Our firm has been born out of a growing conviction that we as Civil Engineers must first listen to the people and communities we serve and willingly enter their narratives before we can adequately solve any particular design challenges. A City, Town, University or Community is a place that sits at the center of a thousand stories — all of which deserve to be told well.

 

To that end, Line and Grade, a Civil Engineering, Planning, and Design Studio based in Charlottesville, Virginia, strongly believes that these unconventional times call for innovative collaborators asking new sorts of questions. We propose an approach that centers around authentic participation: to be an integral part of the broader community.

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A prerequisite for our approach to professional practice is a devotion to what we call service design. This involves the persistent application of journalistic curiosity, demographic and data-driven insights, and interpersonal relationships throughout the entirety of our work together.

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Line and Grade was established in 2014 by Daniel C. Hyer, PE. Daniel is committed to a civil engineering practice rooted in a particular place. He believes that practicing within a place is an important attribute to a responsible practice. With so much cultural inertia toward more, Daniel is committed to knowing limits and practicing locally - within the communities we serve. 

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In years since our founding, we have patiently and intentionally hired like-minded team members who are committed to our communities, our clients, and the common ground we all share.