Shedding light on issues impacting how we design.

What began in 2021 as an effort to celebrate local black creators and design innovators from a diverse set of industries, the campaign has expanded to explore a different topic or issue facing the design industry.

We care about the impact we have on the world around us, from our projects to our engagements. As architects and designers, we have a massive impact on the built world and our communities. Initiative like Shine the Light afford us the opportunity to harness this impact and our platform to enact positive change in the world around us.

With the Shine the Light program, our firm is committed to education, mentorship, and change. We hope to: change the script, spark important conversations, challenge ourselves and other businesses to do more, introduce the next generation to mentorship, inspire a career path in design and other creative fields, and amplify local opportunities for volunteerism.

  • 2021: Celebrating Black Creatives

    In the first year of Shine the Light, we celebrated local black creators and design innovators from a diverse set of industries. By amplifying these voices, we hoped to promote a professional path in the art and design industry for the next generation.

    Visit the 2021 Campaign Here

  • 2022: Inclusive Design

    We explored inclusive design through interviews with experts from the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, research papers, a roundtable discussion with community and design leaders, and firm-wide DEI training conducted by VCIC.

    Visit the 2022 Campaign Here

  • 2023: Equitable Housing

    In our 2023 Shine the Light campaign, we explored the current housing crisis, the significance of having safe and equitable housing, and what professionals in the AEC field can do to help through a series of research papers and discussions with local experts.

    Visit the 2023 Campaign Here

  • 2024: Urban Greenspace

    This summer we will explore the importance of equitable access to urban greenspace, and the role it plays in the health, sustainability, and growth of a city and its residents through a series of interviews with Richmond experts and research articles.

    Visit the 2024 Campaign Here