GARC

Architecture | Interior | Landscape

04/27/2026

Grateful to be included in Coastal Virginia Business Magazine’s 175 Most Influential People in Coastal Virginia. And congrats to all our fellow honorees — it’s a great group of people shaping this region. Ten years of GARC has been ten years of learning from the people and places of this region.

03/17/2026

Steel up. Walls rising. Two buildings taking shape at the Virginia Zoo EdVenture Campus. And those oaks are right there in the foreground. They were here first. We designed around them.

02/10/2026

Stopped by our recent warehouse-to-residential project in Portsmouth recently and found a little oasis. Residents filled the central lightwell with plants - it’s now the mail/package room and the heart of the building.

02/04/2026

The second piece of the FBN renovation project is the Kids Ministry.

When we first toured the space with the church team, they shared a challenge they’d been navigating for a long time. The former fellowship hall was trying to do too much - temporary partitions created makeshift classrooms with no acoustic separation, while the same room also needed to support play, gatherings, and larger events.

The church team had an idea: what if the existing kitchen area could become a dedicated classroom zone? Through our design sessions together, we explored how to make that vision work—organizing the classrooms around a central skylit common area, while keeping a flexible multipurpose room in the remaining hall space.

A portion of the former fellowship hall—including the existing kitchen—was reconfigured into a cluster of dedicated classrooms. This zone has its own entry, providing a second layer of security that reinforces the church’s established drop-off and pick-up process. At its center, the skylit common play area gives kids a place to play and wait for parents—clearly visible to staff, yet buffered from main circulation.

The remaining portion of the hall was resized and reconfigured as a true multipurpose room—designed to serve kids on a daily basis, while still accommodating larger church events when needed.

The best solutions come from listening—understanding how the ministry actually runs, what the church team already knows works, and finding ways to make those ideas real.

01/27/2026

Excited to share our latest project: the renovation of First Baptist Church Norfolk.

Our client’s vision is to transform the space into a welcoming, multigenerational environment that engages children, inspires faith exploration, and draws new families into the church community.

Through multiple design charrettes with the church committee, we listened carefully to their vision, their challenges, and the aspirations they held for their congregation. Together we developed solutions that
truly met their needs. This collaborative process helped the committee make decisions more efficiently — and the resulting design reflects their deep institutional knowledge and heartfelt input.

The first area we‘d like to share is the central lobby. Over time, additions gradually shifted this space toward circulation. Our design brings it back as the heart of the church—a destination and informal gathering place centered around the iconic steeple.
We drew inspiration from the church’s history by adopting the tripod as a unifying motif, echoing the steeple‘s form. This shape scales from building organization down to interior details: architectural elements, patterns, wood paneling, and custom lighting.

During our research, we traced how the building nearly tripled in size since the 1970s. Even the committee was surprised to see this evolution—a reminder that this renovation goes beyond cosmetic. It’s a journey of rediscovery.

We‘re grateful to First Baptist Norfolk for the opportunity to work on such a meaningful project.

Stay tuned as we share more spaces from this project.

01/22/2026

Professional Building — stopped by recently and all the commercial spaces are filled now. Hair studio, bookstore, clothing boutique, and more.
Great to see local businesses making it their home. That’s what adaptive reuse is about — not just saving buildings, but building community.

01/08/2026

About one year ago, we adopted Lily, the American bison and received a stuffed avatar as part of the adoption—she’s become part of the team, keeping us company at the office, joining us on hikes, and reminding us of the importance of connecting to nature.

Lily holds a special place in our hearts. When we began designing the Macon and Joan Brock EdVenture Campus, her former habitat stood right where the new facility is now under construction. At 26 years old, she’s a true Virginia Zoo legend—calling this place home since 2000. Today, she enjoys a serene waterfront pasture along the Lafayette River—a perfect, peaceful upgrade for our senior star.

If you’re visiting the Virginia Zoo, stop by and say hello to Lily. We certainly will.

12/12/2025

We’re honored to receive the AIA Coastal Virginia Firm Award alongside our peers. This recognition reflects a decade of commitment to our ‘Missing Small’ philosophy—proving that a small team can take on big projects and create meaningful impact. Thank you to AIA Coastal Virginia and to every client, collaborator, and community partner who has trusted us with their vision. We’re excited about what comes next.

“Established in 2015, GARC has redefined what small firms can achieve. Their research-driven, user-centered approach bridges the space between boutique practice and large-firm capability through the “Missing Small” model. Their work spans adaptive reuse, institutional, residential, and mixed-use projects, balancing creativity, technical precision, and community impact.

From the Professional Building conversion in Portsmouth to the Virginia Zoo’s Edventure Campus, GARC shows how design and research can address real issues including preservation, housing, and environmental resilience. Their influence extends through mentorship, city boards, and partnerships with organizations such as the Virginia Zoo and Norfolk’s Downtown Council.

Their guiding philosophy, “Healthy Architect, Mindful Architecture,” reflects a holistic practice centered on strengthening both people and place. GARC’s work shows that scale is not a limitation, but a platform for innovation and leadership in Coastal Virginia.” — AIA Coastal Virginia

11/13/2025

Sneak peek of our latest adaptive reuse projects—transforming a former warehouse into a vibrant multifamily community.

Leveraging Historic Tax Credits, the design preserves key architectural character—exposed brick walls, original wood rafters, and lofty ceilings—while introducing modern interventions that elevate livability and market appeal.

A central circulation spine, illuminated by skylights, light wells, and layered lighting, brings daylight deep into the interior and creates an open, airy atmosphere that evokes an outdoor experience. The result is a space that blends authentic historic character with contemporary comfort and efficiency—offering a distinctive living experience for today’s renters seeking unique urban living environments.

Projects like this demonstrate how thoughtful design and strategic use of incentives can turn underused assets into long-term community and financial value.

Client: Lightwell Development, LLC
General Contractor:
Preservation Consultant:
MEP Engineer:
Structural Engineer:

10/07/2025

We’re hiring! GARC is looking for a talented Architectural Designer to join our award-winning team in Norfolk, VA.

If you’re passionate about thoughtful design and eager to grow in a collaborative studio environment, we’d love to hear from you.

👉 See link in bio for details.

Address

112 Granby Street, Suite 400
Norfolk, VA
23510

Website

http://www.garcdesign.com/

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