Who We Are

VIA design is a multi-disciplinary design firm located in Norfolk, Virginia. VIA was founded by President and Lead Design Principal Donna Phaneuf, FAIA, in 1991. Since starting out as as a single-owner firm, VIA has recently welcomed three new Principals to the leadership team and expanded services. In 2017, Scott Campbell, AIA, LEED AP®​ BD+C and Andrew McKinley, AIA, LEED AP®​ were promoted to Principal Architects and in 2019 Keith Oliver, PLA, ASLA, LEED AP®​ joined as Principal Landscape Architect. VIA has grown to be able to include additional services such as, site planning and design, streetscape, graphic design, branding, and recreation and transportation planning. In December of 2018, VIA moved into The Essex Bvilding on 319 E Plume Street, our new home, which we  revitalized and historically preserved. 

"WE SEE SPACE WHEN IT'S INVISIBLE."

VIA design exists to assist our clients in transforming a dream from a vision to reality.  We help clients create spaces that thrive in their environments from lifestyle to livelihood, from public areas to safe havens.

As visionaries + builders of the future, we see ways other people can’t; we see space when it’s invisible, we think 3-dimensionally when challenges present themselves 2-dimensionally; we investigate just the right questions to find out what we need to know to help our clients get the building or space they need; we help our clients reveal their own goals.

​Nothing happens from a design perspective until there’s a thorough understanding of our clients’ needs, business goals, and personal goals.  We get to the heart of the project to set the foundation for decisions to be made during the design process – what we are really doing is investigating, guiding, analyzing, suggesting, giving options, anticipating – we are helping clients grow their business by influencing the way people work together and helping to encourage positive work environments with more efficiency which translates into enhanced profitability.  We identify real goals and provide real solutions.

Behind the scenes.

When you work with VIA, you will immediately become aware of the unique vibe, talents, and energies within our walls. We are a hub of happenings where questions are being asked and cool creative solutions are born. People in our office are thinking and rewarded for doing so! The hugely important people inside are the life and soul of our spirit and all that we are known for: a collection of talents whom consistently mushroom exciting ideas and deliver unique designs beyond what one may have imagined possible.

OUR HUGELY IMPORTANT PEOPLE!