After seeing one of his drawings, Mike Stoneking’s seventh grade art teacher predicted that someday, the boy would become an architect. The rest is history.
Stoneking has been a practicing architect in Charlottesville since 1992. He has a lot of ideas to improve the quality of central Virginia’s “built environment” — the buildings, sidewalks, roadways and other components that make up our infrastructure. He thinks neighborhoods should be designed as a system of connected, interrelated parts, rather than individual, isolated units.
“Somebody could design the cutest little thinga-ma-bob on that empty lot, and get an award for it,” said Stoneking. “But if it doesn’t understand its relationship to the street and the other buildings there, then it’s not a success.”
When he designs new developments, Stoneking considers walkability, aesthetics and function in tandem. Affordability is also a marker of success.
“If it comes at the cost of driving people out that can no longer afford to live here because we’ve made it too pricey, that would be a fail,” he said. “It takes a city with enough vision to strike that balance.”
Videography and editing by Zach Keifer. Produced by Atlee Webber.
The first step to creating our shared future is imagining it.
For Charlottesville Tomorrow’s 20th anniversary, we are inviting central Virginians to share their visions for the next 20 years.
