Based in Virginia’s Blue Ridge mountains — with a satellite in Richmond — PFA is a small practice committed to authentic, meaningful design that has a positive effect on people’s lives, while fostering and sustaining a kinship with the natural world.
My approach entails the creation of buildings, spaces and places that are careful extensions of the native landscape, client-and-site responsive and well-crafted with high quality, sustainable methods and materials.
Underlying this ethos is an abiding faith in the power of “biophilic” design; that is, the belief that deep connections to Nature are essential to human health, well-being and spirit. As such, I strive to create places that are comfortable, healthy, energy and resource-efficient, functional, durable and affordable while responding appropriately to and enhancing their surroundings, with the broader aspiration of elevating human culture.
A native Virginian, I’ve practiced as a licensed architect in since 1995 and was educated at the University of Virginia, beginning my career in Charlottesville in 1987 with a small downtown firm as a summer intern. My experience encompasses various project types: single and multi-family residential, affordable housing, commercial, cultural/institutional, environmental education, sustainable development, master planning, landscape design, permaculture design, building science, solar energy systems & net-zero-energy building (NZEB) design and alternative/natural building methods, including strawbale/earth plaster. In addition to private clientele, I have served non-profit organizations, municipalities, the federal government, as well as international interests in Haiti, West Africa and Central America.
An early adopter of “green” design, I strive for architecture that is consonant with the patterns, flows and health of the natural world, as well as the richness of the human and cultural context. I was the first LEED-accredited architect in Central Virginia and, a few years later, lead my firm Watershed Architects as one of the first signatories to the Living Building Challenge — and my efforts to incorporate these systems have included facilitating workshops on integrated, high performance “sustainable” design.
Also a long-time solar advocate, I was certified as a photovoltaic (PV) system designer through Solar Energy International in 2006. The following year, I engineered and installed my own home’s photovoltaic system, which was the first residential grid-tied installation to be activated in Richmond; concurrent to that project, I designed the first commercial grid-tied solar energy system in the City as well.
Reinforcing my love of and commitment to protecting nature, I am also a Certified Virginia Master Naturalist, which entails voluntary community service and educating the general public around conservation and stewardship of Virginia's natural resources and, as a lifelong tree-lover, I trained as City of Richmond Tree Steward volunteer just prior to the Covid shut-down. I was also instrumental in garnering the City of Richmond’s proclamation as a Biophilic Cities partner in 2019. I also bring a wealth of builder/contractor experience to my process as an architect, having lead a design-build team for nearly a decade in delivering over $15 million worth of construction services.
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Patrick Farley, AIA/LEED BD+C
Education
University of Virginia, Master of Architecture, 1993
Studies focused on environmental ethics, sustainable development, preservation & urban planning
University of Virginia, Bachelor of Science, Architecture, 1988
Practice History
Daggett & Grigg Architects, Charlottesville, Va. (1987-94)
SMBW Architects, Richmond, Va. (1994-96)
Bond Hugo Farley Architects (now 3North), Richmond, Va. (1997-2002)
Watershed Architects (Founder), Richmond, Va. (2002-2016)
Sunflower Solar (Principal), Richmond, Va. (2005-2015)
Patrick Farley Architect, Richmond/Afton (2016-present)
Registrations / Certifications
Licensed Architect, Virginia (1995), NCARB Certified
Dominion Virginia Power Energy Efficiency & Building Science University (1999)
LEED 2.0 Accredited Professional (2001 – 1st accredited architect in central Virginia)
American Lung Association, “Health House” certification (2003)
Bau-Biologist Training- - International Institute for Bau-Biology and Ecology (2003)
Photovoltaic System Designe
Certification - - Solar Energy International (2006)
Virginia Class A Contractor (2010 – present, via Sunflower Development, LLC)
Certified Virginia Master Naturalist (2019-present)
Richmond Tree Stewards trainee (2020)
Memberships/Activities
Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors (CAAR) pre-license training, “The Principles of Real Estate”, 1990
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), 2000 – present
Founder, Healthy Communities Forum, Richmond, Va. (2001)
Founding member & Past Vice Chair, James River Chapter of USGBC (2003 - 2008)
Past Treasurer & Vice Chairman, Virginia Sustainable Building Network (2003 – present)
Advisory Board, VSBN SMART Building Directory (2008 - )
Board of Directors, Virginia Solar Energy Association (2007 - present)
James River Association, Presquile National Wildlife Education Center Task Force (2008 - 2012)
Universal Design consultant, Virginia Housing Development Authority (2008 - )
International Sustainable Development, Inc., Advisory Board member (2008 - )
Member, Science Museum of Virginia, Rice House Design Team, (2008 - 2016)
American Institute of Architects, Virginia Society, James River Chapter
American Institute of Architects, Committee On The Environment (COTE), 1995 - present
American Solar Energy Society (ASES), 2000 - present
Energy and Environmental Building Association (EEBA), 2001 - present
Wintergreen Nature Foundation, Wintergreen, Va., Building Committee, 1996-99
Chesapeake Bay Foundation, 1993 - present
Waterkeeper Alliance, 2004 - present
James River Association, 2000 - present
Rainforest Alliance, 2000 - present
The Nature Conservancy, 1995 – present
Sierra Club, 2006 - present
Richmond Waldorf School Board of Trustees, 2000 – 2004
Children & Nature Network, 2007 – present
Virginia Society AIA, Honors Committee, 2010 – 2012
Modern Richmond co-founder & board member, 2008 - 2018
City of Richmond, Green City Commission (chair, Energy Committee), 2012 – 2014
BiophilicRVa Steering Committee (2017-present)
Virginia Native Plant Society, 2017 – present
James River Park Invasive Plants Task Force (2019-present)
Leadership
Habitat for Humanity, ‘Christmas In April’, Charlottesville, VA., Job Captain, 1992
Organizer/Facilitator, Norfolk Environmental Commission/Ernie Morgan Environmental Action Center’s Integrated Design Workshop, 2004
Co-developer/Co-facilitator, City of Dayton, Ohio, Green Design Workshop (in collaboration with E-Squared, Inc. + Siteworks Studio, Charlottesville, Virginia), 2004
Member, Virginia Sustainable Future Forum (2004 – present)
Advisor + Juror, Alliance For The Chesapeake Bay’s Green Roofs Grant Challenge (2005)
Steering Committee, Virginia’s Sustainable Future III Summit 2005, Richmond, Virginia
Creator/Facilitator, Virginia’s Sustainable Future III 2005 Symposium, “Living Architecture: Green Roofs and Human Habitats”
Sustainable Community Design Program Steering/Development Committee, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2006 - present
Speaker, “Shades of Green”, Sierra Club, Falls Of The James Chapter, November 2006
“Shades of Green” Lecture to Richmond area high school students/future architects, February 2006
“Design in the New Age of Ecology” Lecture, Tuckahoe Library community education lecture series, June 2006
“Design as Manifestation of Human Intention” Lecture, International Furnishings & Design Association, March 2007
Co-Developer and Moderator, “Re-Nature By Design” Symposium, Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, September 2007
Public Lecture, “Solar 101: Harnessing the Power of the Sun”, Richmond Vegetarian Society, October 2007
Guest Speaker, Richmond Chapter of NARI, January 2008
Guest Speaker, “Design for the Ecological Age”, Science Museum of Virginia, February 2008
Guest Speaker, “Grasping Green”, Sustainable Design Educators’ Workshop, Virginia Center for Architecture, May 2008
Speaker, “Healthful Historic Preservation”, Conserve Historic Henrico workshop series, October 2008
Speaker, “21st Century Architecture - - Toward Living Buildings”, Science Museum of Virginia, October 2008
Speaker/panelist, “Living With The Planet” series, Alternative Energy, The Wintergreen Nature Foundation, March 2009
Speaker/panelist, “Green Design for Buildings, Exhibits and Landscapes”, Virginia Association of Museums Conference, March 2009
Guest panelist, WRIR radio program, Quid Pro Quo, “Sustainability in the Workplace”, March 2009
Speaker, James River Green Building Council, CityGreen Luncheon Series, “Walking the Walk: Sustainability Through Design Practice”, March 2010
Speaker/panelist, Environmental Film Festival, “Biophilic Cities”, Richmond, Va., February 2020
Teaching
Lecturer, VCU Interior Design Department, Sustainable Design, September 2007 - 2014
Lecturer. VCU Graphic Design Department, Sustainable Business/Design, September 2007 - 2016
Design Juror, Virginia Tech School of Architecture, 3rd year studio: Environmental Education Center for Chesapeake Bay Foundation, spring 2011
Lecturer, “Green Building 101”, Chesterfield Technical Center, March 2009 + 2010
Lecturer, “Green Building 101”, John Tyler Community College, October 2008
Lecturer, Governors School students, Virginia Center for Architecture, Green Architecture, February 2008
Design Juror, Introduction to sustainable architecture/design, Maggie Walker Governor’s School, 2007
Lecturer, Math & Science Center (5th + 6th graders), Green Architecture, June 2007
Natural building and solar energy, Richmond Waldorf School (3rd grade) Spring 2006
Lecturer, VCU Art Department, Sustainable Design, April 2006
Teaching Assistant, “Building Systems & Construction”, UVA, 1992
Teaching Assistant, 4th Year Architectural Design, UVA, 1991-93;
Publications
New Technology: New Architecture by William & Thomas Zuk, contributed conceptual sketch work for book of futurist technological speculation, 1991
Virginia Department of Historic Resources Newsletter, guest columnist - green building & preservation, summer 2004 issue
Virginia Review, “Responsible Government – Stewardship through the ‘Greening’ of Public Assets and Services”, 2004
Virginia Review, “Building Heritage – Enhancing Stewardship through the ‘Greening’ of our Tourism Infrastructure”, 2004
Columnist, R-Home Magazine, “Eco-Living”, 2009
Awards
Henry David Thoreau Environmental Conservator Award (Better Housing Coalition), 2011
Alliance to Conserve Old Richmond Neighborhoods (ACORN) “Green Hammer Award”, Kendler-Miller Residence, November 2010.
AIA, Richmond Chapter Honor Award for Design Excellence, Rappahannock House, Deltaville, Va. 2008
Muse Awards Finalist, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 2008
Go Green Merit Award, James River Green Building Council, Littlemore (residence), 2007
Virginia Green Innovation Award - - “Top Green Designer”, Virginia Sustainable Building Network, 2006
Go Green Merit Award, James River Green Building Council, Ernie Morgan Environmental Action Center, 2005
AIA, James River Chapter Merit Award for Design Excellence, Ernie Morgan Environmental Action Center, Norfolk, Va., 2005
AIA, James River Chapter Honor Award for Design Excellence (while at SMBW Architects), Wheat Innsbrook Center, Glen Allen, Va., 1998