ABOUT MADGE

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Madge earned her B.A from Yale University in 1975 and her Masters of Architecture from  Columbia University in 1980. She began her career working as a researcher for Willlam H. Whyte and the lessons learned there about  designing places for people define her approach as an architect. 

She worked  on large cultural building projects for 25 years, leading teams of  architects, engineers and artists. In 2005  as museums were evolving  to be more responsive and accessible to their communities, she created MBA in order to be more responsive and accessible to them. Museums are not buildings. They are complex organisms. Madge delights in  working with them to devise strategic and  integrated  design solutions. 

She is registered as a LEED AP.

Madge Bemiss Architect
Richmond, Virginia  1994-1996, 2006-Present

Glave & Holmes Associates
Leader of the Cultural Studio 1996-2005

Bemiss & Read Architects
Philadelphia, PA 1989-1994

Mitchell/Giurgola Architects
Philadelphia, PA Project Architect 1986-1989

Richard Meier and Associates
New York, NY Architect 1981-1982

Project for Public Spaces
New York, New York Researcher (part-time) 1974-1977

American Civil War Museum
Project Management
Richmond, Virginia 2014-

Museum of the Mississippi Delta
Strategic Planning and Architectural Design
Greenwood, Mississippi 2014-

 Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia
Museum Planning
Richmond, Virginia 2013

 Museum of the Confederacy
Museum Planning and Project Management
Richmond, Virginia 2012

 Art Garden, Mississippi Museum of Art
Jackson, Mississippi 2011

Mississippi Museum of Art
Jackson, Mississippi 2009

James Madison's Montpelier
Master Planning
Orange, Virginia 2008

Visitors and Undergraduate Admissions Center Virginia Tech
Programming
Blacksburg, Virginia 2007

Montpelier Visitors Center
Orange, Virginia 2006

Valentine Museum/Richmond History Center
Master Planning
Richmond, Virginia 2005

Virginia Historical Society, Richmond, Virginia
South Wing Addition 2005
North Wing Addition 1997

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond, Virginia
Garden Conservatory 2003
Education and Administration Building 2002
Visitors Center 1998

Johnston Memorial Library Renovation, Virginia State University
Petersburg, Virginia 2004

St. Andrew’s School Renovations
Richmond, Virginia 2000

Center for the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
Concept Design
Richmond, Virginia 1999

Martin Lab Renovations, Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 1990

Computer Labs, University of Pennsylvania Library
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1990-1992

New Parliament House, Executive Area
Canberra, Australia 1982–1986

Museum fur Kunsthandwerk
Frankfurt, Germany 1980-1981

PARKS AND URBAN PLANNING

The Art Garden, Mississippi  Museum of Art
Jackson, Mississippi 2012

Jackson Ward Streetscape Development Plan
Richmond, Virginia  2000

Carytown Shopping District Streetscape Plan
Richmond, Virginia 1999

Monroe Park Master Plan
Richmond, Virginia  1998

COMMERCIAL AND GOVERNMENT

The Nature Conservancy
Charlottesville, Virginia 2015

AIMR Office Building at Fontaine Research Park
Charlottesville, Virginia 1999

Suffolk County Courthouse
Long Island, New York 1988

New Parliament House, Executive Area
Canberra, Australia 1982–1986

Residential

"Querci"
Montpelier, Virginia 2012

Ligon House Addition
Richmond, Virginia 1996

Little Oakland
Montpelier, Virginia 1996

Gambill Addition
Richmond, Virginia 1995

1208 Rothesay Road
Richmond, Virginia 1995