Located on the third floor of the Assembly building at 400 Granby Street in Downtown Norfolk, the WPA Studio is a 4,500-square-foot workplace designed to support collaboration, craft, and design process. The studio is part of Assembly, an adaptive reuse project that transformed a historic building into a creative campus with a diverse mix of tenants.
The open, light-filled studio emphasizes flexibility and visual connection. Communal tables, sit-to-stand workstations, and movable furnishings allow the space to shift easily between focused work, team collaboration, and group discussion. Walls and work surfaces are intentionally designed to display sketches, drawings, and in-progress ideas, reinforcing an iterative and transparent design culture.
One of the anchors of the studio is the Resource Gallery, a minimal, flexible space that serves as a material library and project resource space. This “blank canvas” supports hands-on exploration, material study, and early mockups, allowing ideas to move fluidly from concept to physical form. Three quiet rooms adjacent to the gallery provide space for focused work, meetings, and moments of retreat.
The studio also includes a welcoming reception area, open kitchen, lounge, and materials library, encouraging informal interaction and daily connection. Custom-designed elements and built-in details throughout the space reflect a careful attention to craft and the belief that well-considered environments enhance both the work and the people who occupy them.
