INSIDE IONIC - Harry Harris

Inside IONIC

William Henry “Harry” Harris, III, AIA

Director of Religious Architecture

Based in our Richmond, Virginia office, Harry has an extensive architecture background and is known for establishing enduring, successful business relationships. In his current role with Ionic DeZign Studios, he is responsible for business development and client relations.

What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on several church projects in Virginia, which include additions to St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Lynchburg, a Master Vision Plan for Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Powhatan County and renovations to the Sanctuary at the Glen Allen Church of Christ. I’m also working on a new multipurpose addition to Bear Creek Baptist Church in Bakersville, North Carolina.

What inspires you?

Assisting our church clients in realizing their vision by enhancing their facilities to accomplish their mission and ministry within the church’s community.

How do you like to spend your free time?

From a young age, I have enjoyed sailing and I currently continue to sail the Chesapeake Bay whenever possible on my sloop, “Sapphire.” There is nothing more refreshing than manning the helm of a sailboat on a brisk day on the bay with all sails aloft.

Do you have a favorite quote or saying?

“Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.”  Psalm 127:1

Is there anything else you would like to share?

I have had the good fortune to assist the youth of Richmond through my 35 plus years of service with the Kiwanis Club of Richmond. Our life safety programs for at-risk children and our annual Christmas party for the patients at the Children’s Hospital are always inspiring. 

Also, as a board member for more than 30 years, and a past vice president of Elk Hill Farm, Inc., a treatment program for at-risk boys and girls in the Central Virginia region, I have been inspired by its success. The program has grown from one campus treating 30 students, to five campuses treating more than 700 youth. Our design of the Singleton Chapel at the Elk Hill Goochland Campus continues to be my favorite Sacred Space design project.

This is the first in a series of “Inside IONIC” posts, designed to help you get to know the talented, innovative team at Ionic DeZign Studios.

3rd Street Bethel AME Church

Ionic DeZign Studios Awarded Historic Church Project

 

Ionic DeZign Studios, Inc. has been awarded the contract to provide design services to preserve the historic Third Street Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia. The church is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and the project is being funded through a National Park Service grant. As part of the preservation of African American civil rights movement sites, Third Street Bethel AME Church was one of 39 projects in 21 states to receive funding.

The funds will be used to stabilize the 1856 Gothic structure, where trailblazing African-American Maggie Walker addressed the Right Worthy Grand Council of Virginia in 1901, saying, ”Let us awake” and urging them to “start and do good in our ranks,” establishing a bank, a newspaper and a business empire in Richmond’s African American community during the infancy of the Civil Rights movement in Virginia.

Be sure to follow up on our progress as we share along the way. Check out other church projects at www.ionicdezigns.com

We currently have offices in Virginia Beach and Richmond to better serve you.  757.499.3510

Here are a few pictures from the construction site at St. Bridget's Middle School n Richmond Virginia. The finishes are going down and looking very colorful. KBS is handling all the construction on this DHR project involving the conversion of the old 1908 Westmoreland Baptist church into the new school.

Congrats on the entire team working on this one. We should see the furniture coming soon and wrapping up the end of the project. Great job!

Performance Hall 

Exterior of Historic Church

Colorful Classroom

Another Colorful Classroom

Eugene discussing lighting concerns

old windows

Floor patterns in lunch room

IONIC DEZIGN STUDIOS is an award winning architecture - Interior design firm with offices in Virginia Beach and Richmond. We do work in 15+ states currently and focus on Restaurant, Retail, Financial, Office, Religious and Custom interiors.

www.Ionicdezigns.com

Watch us Grow - WHHA + IONIC

The IONIC family welcomes a new member to it's Richmond office. Aaron Payne joins us from Virginia Tech and will help us manage the large work load of churches and other projects that we are tackling in the Richmond Market.

Aaron will be adding to the team skills in Revit, Rhino, 3D Max as well has other architectural related software programs. With an eagerness to learn and while in college, he became deeply convicted that architecture was all about finding a better setting for life. He is passionately interested in doing that by closely observing and then responding to the constantly evolving economic and cultural changes that have occurred during the last 20 years.

We have included a few of his school projects.

We all welcome Aaron to the fun world of architecture.

Eugene Thompson, AIA
Founder + President
www.ionicdezigns.com
www.WHHAdezigns.com