Recent Leadership Promotions
08.01.16Along with a new website and refreshed brand, VMDO has reconfigured its management committee and announced a series of promotions celebrating the successes of our staff. ”‹
Inside the VCU Basketball Development Center
07.25.16VCU Athletics Director of Operations Tim Lampe shares how the new Basketball Development Center is a place of pride and inspiration for players and coaches.
UVA Students React to Renovation of Gooch Residence Hall
07.25.16On Friday August 21, 2015 students began to move in to the newly renovated Gooch residence hall amid wishful comments from the upperclassmen aiding them.
The Role of Biophilic Design in Supporting the Student Athlete
07.23.16Biophilic design can enhance well-being, support physical performance, and expedite healing. These outcomes are particularly nourishing for student athletes – who experience intensive physical wear and tear as well as emotional exertion.
Completing the Loop: Four Design Themes for Student Success
07.22.16The award-winning article outlined four main themes – common space amenities, living unit configuration, student ownership, and safety / security – that help connect the loop between design, student experience, and, ultimately, student success.
JMU's Wayland Hall: A Dynamic Living-Learning Environment for a New Century
07.20.16Wayland Hall residents and Associate Professor of Theatre share how the LEED Platinum renovation transformed the residence hall into an innovative new living-learning community.
Building Dashboard Provides Real-Time Data at Discovery
07.17.16Discovery Elementary School is the first new elementary school built in Arlington, VA in more than a decade. The goal of the PreK-5 project is to address growing student enrollment while reaching for the highest standards possible – in instructional space as well as sustainability, operating costs, and flexibility.
'Every Turn It's a Wow' in VCU's New Practice Facility
07.10.16This article was originally published by the Richmond Time-Dispatch and highlights the most impressive features of the new $25 million practice facility at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Student Center Design
07.10.16A new student union can mark and embody a genuine turning point for a campus.
Academic Library Design
07.08.16Today’s academic library is undergoing a transformation in how it responds to the multifaceted needs and expectations of various user groups. With the waning reliance on physical resources and the parallel advances in technological innovation, the library of tomorrow must devote a far greater share of its space to users seeking comfortable, flexible environments that can host a range of scholarly activities.
New Student Center wins ACUI Facility Design Award of Excellence
07.06.16”‹Tidewater Community College Chesapeake Campus’s Student Center received a 2016 ACUI Facility Design Award of Excellence.
Designing a Better World through Education
07.05.16”‹This article, originally published by Modern Builder + Design, describes how the principals of VMDO value education above all things, focusing their passion and talents on designing educational spaces throughout Virginia and beyond.
Liberty University Master Plan
07.01.16A world-class liberal arts university with 16 schools and colleges, Liberty offers more than 520 programs from the certificate to the doctoral level.
Wayfinding as Placemaking at Discovery Elementary School
06.26.16This article was originally published by the Society for Experiential Graphic Design.
Creating a Moonshot: Designing Discovery Elementary School
06.15.16“As a staff, we focus more on how do students learn and how can we enhance their experiences with this tremendous space.” - Erin Russo, Discovery Elementary School Principal
Learning Spaces Design
06.01.16At VMDO we strive to create spaces and buildings that support and enhance student learning in all of its diverse forms.
Reflections from Green Schools Conference 2016
04.24.16This article was originally published by the USGBC and provides a recap of our experiences at the 2016 Green Schools Conference in Pittsburgh.
Learning Spaces Collaboratory
04.12.16Principal Joe Atkins participated in the Learning Spaces Collaboratory’s 2016 Roundtable at Boston University.
Discovery Elementary School Interiors
03.31.16This article originally appeared in the March 2016 issue of School Planning & Management magazine.
Young Harris College Campus Center Recognized by USGBC at Georgia Capitol
02.25.16On February 3, 2016 USGBC Georgia celebrated the work of educational facilities in the state that are creating healthy and efficient learning environments.
Give Me a Sign
02.13.16This article was originally published by School Planning + Management magazine in their February 2016 issue.
Kids Need Movement to Learn
02.01.16This article was written by Associate Dina Sorensen and originally published by the Center for Active Design.
Net-Zero Discovery Elementary School Raises the Bar for Energy Efficiency
01.31.16”‹This article was originally published by the Green Schools National Network about the net-zero design strategies involved in planning, designing, and building Discovery Elementary School.
Makerspaces + the Art of Tinkering to Enhance Learning
10.22.15It’s a hugely exciting time in education as more and more educators seek to provide places where students can ‘learn-by-making’.
Green Apple Day of Service at Discovery Elementary School
09.25.15VMDO staff traveled to the newly opened Discovery Elementary School in Arlington, VA to participate in the annual Green Apple Day of Service.
State-of-the-Art Concert Hall at Liberty University
09.25.15VMDO’s Drew Fleming explains how the new Concert Hall at Liberty University supports a dynamic spectrum of musical pedagogy.
How Smarter School Architecture Can Help Kids Eat Healthier Food
08.27.15Now schools are adding another tool to the fight for fitter kids: Architecture.
YMCA on Track for 2017 Opening
08.14.15When completed, the center will not only be a place to exercise, but also a meeting space available to the community.
Rollins Campus Center Transforms the Student Experience
07.27.15The largest building constructed at Young Harris College, the Rollins Campus Center is often referred to as the social and intellectual heart of campus.
New Liberty University Concert Hall Tuning Up for Opening
07.17.15“We have needed facilities for years,” said Vernon Whaley, dean of the School of Music. “I think it is going to give our students a place where they can study and learn and create and experience music in an expressive way, in an incredibly productive environment."
Unveiling Virginia Wesleyan College’s Greer Environmental Sciences Center
05.21.15In May 2015, we were proud to join Virginia Wesleyan College in revealing the design of the new Greer Environmental Sciences Center.
Sweet Briar College Cochran Library Dedication
12.16.14On Friday, November 7, 2014 Sweet Briar College held a dedication ceremony celebrating the expansion and renovation of its historic Mary Helen Cochran Library.
Liberty Library + Academic Commons
11.10.14VMDO was hired to design a world-class library that would provide service for a university undergoing a major campus transformation and explosive growth. A key requirement was the ability to anticipate the future demand for growth in collections and to create flexible learning spaces that would inspire and engage our residential and online students.
Investing in Communities, Transforming Lives: The Story of the Buckingham Schools Project
07.22.14In 2006, Terry Huang, a researcher at the National Institutes of Health, proposed a completely new approach to combating childhood obesity: Architecture. In 2009, the Buckingham County, VA school community decided to do something different about the future of their youngest learners: prioritize health and design to deliver a cutting-edge, holistic learning environment for students and teachers.
Quick Study in Efficiency
05.16.13”‹This article was originally published by EcoBuilding Pulse and explains how Manassas Park Elementary School & Pre-K teaches students and the community about energy efficiency.