by Charles Hendricks | Dec 30, 2024 | architecture, Commercial Architect, green term defined, Harrisonburg Architect, project update
The Oriental Express and Catering restaurant is now open on Port Republic Road in Rockingham County. We loved working on this new concept restaurant and hope they are overwhelmingly successful. Based on our first visit there – they will be.
The food is awesome and the service is top notch.
When we started designing this new concept restaurant for our client, we were given a footprint by the civil engineer that limited our flexibility. We knew how much space we needed for a kitchen and refrigeration, but we had to figure out the flow and seating options. The style, color, finishes, and textures were all ready to be discovered. We worked hard to find the right mix that not only stood out to attract customers, but also to complement the food. The end result brought in fresh and bright colors underscoring the vibrant food options and quick service. This bright dining room invites you in to enjoy the space and the views. The bold colors give a youthful appeal to the space. I am thrilled with how it has come together.
If you have not been there to try the food, you should go, asap!
by Charles Hendricks | Nov 29, 2024 | architecture, Building Science, Commercial Architect, Indoor Air Quality
The 2021 Virginia building code changes have had a significant impact on residential homes in Virginia starting in January 2025. These changes, aimed at improving energy efficiency and safety, have led to increased construction costs. One of the most notable changes is the stricter energy efficiency standards. Homes built after 2021 are required to meet higher insulation standards, use more efficient HVAC systems, and have tighter air sealing. While these changes will lead to lower energy bills in the long run, they increase upfront construction costs. They also increase the building science complexity on your home. If you don’t understand the impacts of these changes you could create a mold or rot issue in your new home. You also need to pay special attention to the indoor air quality of this new tighter house.
Additionally, the 2021 code also introduced stricter requirements for fire safety, accessibility, and plumbing systems. These changes, while necessary for safety and accessibility, also contribute to increased construction costs. The exact cost increase varies depending on the specific project and location, but it is estimated that the 2021 code changes can add anywhere from 2% to 10% to the overall cost of a new home. These increased costs will have a dramatic impact on already rising construction costs. Knowing the changes and how to mitigate the impact of them on the final budget will be critical moving forward.
For homeowners considering building new or renovating, it’s important to be aware of these code changes. While they may increase the initial cost, they can also lead to long-term savings and a more sustainable home. Consulting with an architect can help you understand the specific costs / benefits associated with the 2021 code changes and how they may impact your project.
by Charles Hendricks | Jun 24, 2024 | architecture, Commercial Architect, project update
When the owners of a local Oriental Restaurant decided they wanted to create a new concept, we got busy with the builder, Constable Construction, figuring out the right solution. This project is taking shape and finishes are now being installed. The open dining area will be inviting and the drive-thru will be heavily used as the food, we already know, will be incredible! The Oriental Express and Catering Company will soon be a household name in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.
We have experience with multiple types of restaurants and knew what questions to ask to figure out how this one would function. Creating an efficient kitchen is a key to making the business work as restaurants have slim profit margins and need to be quick and efficient. We learned along with the business owner where to find and source the right equipment and how the flow in the space should work. The dining area has an efficient floor area, so we made the ceilings tall and brought in a lot of light. This will allow for a very comfortable and inviting space.
The exterior of the building needed to be eye catching to draw in customers. We blended stone and stucco to create a modern overall aesthetic.
Understanding the importance of space, we located the business office above the storage room, allowing for a compact floor plan while still allowing natural light into the work room (often a restaurant office is left interior to the business with no views out). We hope this will allow for not only a comfortable and inviting work space, but the ability for the manager to see how things are going downstairs when they are balancing the books.
We cannot wait for this restaurant to open so we can taste their creations!
by Charles Hendricks | Jun 17, 2024 | architecture, Commercial Architect, project update, School architect
The Eastern Mennonite Elementary School gathering space is taking shape as foundation walls are revealed. It has been such a joy to return to this project to add the gathering space to the Elementary School we helped create years ago. In the design of this addition, we once again worked hand in hand with the teachers and staff of Eastern Mennonite School to make sure we addressed concerns, enhanced their ability to serve their students, and created a comfortable space for their students. I am really looking forward to seeing how the soft northern light will bath over this space and how the warm radiant floors designed by Rockingham Engineering will make the space enjoyable year-round.
At the site meeting this week I was thrilled to hear from Herr and Company that the foundation walls and grade worked out exactly as we had planned. This will allow for multiple access points and the ability to open this space up in comfortable weather as a pavilion space. The connection to outside / nature is a core component of this schools educational standards. Designing a commercial space that can serve as both an indoor and outdoor space has some building science challenges. Working with the design team we were able to come up with solutions that will be durable, sustainable, and comfortable.
This addition will allow for large group gatherings in the building and provide flexible small study rooms, a warming kitchen, storage space, and outdoor solid surface gathering areas.
More on the addition of the gathering space in Phase II Here.
by Charles Hendricks | Jun 10, 2024 | architecture, Commercial Architect
This past month, I had the opportunity to travel to Peru. I am always grateful for the opportunity to travel because it broadens my world and introduces me to people both different and similar to me. Not to mention, I get to try new foods (like alpaca!). Of course, while I was there, I couldn’t help but look at the architecture. Below are snippets of the designs and structures that caught my eye.
Lima
My first stop in Peru was to Lima. Lima Architecture varies from district to district, but the architecture that I saw in Miraflores, a more touristy and commercial district, was more similar to what I’ve seen in U.S. cities. Along the Miraflores Malecón (Direct translation: “breakwater”. You can think of it like a boardwalk or costal path on top of a cliff by the ocean.), there were beautiful parks, sculptures, and a butterfly garden path.
City view from my window.
Fun shapes and color accents.
In the middle of the four lane road, there was a beautiful tree-lined path for walking, biking, and sitting on the benches.
The buildings closer to the coast were especially colorful.
Cusco
It wasn’t just the architectural design of the buildings that I was fascinated by. I fell in love with the narrow twists and turns of the Cusco streets. Although this sort of city layout is not as natural for me to navigate, it always gives me a sense of exploration and curiosity. And even though the streets and buildings weren’t laid out into a squared grid, I was pleasantly surprised to be able to locate myself by day 3 of walking around. … but boy the 11,000 ft. altitude and hills did not make walking around easy!
The building shapes weren’t shapes I see in Harrisonburg, or anywhere in the U.S. that I’ve visited. My mind was never bored as my eyes traveled the lines, jumping from one building to another.
The buildings around my Airbnb reminded me of this ink drawing that I was working on, and they gave me inspiration to complete it.
I have never seen round, concrete landings like this that seem to float outside. These were a common sight.
Spectacular detailing on a church in Plaza de Armas, Cusco.
Sacred Valley
Wow, this valley was sacred indeed. Our guide, Will was fantastic and emphasized that he was giving us an etnohistoria (translation: ethnohistoric) tour of the Inca locations, meaning the history he told us centered indigenous people’s perspectives, documents, culture, and oral history, etc., instead of history written by the white, European perspectives. He encouraged us to approach learning that day with an open mind and “blank page.” Learning from the Incan people’s perspectives helped me to understand the importance and purposes behind the architecture we visited.
This is so important for learning about cultures different from our own, especially when the history we have heard about a group has not been from them. This is important in architectural practice as we design with communities.
Architecturally, the landscape, building, and community design were expertly created to fit with the landscape and topography. Descriptions are beside each picture below.
As our guide taught us to do, I say thank you to these sacred mountains that we traveled in that hold these sacred places.
Ollantaytambo: A beautiful town within the mountains that has Incan ruins. Some of the Incan buildings in the mountains were made to store food for the years that El Nino caused a dry season in this valley. These buildings were strategically oriented towards the wind. Incans carefully designed holes in the building to allow for airflow from the wind that would prevent mold during years of storage.
The extensive stepped terraces at Moray were designed and used by the Incans for agricultural research. By planting on the different levels which varied in ph levels and other conditions, the Incas developed over 4,000 different potato varieties and hundreds of corn varieties!
Salineras de Maras, or The Salt Mines of Maras, were designed on the sloping landscape with an intricate network of canals. The water on each flat slowly evaporates in the sun and the remaining salt is harvested. They are still in use.
Massive stones on top of the structure in Ollantaytambo had portions that jut out to fit together, much like Legos.
Arequipa
Arequipa is a city surrounded by the Andes mountains and the volcano, Misti. The buildings in this city were again full of colors and shapes that I don’t see everyday in the U.S. There were also stunning churches with intricate carvings and lush parks scattered throughout the city.
Spiral staircase and rounded landing that I saw in Cusco too.
Of course, trying lots of yummy food with my family.
A question posed to me, now posed to you:
Waiting for my delayed flight at the Lima airport (at 1am), I had a conversation with a man I met in the food court that spanned everything from religion to culture to language to architecture. He asked me if there was anything like Machu Pichu and other structures from indigenous groups in the U.S. I was stumped. He pointed to the pyramids in Egypt and Tikal in Guatemala and asked why we didn’t have things like that.
I assume there are many reasons why I couldn’t think of any such locations or structures: my European ancestors intentionally and strategically destroyed elements of indigenous culture, which included architecture, as a way of assuming power? Yes. Was it just not a part of my school curriculum? Probably. Maybe the nations that lived in the now U.S. used materials that were more disintegrable? I don’t know enough about that. Maybe the groups were more nomadic? I don’t know enough about this either. Was it the fact that I was trying to speak in Spanish at 1am? Yeah, probably a little bit of that too.
I’m curious, do you know of any places? Let me know in the comments.
*Edit: Later I googled Indigenous structures in the U.S. and low and behold, there are many! Check out a few cultural, architectural sites here.
Blog written by Asha Beck
by Charles Hendricks | May 6, 2024 | architecture, Commercial Architect, Harrisonburg Architect, project update, School architect
Eastern Mennonite Elementary School phase 2 is now under construction. It is awesome to be invited back to a project by a client to finish what was started. Eastern Mennonite Elementary School phase 2 will provide the gathering space that allows all the students to come together daily in one place to build community. This space was designed as part of phase 1, but was planned to allow for the fundraising needed to complete it with minimal impacts on what was built just a few years ago. This design planning has saved the client money while allowing them to grow over time.
The space is designed to connect the interior to the exterior serving as a pavilion space in comfortable weather. It features large windows and doors and is flexible enough for eating, gathering, events, and even small groups to gather.
In the cool weather the space will be comfortable thanks to the design efforts of Rockingham Engineering. They provided the expertise to bring in a radiant slab system that will make this space comfortable and efficient. This innovative design concept came from the engineer team as a way to combat the typical cold slab issue that these types of spaces usually experience.
If you want to support this project, they are still raising funds to finish it out. This facility will be a place where community building happens every day, much like the family room in one’s home. Your financial support will allow that to happen.
Stay tuned for more project updates as Herr and Company executes the design we developed.
