Design Matters
Thoughts of an ArchitectA Message from The Firm
Our blog, Design Matters, is a place for our team to share our knowledge, community events, projects, resources, and opinions. It is a place for you to keep up with us and for us to hear from you. Thanks for reading!
High School Students should job shadow
I hosted, virtually, two Eastern Mennonite high school students this past semester in our office as they explored a career in Architecture. I have had the opportunity to mentor students (here is another story and another here and one more here) for a number of years now and I always learn a lot from them.
Tiny House Architects – Gaines Group Architects gain national honor
Our team at Gaines Group Architects was honored to be named one of the "Best Tiny Home Architects in the US" and the only firm named in Virginia and West Virginia.
Custom home in Keezletown under construction
Custom home in Keezletown under construction
Dairy Queen – Charter Colony under construction
Dairy Queen - Charter Colony under construction
Architecture to create a greater good
At the Young Architect Winter Series virtual conference session yesterday, "Mastering your inner game..." one question posed by Julia Jack was what is your purpose.
I need art in my life, especially now.
2020 was a year like no other, in fact, I believe it was actually a decade long. There was so much weight, heavy emotional draining weight. Did it hit you? How have you found a way to bring joy to life and lighten the load of all that heavy in the world?
A story of job shadowing during a pandemic
As with most things, hosting high school students in my office this past year looked a little different. I was able to have two high school students, from Eastern Mennonite School, join me virtually to explore a career in architecture via weekly virtual meetings.
Cost of living over the last 20 years and surviving 2020
Thinking about cost of construction, changing economy, the coming year, business survival. the cost of living over the last 20 years has risen dramatically while wages have not and the added challenges of surviving 2020 has made it tough for small business owners.
K-12 Post COVID-19 Design Strategies, CVCSI Virtual Education
K-12 Post COVID-19 Design Strategies.
Participants will become familiar with multiple strategies that K-12 schools can utilize to mitigate the spread of viruses, such as COVID-19.
Construction continues on this Keezletown custom home
Construction continues on this custom home in Keezeltown, VA, just outside of Harrisonburg. The compact floor plan works to facilitate the life our clients want to live on this beautiful property by minimizing wasted space and connecting to views.
Giving kindness feels good #365actsofkindness #rocktownresilient
Giving kindness feels good for both those receiving kindness and those giving. After a rough year and a lot of negativity thrown my way because I decided to run for political office I started being intentional about giving kindness. The acts were not new, as a Rotarian service above self is a regular activity, but being intentional about it daily is new. I want to live in a community filled with kindness, not hate and divisive actions and language. Please join me in spreading kindness in 2021.
Life of an architect – work anniversary
My first day at work for a small architectural firm, Raymond E. Gaines, Architect, in Charlottesville, Virginia was January 4, 1999. I have now been "in the profession" for 21 years.