We are listeners, facilitators, and creative problem-solvers.
We believe that architecture tells the story of each client, congregation, and neighborhood. From master planning to urban infill and affordable housing, our design process is compassionate and community-led.
Do we “own” public space?
Our 2021 Erwin-Ramsey Fellow was interested in space, people, and power. Gabriel Andrade came to the Fellowship already with experience in helping everyday people become more engaged and empowered in the shared spaces we occupy everyday.
Naturally, the Fellowship needed to culminate in an experience rather than a presentation. Guests, students, and BRW staff participated in a walking tour throughout the Mall to practice intervening and shaping the space around us.
Taro Matsuno Joins BRW
We’re very excited to welcome Taro Matsuno as a Design Associate to our firm! In addition to graduating from UVA with his M.Arch this past year, Taro brings a professional background in equitable and inclusive planning, community organizing, and affordable housing advocacy in Boston and Pittsburgh.
Taro lives in Crozet, Virginia in an old farm house with his wife, Suzannah, their daughter, Rosemary, and their two dogs Merle and Patience.
Taha Suhrawardy Joins BRW
We liked our 2020 Erwin-Ramsey Fellow so much that we hired him! Taha joined BRW Architects in January 2021 after graduating from the University of Virginia with a M.Arch. In his first nine months with our firm, Taha has embraced the distinctive “BRW experience,” working on everything from large-scale multi-family affordable housing developments to construction phases for automotive dealerships to conceptual design for private residences.
2021 Erwin-Ramsey Fellowship Now Open
brwarchitects hosts a Summer Fellowship for graduate students, fourth-year and rising fourth-year undergraduate students in the School of Architecture. Named after the brwarchitects Principals’ hometowns, this fellowship aims to deepen architectural contributions to the town where the firm has worked for over 35 years.
Due to changing conditions regarding COVID-19, the 2021 Fellowship is expected to take place in late Summer 2021 and will be predominently in-person with safe social distancing and all necessary precautions.
A Sketch of Poyner Hill
Over the holiday, Principal Bruce Wardell pulled out sketches of the Poyner Hill property where he and his wife, Ginny, spent vacations as newlyweds. Back in those days, this house was the only structure (other than the coast guard station) for hundreds of yards.
After four decades, working with pen and paper (or pencil, or legos!) remains central to our creative process.
Has the pandemic lead you to any new creative hobbies?
Kurt and Whitney Recognized by AIA
Brwarchitects is celebrating two accomplished individuals this November as they were recognized by the Central Virginia Chapter of the Virginia Society AIA.
BRW Principal Kurt Keesecker, AIA, was recognized by the Honors Committee as a Chapter Honors Recipient. BRW Architect Whitney McDermott, AIA, was recognized with the Young Activist in Architecture Award.
Whitney McDermott Honored by AIA Virginia
We are beyond thrilled to announce that our very own Whitney McDermott has been awarded the Virginia Emerging Professional Award by AIA Virginia. This award recognizes emerging leaders for their contributions to the profession and service to the community.
Congratulations Whitney!
Food Security in Resident-Led Redevelopment
Our 2020 Erwin-Ramsey Fellow, Taha Suhrawardy, concludes his program with a capstone presentation. Building on the work that brwarchitects does with public housing residents in Charlottesville, Taha explored the critical role that food security plays in resident-led redevelopment.
2020 Erwin-Ramsey Fellowship Now Open
This three-week program will focus on a specific integrative project that contributes to Charlottesville’s affordable housing goals and will be based on the program’s curriculum as well as the ingenuity and interests of the fellow. During the program, the fellow will build relationships with residents, clients, and decision-makers in the Charlottesville housing market, while gaining a higher level of professional experience than entry-level and internship positions.
brw clients celebrate southwood and habitat
brwarchitects’ clients at 701 Water Street hosted a special event in October to celebrate the grand opening of the newly remodeled lobby space and showcase its new resident artist. The party was also an occasion to recognize Habitat for Humanity’s Southwood Redevelopment and its Capital Campaign. The building owners, together with Manchester Capital, graciously opened the doors to a lively mix of Charlottesvillians and the night was a wonderful example of the crossover between art, architecture, and the important work of community building.
Host and emcee Jeff Hall of Manchester Capital introduced Dan Rosensweig, local President of Habitat, and illuminated the importance of the Southwood project as a model for community engagement, resident-driven planning and the goal of redevelopment without displacement. Mr. Rosensweig delved into these issues and in particular focused attention on our community’s vital need for affordable housing. The central theme of Habitat’s Core Building Operations is the Vision of “a Greater Charlottesville Community where everyone can find a decent place to live.”
restoring history on the downtown mall
Brwarchitects’ renovation of one of the oldest buildings on Charlottesville’s Historic Downtown Mall has become an attractive feature for locals and tourists alike. At the very beginning of this project, the exterior paint was stripped which revealed an attractive patina on the brick wall. In fact, this exterior paint was the main cause of the building’s extensive water damage throughout the years, and removing it created an immediate improvement in water infiltration.
In addition to rehabilitating the historic brick exterior, brwarchitects opened new windows in the existing 3rd Street masonry wall and removed the outdated wood façade and replaced it with a new glass and steel assembly. This contemporary intervention complements the building’s historic presence, while the addition of new oversize windows opens the interiors to the public mall.
designing for people: reflections from our summer intern
As an undergraduate student in architecture coming into the office for the summer, my experience with real projects was very limited. In school, we are given only theoretical projects with no client, no budget, and very few other constraints. Students are encouraged to focus on creating beautiful, efficient, environmentally-friendly spaces; there is much less consideration for the people that would inhabit them.
This summer I got to experience a community redevelopment project in which the focus is not only on improving the living conditions for the residents but also including them in the planning process and giving them a voice for the future of their neighborhood.