifting across surfaces, the way land resists or supports a structure, how space gathers people without saying a word.

This June series explores architecture not as a static object, but as lived experience shaped by terrain, illuminated by light, and activated by human presence. Each entry isolates one idea, but together they build a continuum: from ground to gesture, from material to atmosphere, from line to life.

Learn how architects design beyond walls and roofs, using light, shifting geometry, tactile textures, and atmosphere to create spaces that truly come to life the moment people step inside.

How Land Shapes Design

Every project begins with resistance and permission, what the land allows, and what it refuses. Topography, soil, water flow, and orientation are not constraints but collaborators. Design starts here: not on paper, but in negotiation with ground.

Where Light Begins

Before walls define space, light already has a path. It enters, refracts, bends, and settles. Understanding where light originates in a site is understanding how architecture will feel at different hours, not just how it looks.

Texture, Tone, & Tactility

Materials aren’t just something to look at. They are things we experience through touch. Think about the roughness of raw stone, the warmth of smoothed wood, or the crisp chill of metal. Every surface changes how our body feels in a room. In this way, texture, tone, and tactility become a silent conversation between the architecture and the person inside it.

Geometry in Motion

We often think of geometry as something fixed and permanent. But in real life, shapes change as we move through a room over time. A long hallway isn’t just a straight line, it is a series of views and angles that unfold with every step you take.

Space in Atmosphere

Space is not empty, yet it is filled with humidity, sound, temperature, and light diffusion. The atmosphere is the invisible architecture that determines whether a space feels still, charged, or alive.

Spaces for Gathering

Gathering is not accidental. It is designed through thresholds, seating, scale, and openness. The best communal spaces do not instruct people to stay, rather they make leaving feel unnecessary

Space Meets Life

Architecture becomes real the moment it is used imperfectly: children running through corridors, chairs shifted slightly, light blocked by an open door. Life edits design continuously.

From Line to Life

A drawing is a possibility; a building is a negotiation. The journey from line to built form is where intention meets constraint, and where architecture gains unpredictability.

Light in Layers

Light is never singular. It reflects, diffuses, and overlaps across surfaces and materials. Layered light creates depth without physical complexity softening edges and expanding perception.

Movement Through Space

Movement defines architecture as much as structure does. How a body enters, pauses, turns, and exits determines whether space feels intuitive or disjointed.

Architecture in Context

No building exists alone. Climate, culture, history, and surrounding fabric shape meaning. Context is not background it is the silent framework every design responds to.

Light / Space / Form

At the intersection of all ideas sits the simplest truth: architecture is the relationship between what is built, what is perceived, and what is felt. Light reveals space; space defines form; form controls light.

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