Elizabeth River Project’s Ryan Resilience Lab Named a ‘World Changing Idea’ by Fast Company

Written by WPA on . Posted in Architecture, Civic, Education, Educational, Elizabeth River, Elizabeth River Project, ERP, Hampton Roads, Norfolk, Uncategorized, Virginia.

Work Program Architects is proud to share that the Elizabeth River Project’s Ryan Resilience Lab has been named a winner in Fast Company’s 2025 World Changing Ideas Awards. This national recognition honors bold, creative efforts that respond to society’s most pressing challenges, and this project’s message couldn’t be more urgent.

WPA was recognized alongside garbage-eating microbe technology developed at Harvard, a hydrogen-power data center created by ECL and the first-ever zero-plastic warehouse from Manifest.eco. Other architectural and design projects on the list include the Portland International Airport and the Hilda L. Solis Environmental Justice Center at Puente Hills Regional Park. 

Fast Company noted that the resilience lab “not only used flood-proof materials but also integrated habitats like wetlands, oyster reefs, and native plants to naturally absorb floodwater, shield the structure from erosion, and protect its surroundings from pollution.” The recognition went on to write that “the natural habitats also serve as educational tools for the public, and the design itself can be a model for communities at risk of rising sea levels.”

“The Ryan Resilience Lab was designed as a global model for how communities can adapt to the realities of sea level rise and climate change,” says Sam Bowling, associate principal at Work Program Architects and project architect for the Lab. “That’s why it’s so meaningful to see it recognized by Fast Company as a World Changing Idea — this award spans the globe, just like the challenge we’re working to address.”

This year’s World Changing Ideas Awards featured more than 1,500 entries, with just 100 projects selected as winners. Submissions were judged by Fast Company editors and reporters for their impact, creativity, sustainability, and ability to improve lives. The Lab is included in the Summer 2025 print issue, on newsstands June 17.

“The World Changing Ideas Awards have always been about showcasing the art of the possible,” says Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. “We’re proud to recognize the organizations and leaders that are making meaningful progress on the biggest issues of our time.”

Check out the Elizabeth River Project’s Ryan Resilience Lab here.

NSU Starts Work on $118M Facility to Expand Science and Research Opportunities

Written by WPA on . Posted in Architecture, Education, Educational, Hampton Roads, Higher Education, Norfolk, NSU, Science, Virginia, WPA.

Norfolk State University (NSU) marked a major milestone on April 18 with a groundbreaking ceremony for its $118 million New Science Building, a project that promises to redefine the future of science education and research on campus. The event, which drew students, faculty, state officials, and community leaders, received widespread media coverage across WHRO, WAVY, The Virginian-Pilot, Virginia Business, and other outlets.

The new 131,000-square-foot facility will replace the Roy A. Woods Science Building and unite NSU’s biology, chemistry, and physics departments under one roof, alongside the Dozoretz National Institute for Mathematics and Applied Sciences (DNIMAS). With a planetarium, greenhouse, makerspace, and student-centered collaboration areas, the building is designed to foster innovation, interdisciplinary learning, and public engagement.

“This building will showcase science with its transformative architecture, thereby inspiring students to believe and achieve their goals,” said Dr. Michael Keeve, Dean of the College of Science, Engineering and Technology.

Work Program Architects (WPA) and SmithGroup lead the design team, while S.B. Ballard Construction Company is serving as the Construction Manager. “This project puts scientific research and education on display in an environment that is inclusive, interactive and energizing,” said CEO Mel Price.

University leaders and project architects emphasized the building’s dual mission: supporting academic excellence while welcoming broader community engagement. Outdoor learning environments will connect the facility to the Ohio Creek watershed, while flexible interior spaces are designed to evolve alongside scientific discovery.

“It is another example of how Norfolk State University is building for the future of our students, our university and our community,” said NSU President Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston.

Set to open in Fall 2027, the facility is targeting LEED Gold certification and aims to serve as a national model for immersive, interdisciplinary science education. 

Read coverage of the groundbreaking from WAVY, WHRO, 13News Now, The Virginian-Pilot, Virginia Business, and The HBCU Advocate.

Expanded Perry Glass Studio Reopens at the Chrysler Museum of Art

Written by WPA on . Posted in Architecture, Arts & Design District, Chrysler Museum, Civic, Downtown Norfolk, Educational, Glass, Glass Studio, Hampton Roads, NEON, Norfolk, Uncategorized, Virginia, WPA.

The Perry Glass Studio at the Chrysler Museum of Art has officially reopened following a $30 million expansion. The museum marked the occasion with a vibrant weekend of festivities that drew major media attention and hundreds of visitors. The grand opening included live glassblowing demonstrations by nationally recognized artists, a sold-out gala event, and a family-friendly festival featuring performances and hands-on activities.

In advance of the festivities, the expanded facility was featured across regional media outlets including 13News Now, WAVY, The Virginian-Pilot, and WHRO, all highlighting the studio’s striking transformation and its significance to Norfolk’s cultural landscape.

“It’s a dream come true to see it emerging fully finished and ready to go,” WPA’s Thom White told WAVY. “I think it will be huge. It will have the ability to reach a lot more visitors, to educate students and glassmaking and the arts around glass. It’s so versatile in the way that it can handle programming, whether that be productions in the theater, hot shop or this classroom.”

Work Program Architects led the design of the project, which more than tripled the size of the original studio and established it as a leading center for glass art in the U.S. The reimagined space includes a 190-seat amphitheater-style hot shop, dedicated classrooms, and state-of-the-art cold- and flame-working areas, all designed to accommodate a growing community of artists, students, and visitors. With a focus on transparency, accessibility, and environmental resilience, the expansion enhances both the creative and educational mission of the museum while preparing the site for future climate challenges.

Media coverage highlighted both the design and the experience it creates. 13News Now provided a behind-the-scenes video tour, while WAVY spotlighted the museum’s assistantship program, which is aided by the new space. In a written report, WHRO detailed the many ways community members, including university students, can utilize the facility to create their own works of art, while an episode of the station’s arts program, Curate, explored the studio and the artform, as well as the origins of the expansion. 

“We interviewed several architectural firms up and down the east coast, from all the big cities,” said Robin Rogers, manager and program director for the Perry Glass Studio. “But it was a local firm, WPA, that really hit it out of the park.”

The Virginian-Pilot provided even more historical context to the recent developments, noting the glass studio’s beginnings as a 9,200-square-foot facility that “reached capacity after the huge demand due to the popular glassblowing classes and partnerships with local colleges and community organizations.”

“The workshops allow visiting and in-house artists to create new and innovative artwork on full display to visitors,” project architect Robert Crawshaw told The Virginian-Pilot. “And spaces throughout the expansion present opportunities for the museum to display these works.”

Watch and read coverage of the opening from WAVY, 13News Now, The Virginian-Pilot and WHRO. Read more about the project here.

Proposed Designs for New Maury High School Unveiled

Written by WPA on . Posted in Architecture, Education, Educational, Norfolk, Norfolk Public Schools, Uncategorized.

Last week at a public event, Work Program Architects (WPA), VMDO Architects and Heartland Construction unveiled proposed designs for the new Maury High School in Norfolk, Virginia. During the event, which was held in the cafeteria at the current high school building and hosted by Norfolk Public Schools and the City of Norfolk, community members were invited to weigh in on the designs. 

As noted in local coverage of the event, this was the second in a series of community engagement sessions to gather feedback on plans for the school. 

“The only way we can be successful is to be engaged with the community and to get that feedback,” Heartland Construction Vice President Robert Hudson said in an interview with WAVY at the event. “We encourage the community to come to these meetings and to be vocal about what their hopes and dreams and goals are for this facility.”

The redevelopment is aimed at creating a modern, high-performing learning environment designed to support diverse student needs. The new four-story high school, adjacent to the current Maury High School building, is designed for 1750 students and features outdoor learning spaces, pedestrian pathways, and enhanced facilities. The design also includes facilities for football, baseball, softball and track, as well as a tennis complex, multi-use fields, and a natatorium.

“I like it,” community member Doug Knack told WAVY. “It’s really thoughtful and I think it will accomplish a lot.” “It seems to be a design that will expand over time,” added Kathy Knack, “and I think you need to plan for the future and just not for the immediate needs.”

The designs on display last week were influenced by an initial community meeting that took place in June. In that meeting, community members were invited to share their thoughts, hopes, and dreams for the school’s transformative redevelopment. 

Discussed in both the first and second meetings was the fate of the current Maury High School building. The historic 1911 building will remain, though its future use has yet to be determined.  

“The existing building is a historic landmark, and I think they should keep as much of it in its original form as they can,” Maury alum Victor Jones told WHRO during the event. “I think it should be left up for those people like myself … to come back and marvel and have memories of what it was when I was here as a young freshman.”

Another community event aimed at gathering additional feedback will be scheduled for later in the year. The project is currently scheduled for completion in the Fall of 2028.

“These images you see will change,” VMDO’s Rob Winstead told the community members gathered in the Maury cafeteria. “Next time we come back, they will be different.”

Watch, read and listen to coverage of the event from WAVY, WTKR, The Virginian-Pilot and WHRO.

Read more about the project here.

The Next Wave Campaign with The Elizabeth River Project

Written by WPA on . Posted in Blog, Civic, Education, Educational, Hampton Roads, Norfolk, Uncategorized, WPA, WPA Studio.

The Elizabeth River Project is taking up position on the frontlines of the international quest to combat impacts of sea level rise on urban waterfront communities. WPA is proud to be designing the first facility on the East Coast intentionally to be constructed as a resilience model in the urban flood plain.

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ULI – Hampton Roads

Written by WPA on . Posted in Blog, Downtown Norfolk, Educational, Event, Government, Norfolk, Residential, ULI, Urban Design, WPA.

Speakers:
Jeremy Sharp, AICP, Zoning Administrator, City of Norfolk
and
Peter Johnston, Lead Urban Designer, Work Program Architects
Program Description:
This program will explore the purpose and requirements of Norfolk’s Commercial and Mixed-Use Pattern Book.  The Book has been created for developers to make the development process more predictable.  The Book is to be used as a companion piece to the new zoning ordinance and includes a checklist for new project development.

Venue
Slover Library
235 E Plume Street
Community Engagement Room: 6th Floor
Norfolk, VA 23510

Agenda
June 20, 2019
3:30 pm – 4:00 pm: Registration + Networking
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm: Program + Q&A
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm: Cocktail Reception

 

REGISTER NOW: The Future of Development According to the New Norfolk Commercial & Mixed-Use Pattern Book

 

 

 

 

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