--- title: "GARC Design — Architects & Building Designers | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/garc-design-pfvwus-pf~1420019845 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~1420019845.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "GARC Design" category: ["Architects"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/309393d208139ad5_2704-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "Richmond, Virginia 23219, United States" phone: "(757) 761-3680" website: http://www.garcdesign.com/ rating: 5 review_count: 28 best_of_houzz_awards: 5 followers: 64 last_updated: 2026-08-27 --- # GARC Design Original Houzz profile: [GARC Design](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/garc-design-pfvwus-pf~1420019845) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Architects - **Location:** Richmond, VA - **Serves:** Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Richmond, Newport News, Portsmouth Heights, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Tuckahoe, Mechanicsville, Short Pump, Laurel, Bon Air, East Highland Park, Williamsburg, Highland Springs, Glen Allen, Lakeside, Henrico, Dumbarton, Bellwood, Montrose, Sandston, Bensley, Chamberlayne, Northern Virginia, University Of Richmond, Washington DC - **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (28 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 5 awards (2018–2022), for Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Star Houzzer - Houzz Influencer - Recommended on Houzz - 1,000 Ideabook Saves - Best of Houzz winner - Locally owned - Award winning GARC is a boutique architecture design firm, specialized in high-end contemporary custom homes. GARC provides architecture, interior, and landscape design services. Our specialties include aging-in-place, full house renovation, and custom home. We provide full design services from programming, conceptual design, permit drawing, design development, construction drawing, to construction administration stage. We believe that a good design/project results from truly understanding our clients’ needs and providing unique customized solutions. Striving to achieve that, we develop a well-tested research-oriented design process to ensure we are able to deliver high quality design both on time and on budget. We also keep good relationship with qualified and competitive contractors and vendors to ensure the design be constructed cost effectively. ### Services Provided - Architectural Design - Building Design - Architectural Drawings - Custom Homes - House Plans - New Home Construction - Home Additions - Sustainable Design - Energy-Efficient Homes - Floor Plans - 3D Rendering - Green Building - Universal Design - Multigenerational Homes - Historic Building Conservation - Landscape Plans - Custom Home ### Areas Served - Virginia Beach - Chesapeake - Norfolk - Richmond - Newport News - Portsmouth Heights - Portsmouth - Suffolk - Tuckahoe - Mechanicsville - Short Pump - Laurel - Bon Air - East Highland Park - Williamsburg - Highland Springs - Glen Allen - Lakeside - Henrico - Dumbarton - Bellwood - Montrose - Sandston - Bensley - Chamberlayne - Northern Virginia - University Of Richmond - Washington DC ### Typical Job Cost $1 million - 5 million ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | GARC Design | | Address | Richmond, Virginia 23219, United States | | Phone | (757) 761-3680 | | Website | http://www.garcdesign.com/ | | License Number | AIA Virginia: 0401015548 | | Followers on Houzz | 64 | **Social profiles:** - Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/garcollab - Blog — https://garcdesign.com/ ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [GARC Design](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/garc-design-pfvwus-pf~1420019845) - **Website:** http://www.garcdesign.com/ - **Phone:** (757) 761-3680 ## Credentials **Certifications & Awards** - LEED AP, AIA - **Best of Houzz:** 5 awards (2018–2022), for Service. **Affiliations** - [AIA Virginia](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/aia-virginia-pfvwus-pf~1956081853) - [U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/u-s-green-building-council-usgbc-pfvwus-pf~1797160658) ## Reviews **Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 28 reviews** *Aspect averages:* - Work Quality: 50.0 - Communication: 50.0 - Value: 50.0 ### Reviews **★★★★★ — dhproctor, April 2021** > Two years ago our family started a relationship with GARC. I discovered Suping and Yang and their company GARC on Houzz. After reading their profile and seeing images of their work, I immediately felt a wave of enthusiasm that I found the right team to help us bring our own architectural dream of a modern home addition that seamlessly flowed with our current home. I reached out to them and so began a journey that manifested into our dream home project. We started with a vision workshop and I was so impressed that GARC was able to develop a vision that suited our property in just a few hours! I then hired GARC to complete a schematic design and construction plans for our project. During the design phase, GARC was very responsive to details of our vision and worked diligently to combine our thoughts with their architectural expertise. We met regularly throughout this process. They skillfully developed 3D renderings to assist our understanding and visualization of the plans. The positive experience I had during the schematic design phase encouraged me to further use their services to develop detailed construction plans. Their attention to detail was impeccable and applauded by every contractor we interviewed for the project. GARC also guided us on city requirements and helped us think about materials, vendors, contractors. > > In the midst of the pandemic, our construction started and we currently are writing this review from one of the very rooms they designed. We are SO PLEASED and THANKFUL that we pursued our project in partnership with GARC! > > We are EXTREMELY fortunate to have the talent of GARC in our community. Suping and Yang are a JOY to work with. I have rarely encountered people with such professionalism, kindness, and a sincere desire to help their clients achieve their dreams. If you are blessed enough to learn of their company, there is no need to search anymore! You will have found the team to take your vision into reality. GARC, I give you 20 out of 10 stars! Thank you for being a part of our community. We will always remember and be grateful for what you have contributed to our family. > > Most Sincerely, > The Proctors **★★★★★ — HU-680390938, April 2021** > My husband and I bought a house at the Virginia Beach oceanfront and although the house was not our dream home, the location was ideal. It was a cold split level with dark walls and low ceilings that felt odd. My first email to GARC stated we had bought a house but didn’t know what to do with it....HELP! Our journey started with a vision workshop. Wow! We could never have dreamed of the options and ideas that Suping and Yang gave us. They listened to what we desired to have in a home and were able to incorporate what we wanted with the best aspects of the house. As we continued with the process, they drew up plans and worked with us every step of the way. Suping & Yang researched several contractors and helped us narrow it down to Nick @ Oceanside Structures. Suping & Yang have worked closely with Nick through the construction phase, working as a team to make sure everything is done first-class. I’ve hesitated to write a review for GARC because I cannot put into words how much I appreciate the hard work and expertise they have put into our house. It’s because of them that my husband and I will have our dream home in our ideal location! > > Kim & Tom Henderson **★★★★★ — michael moro, March 2021** > Our experience with GARC has been great all around. We are currently working with them to remodel a large part of our midcentury modern home. They came up with ideas that we could never have imagined. They provided us with many differnt options and helped us work through the selection process. They were also great at understanding our specific needs and provided ideas that were tailored to our situation. Choosing GARC was a great investment and we would absolutely recommend them to anyone considering a remodeling/renovation project. **Comment from GARC Design:** > Thank you Mike! it is our pleasure to work on this wonderful project. **★★★★★ — Erin Ward, March 2021** > I was absolutely blown away by our entire experience working with the team at GARC. We had reached out to several firms and the GARC team was the first to reach out while others waited almost a week and in one case a month. I knew immediately we would be working witb professionals and I was wrong. When it came to the design our our MCM 1950’s pool house that has never been updated they provided a design that went above and beyond what we expected. It is jaw dropping beautiful. I would and do highly suggest working with GARC. **Comment from GARC Design:** > Thank you Erin! It is such an interesting project to work on. **★★★★★ — Heather C, June 2020** > We were looking to renovate our 1950s kitchen. We also knew we wanted to add a garage and master suite at a later date. We turned to GARC for help. Suping and Yang came up with a design we never could have imagined! They maximized our view, simplified movement through the house and incorporated all the wants we had for the house. They also helped create a phased approach since we weren’t ready to do all the work at once, but ensured we wouldn’t have to make changes to work done on the first phase. We are starting construction on the first phase now and can’t wait to see the finished product! **★★★★★ — Tiffany Russell, May 2020** > After spending months on my own trying to ideate solutions for my home, I hired the GARC Design team for a feasibility study for a renovation and addition thanks to word of mouth recommendation from a friend. My experience was absolutely amazing. I got so much value from the investment - they found the "golden nugget" idea that I just could not come up with on my own after months of me trying to do this by myself. I loved the thoughtful options they designed (so many options, it was wonderful) and I was able to easily narrow down thanks to the way they presented the findings for me. If you have spent months like me drawing plans out on graph paper, just stop and hire this team. You will be so happy. Side note, I also appreciated the little details like coloring books and colored pencils for my son who attended a meeting with me. You will get great customer service from GARC during the entire experience! **Comment from GARC Design:** > Thank you Tiffany! It was our pleasure to work with you on this exciting project. **★★★★★ — Helen Penn, April 2020** > The Vision Workshop provided by GARC Design for remodeling our master bathroom, kitchen, and down stairs bathroom was an eye-opening experience. The numerous possibilities they provided via their layouts truly opened our mind to the varying degrees we could take our project. They were very prompt and responsive to our every need or question throughout the process. What truly made the experience memorable was their empathy and proactive response towards our unique desires for the project. Suping and Yang were well prepared with our house layout and measurements. They also set up an Idea Book on Houzz so we could provide them our own personal style. The end products of the Vision Workshop by GARC Design were well organized outlining meeting minutes with conceptual design and design direction. If you are a homeowner who wishes to really have the best ideas for your home renovations, we personally recommend the Vision Workshop by GARC Design. **★★★★★ — Lolita & D. Tripp, March 2020** > My wife and I conducted a vision workshop and were provided with a few different options that we were very thrilled about. Garc Design came up with a design that totally would benefit the needs of providing additional space and a more open concept. The team was very professional and punctual and perceptive to our ideas. **Comment from GARC Design:** > Thank you Lolita & Don! It was our pleasure to work with you on the Vision Workshop! **★★★★★ — James Busch, June 2019** > We recently had our visioning workshop with GARC to completely reconfigure our oversized master bedroom and undersized master bath and closet. After measuring everything, and sitting down with us to address our wants/needs, they created something neither of us could have imagined. They increased the footprint of the master bath, opening it up, making it more functional and efficient, with good flow between the bedroom and attached closet which nearly tripled in size. Their design will turn our sad situation of a bathroom into a space we'll both enjoy for years to come. We look forward to working with them throughout this project. **★★★★★ — Russell Herrell, Feb. 2019** > We hired GARC Design to conduct a visioning workshop to help us generate ideas and a path forward towards renovating our home to better align woth our growing family and better utilize a very constrained footprint. > The six hour workshop was time well spent and the collaborative feedback from an informed design and architectural perspective helped us rapidly refine our desires while also identifying options we hadn’t previously considered. Their drawings, measurements and visualizations helped ensure nothing was lost during the process or from our memories thereafter. They were professional and very responsive before, during and after the initial engagement. We highly recommend their services. **★★★★★ — Marcy and Jay Peterson, Feb. 2019** > We highly recommend the GARC Vision Workshop. Suping and Yang were able to create greatly needed order out of the chaos of the 1956 colonial home we had purchased. > The site is large with mature trees and water on three sides. Their design concepts allow us to enjoy the site from every room of the house - beautifully connecting our indoors and outdoors. Their integration of spaces and expansions of views have given us an exciting new perspective on the house. > Thanks to Suping and Yang, we look forward to additional expansions into the site. > And, perhaps most importantly, they smoothly navigated the conflicts in our visions for the house and site . . . their architectural gifts are excellent - as are their gifts at counseling newlyweds buying/redesigning their first home! **★★★★★ — Kristina Griffith, Jan. 2019** > My husband and I are currently working with GARC to remodel the patio area and ground floor of our 1980's brick Colonial style home. It is an absolute pleasure to work with Suping and Yang. When we began designing our project, our goal was to make some major changes to our patio area and the doors and windows that surround it. We had some ideas for our mud room and powder room as well and through working sessions at the house, GARC came up with extremely thoughtful and creative recommendations to ensure that the entire space reflects our style and the spirit of the changes we are making to the exterior. GARC is involved in every aspect of the process, from suggesting and interviewing sub-contractors, manufacturers and installers, to working through interior design and lighting, ensuring that the end product is thoroughly considered and designed. My professional background is in hotel restoration and renovation and I have worked with my fair share of architects and GARC is tops when it comes to professionalism, communication, creativity, integrity and more. I highly recommend their services to anyone interested in working on their home or restaurant in a manner that will realize their vision. ## Selected projects - [Mid-Century Modern Beach House Renovation](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/mid-century-modern-beach-house-renovation-pj-vj~6754538) - Location: Virginia Beach, VA - Photos: 22 - Description: Built in 1951, this Mid-Century Modern house is located on a corner lot near the oceanfront in Virginia Beach. When purchasing the house, the clients loved the location but did not feel it could function as a retirement home. As a nonconforming lot, there was no possibility of an addition. This meant all the clients’ needs had to be achieved within the current footprint, including creating an "aging-in-place” first-floor primary suite and reestablishing a vital connection from the living room to… - [Pavillion House](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/pavillion-house-pj-vj~6827145) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 11 - [Historic Apartment Renovation](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/historic-apartment-renovation-pj-vj~6776320) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 15 - [New Construction Waterfront House](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/new-construction-waterfront-house-pj-vj~6829843) - Location: Norfolk, VA - Photos: 13 - [Modern Wing](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/modern-wing-pj-vj~6170739) - Location: Richmond, VA - Photos: 8 - [Contempo Living - Full Renovation to a 1970s House](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/contempo-living-full-renovation-to-a-1970s-house-pj-vj~5564608) - Location: Norfolk, VA - Photos: 34 - Description: This project is a renovation of a custom home built in the 1970s. The goal is to create an open floor plan with optimized flow for entertaining as well as daily use. Also included in the design is to transform and update the exterior of the home to reflect more contemporary aesthetic. Another key component of the project was to create outdoor living spaces for our clients to enjoy the beautiful backyard water views. While respecting the integrity and structure of the existing building, the desig… - [Morgan House Remodel](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/morgan-house-remodel-pj-vj~2953016) - Location: Virginia Beach, VA - Photos: 36 - Description: The Morgan house is a renovation of a ranch house with aging-in-place concept. The design focused on a senior couple who have been living in the house for over 20 years. GARC believes that designing a renovation project for aging-in-place should not just be a passive response to resolve the functional requirements, but the project should be an active preparation for aging gracefully with a beautiful living environment. With piecemeal renovations through the years, the house layout became very fr… - [Carpenter Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/carpenter-residence-pj-vj~5799076) - Location: Havelock, North Carolina - Photos: 6 - [Mountain Vacation Home](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/mountain-vacation-home-pj-vj~6516166) - Location: Williamsburg, VA - Photos: 10 - [Bain House](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/bain-house-pj-vj~2591045) - Location: Chesapeake, VA - Photos: 10 [See all 10 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/garc-design-pfvwus-pf~1420019845) --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-08-27.*