"At DBVW Architects, we believe buildings should reflect the people and communities they’re designed for. DBVW is proud of its history helping to create diverse new places, sometimes in old spaces, sometimes in new, for people to create their own unique experiences."

Beginning in 1994 with a large-scale affordable housing project, DBVW Architects’ commitment to community-based design has remained at the core of our firm’s practice.

We believe the built environment can play a crucial role in enahancing and shaping vibrant and inclusive communities. Through sustainable design and sensitive responses to local context, we strive to create spaces that not only provide aesthetic appeal but also contribute to the well-being of the people in the community.

DBVW is dedicated to engaging with communities, understanding our client’s needs, and designing buildings that are respectful of the communities in which they exist. Through thoughtful and collaborative design, we aim to foster a sense of inclusion and elevate quality of life for everyone.

Committed to community through creating homes

DBVW Architects was founded in 1994 with the award of a large, multi-family housing project for a non-profit organization in Woonsocket, RI. While the range of our work has grown significantly since then, affordable housing remains at the core of our practice. From new construction to complex renovations of existing buildings, we have designed nearly two thousand units of affordable housing throughout New England.

Featured Projects

DBVW worked closely with FarmFresh RI to design their new headquarters in Providence, RI. A mission driven non-profit organization, FarmFresh RI endeavors to grow a local food system that values the environment, health, and quality of life of the farmers and eaters in our region. To support this mission, their new 60,000sf facility will house all of FarmFresh RI’s operations including offices, shipping, and a year ‘round farmer’s market. In addition, nearly half of the building includes tenant space to be rented to food-related and like-minded businesses. The design, which seamlessly blends indoor and outdoor activities, also includes half an acre of public open space which features sustainable and native plantings.

FarmFresh RI

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AS220 is a non-profit community arts organization located in Providence, Rhode Island. A client for over a decade, DBVW Architects has helped AS220 renovate and reinvent several historic buildings to create three dozen artist live/work studios, numerous individual work studios, six rotating exhibition spaces, a main stage, a black box theater, a dance studio, a print shop, a community darkroom, a digital media lab, a fabrication lab, an organization-run bar and restaurant, a youth recording studio, a youth program and several commercial spaces that AS220 rents to local businesses.

AS220

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This historic adaptive reuse of the former St. Michael’s Rectory provides a new headquarters for ISPN. The project, which serves as a community center for street workers addressing the problems of gang violence, has youth-oriented drop in centers, office space, and a victim support center. This major rehabilitation of the 14,000 sf building interior includes new mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, a new elevator, and exterior restoration and site improvements.

The Nonviolence Institute

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Sophia Academy is the only middle school in Providence focused specifically on girls from low income homes. Located in the Elmwood Neighborhood of Providence, Rhode Island, this 14,000 square foot building occupies a 28,000 sf site. It is situated on a commercial street and borders a historic medium-density neighborhood. Originally built as the Industrial Trust Bank in 1948, this two-story (plus basement) masonry building was changed to an education use in 1990 and has since been used as a high school and by a construction company as a field office. As part of their work, DBVW participated in Programming, a process that involved numerous meetings with students and faculty. The firm’s full scope of work includes Schematic Design through Construction Administration for this adaptive reuse project. DBVW also provided renderings to help support the Academy’s fundraising efforts.

Sophia Academy

DBVW has enjoyed collaborating with LCHC, the incredible community health organization since 2009. LCHC’s mission is “to provide caring, quality and culturally competent health services to the people of Greater Lowell, regardless of their financial status; to reduce health disparities and enhance the health of the Greater Lowell community; and to empower each individual to maximize their overall well-being.

Lowell Community Health Center

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DBVW Community Involvement

Our employees’ commitment to community often starts in their own neighborhoods. Many DBVW team members volunteer time outside the office, giving back and helping others in their own communities. From sharing expertise to volunteering at an event, here are some of the ways DBVW employees get involved:

Helping Hands New England +

ACE Mentor Program of RI +

We Share Hope +

Rhode Island Minorities in Architecture & Design +

Jewelry District Fall Festival +

Roger Williams University Architecture +

Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England +

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walks +

Canstruction +

Rhode Island Minorities in Architecture & Design (RIMiAD)

In November of 2022, Tami Hughes and Moises Valcarcel Gonzalez founded Rhode Island Minorities in Architecture & Design (RIMiAD). The goal was to provide an opportunity for connection among minority-identifying professionals in the architecture and design fields. By bringing together a group of diverse professionals who support each other and share resources, RIMiAD has become a valuable resource for designers in Rhode Island. With the help of DBVW's own Pedro Ortiz and countless other volunteers, RIMiAD is building a stronger design community while providing barrier free resources for all who participate. In addition to the meet-ups held every other month, RIMiAD launched its first mentorship program and professional development workshop in 2024.

DBVW is proud of our employees who have dedicated their time and efforts to creating a space for community connections in the architecture and design field where there wasn’t one before. Their initiative has laid the groundwork for collaboration and engagement, fostering a vibrant community that encourages openness and mutual support.

Office List of Volunteerism/Community Service

2023 Historic Cemeteries Week Cleanup
ACE Mentor Program Rhode Island
AIA Communities by Design Committee
AIDS Project Ocean State
American Institute of Architects – RI Chapter
Association for Preservation Technology – National
Association for Preservation Technology – Northeast Chapter
Audubon Society of Rhode Island
Canstruction
City Arts Providence
City of Cranston Historic District Commission
City of East Providence Conservation Commission
City of Fall River Community Preservation Committee
City of Pawtucket Historic Commission
City of Providence Downtown Design Review Committee
City of Woonsocket – Building Board of Review
Community Libraries of Providence
Community Partnership Center at Roger Williams University
DESIGNxRI
Diocese of Providence Capital Evaluation Committee
Earth Day
Equity Leadership Initiative by the Rhode Island Foundation
Fall River Flags For Freedom
Green Energy Consumers Alliance
Grow Smart RI
Historic Preservation Education Foundation
IDP Advisor
Moses Brown Buildings and Grounds Committee
National Trust for Historic Preservation
OneCranston Health Equity Zone & Cranston Public Library
Penn Club of Rhode Island
Pomham Rocks Lighthouse
Preservation Society of Fall River
Providence Preservation Society
Public Archaeology Lab
Quonset Business Park Design Review Committee
RI Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission Review Board
RI Pride
Rhode Island Minorities in Architecture & Design
Rhode Island School of Design – Guest Lecturer
Rhode Island State Preservation Grants Review Panel
ServRI
Smithfield Youth Basketball Association
Sophia Academy Building Committee
The Womxn Project
Town of Bristol Building Code Board of Appeals
Town of Bristol Historic District Commission
Town of Bristol Comprehensive Plan Review Committee
Town of Bristol Zoning Revision Review Committee
Town of Bristol Downtown Public Building Study Committee
Town of North Kingstown Historic District Commission
Trinity Repertory Company
What Cheer Flower Farm
William Hall Library – Cranston, RI
Women in STEAM with Girl Scouts of America