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𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 | 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘄𝘀, 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗿

Justen joined Dills Architects full-time this year after two internships with the firm that gave him very different ways to learn the work.

His first internship was broad by design: help where needed, take on new challenges, and present what he learned back to the team. His second was much more focused, supporting the 5/31 Memorial and building the physical model that is now being shared in the community.

With a Bachelor of Fine Arts from James Madison University and a Master of Architecture from Virginia Tech, Justen brings curiosity, care, and a growing depth of experience to the team.

We’re glad to have him back with us in a full-time role.

#MeetTheTeam #HamptonRoads #DillsArchitects taken in Dills Architects by @dillsarchitects

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2 days ago

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲.

Working in places shaped by water means paying attention to the forces that are always at work:
➔ how water moves across land
➔ how it changes access and use
➔ how those conditions shape what a place can become over time

Decades of work in complex #coastal environments have taught us to read both the visible and invisible conditions of a site, and to treat environmental responsibility as part of the design process from the beginning.

#CoastalResilience #CoastalDesign #DillsArchitects taken in Virginia Beach, Virginia by @dillsarchitects

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4 days ago

Norfolk Botanical Garden | Garden of Tomorrow

Surreal to get to spend the afternoon in this landscape I had a hand in designing.

The outdoor spaces come to life in the crisp fall air with so many spots to enjoy the view and time together with friends and family.

Designed with
@dillsarchitects
@vhbnow
@apsla taken in Norfolk Botanical Garden by @dillsarchitects

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4 days ago

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲.

It includes the roof, exterior walls, windows, doors, and the connections between them. Together, these systems manage water, air, heat, and moisture while protecting the people, materials, and operations inside.

When the envelope performs well, much of that work goes unnoticed. When it does not, the consequences can move quickly: water intrusion, air leakage, deteriorating materials, uncomfortable interiors, higher energy use, and costly repairs.

That is why envelope decisions are about more than appearance.

𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝘁 | Even small failures at roofs, windows, joints, or transitions can allow moisture into assemblies where it can damage materials over time.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗶𝗿 + 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁 | A continuous envelope helps buildings maintain comfortable interior conditions and reduces the energy required to heat, cool, and condition them.

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 | Getting the envelope right can extend the life of a building and reduce the likelihood that hidden problems become major capital repairs.

In existing buildings, the envelope is often where stewardship begins. At the @thesuffolkcenter, protecting and reestablishing the exterior envelope was essential to securing a historic civic building so it could continue serving the community.

For Dills Architects, a strong building envelope is where performance and design meet: protecting what is inside while helping the building express what it is there to do.

#BuildingEnvelope #HamptonRoads #DillsArchitects taken in Suffolk, Virginia by @dillsarchitects

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11 days ago

𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲.

Built around 1932, the former Accomac Primary School carries nearly a century of history in its walls. In these details, you can literally see the layers of time: old paint, masonry, openings, finishes, and traces of how the building has changed over the years.

Dills Architects is working with Accomack County Public Schools to give this 19,000-square-foot school a new purpose as a home for School Board and administrative staff.

As the cost of new construction continues to rise, adaptive reuse can offer another path: preserve what still has value, improve what no longer performs, and invest where change matters most.

The work begins by understanding the building honestly — what can stay, what needs to change, and what deserves another life.

#AdaptiveReuse #AccomackVA #DillsArchitects taken in Accomack County by @dillsarchitects

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17 days ago

𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 | 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁, 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁

As the 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 opens to the public, we want to recognize Gerrie West for the way she helped carry this landmark project from design intent into lived experience.

Gerrie leads cultural and edcuation focused projects for Dills with a holistic approach that balances function, comfort, and long-term performance from the inside out. On the Garden of Tomorrow, that meant staying close to the details that shape how visitors arrive, move, pause, and experience the Garden.

She tested materials herself, asked the detailed questions, and helped ensure that durability, quality, and daily use were considered at every scale.

“𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁. 𝗡𝗼 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹, 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺, 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻.

𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗸 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱, 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘇𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗮 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘀. 𝗜 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗜 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘆 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗽𝗮𝗱, 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲. 𝗕𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹.”

We’re grateful for Gerrie’s leadership and proud to celebrate her role in helping bring this next chapter of @norfolkbotanicalgarden to life.

#MeetTheTeam #NorfolkVA #DillsArchitects taken in Dills Architects by @dillsarchitects

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18 days ago

We’re currently #hiring for two roles in our Virginia Beach studio:
➔ 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁
➔ 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗿

If you’re design-forward, collaborative, and ready to help steward the possible in the public realm, we’d love to meet you.

Learn more about both opportunities + apply here: DillsArchitects.com/Careers

#ArchitectureCareers #HamptonRoads #DillsArchitects taken in Virginia Beach, Virginia by @dillsarchitects

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24 days ago

𝗔 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 @norfolkbotanicalgarden

Congratulations to the NBG team on the ribbon cutting for the 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄, a transformational project that expands how visitors experience conservation, education, and the living landscape.

Dills Architects is honored to have served as Designer of Record and to have helped steward this work alongside Norfolk Botanical Garden and the full project team.

With the Garden of Tomorrow opening to the public on September 14, there is one more meaningful reason to experience Norfolk.

Reserve tickets here:
norfolkbotanicalgarden.org/reserved-ticketing

@visitnorfolkva | @cityofnorfolkva

#VisitNorfolk #NorfolkVA #DillsArchitects taken in Norfolk, Virginia by @dillsarchitects

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a month ago

𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.

Friday at Summerfest in Town Center, before the storm came through, we had the chance to hear from people moving through an active public space in real time.

➔ Not in a formal meeting room.
➔ Not through a presentation.
➔ Just quick, honest, face-to-face conversations about what people notice, what they value, and what they would like to see improved.

Those moments help ground public work in lived experience, not assumptions.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by the Dills Architects tent and shared a few minutes with us and to @cbdatowncentervb for supporting coordination of the Summerfest + Ynot community engagement events.

@vbeconomicdevelopment

#CommunityEngagement #VirginiaBeachVA #DillsArchitects taken in Town Center of Virginia Beach by @dillsarchitects

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a month ago

Thank you to @kosteramerican for hosting our team for Coasters with KOSTER.

KOSTER specializes in moisture control, waterproofing, and flooring systems, so it was a fun chance for our team to get hands-on with materials in a different way.

And yes, they even let Dejia Rodriguez-Epps come back to handle the sanding.

Thanks again to the KOSTER team for having us.

#TeamCulture #VirginiaBeachVA #DillsArchitects taken in KOSTER American Corp. by @dillsarchitects

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a month ago

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀.

In this Field Note, Heather Kennedy reflects on the 5/31 Memorial and the quiet coordination behind a place shaped with deep responsibility.

𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗘 | https://dillsarchitects.com/field-note-heather-kennedy-531-memorial-08-26-26/

#MemorialDesign #VirginiaBeachVA #DillsArchitects taken in Virginia Beach, Virginia by @dillsarchitects

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a month ago

Finishing details and final quality checks are underway at the 5/31 Memorial. We are honored to have been entrusted with the memorial and forever grateful to the families, survivors, first responders, community members, memorial committee members, City leaders, and entire project team who helped shape this memorial with such intention.

𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗡 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗘 | https://dillsarchitects.com/531-memorial/

@swagroup | landscape architecture
@wsp.usa | lighting design
@fluidity_design_consultants | water feature design
@etgresham | construction management
@vhbnow | civil engineering
PACE Collaborative | mechanical + electrical engineering
@sinclairpratt | structural engineering
@stromberggarrigan_associates | landscape administration

@cityofvabeach | @vbparksrec | George Alcaraz | Billy Almond | Ervin Cox | Sharon Felton | Kurt Hooks, Ph.D., MPH, LPC | Lawrence Kliewer | Cosette Livas | Jason Nixon | Tara Reel | Brian Ricardo | Sylvia Nery-Strickland (Primm) | Charlotte Zito | Michael Berlucchi | Sabrina D. Wooten, ABD | Shelby Slutzker | Dr. Larry Schooler | Emily Labows

#MemorialDesign #VirginiaBeachVA #DillsArchitects taken in Virginia Beach, Virginia by @dillsarchitects

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2 months ago