Photo Essay

From Jefferson’s Rotunda at UVA to the fortress-like data centers rising across Northern Virginia, our architecture reflects our values. This photo essay explores how the design of today’s hyperscale computing facilities—vast, windowless, and inaccessible—reveals a shift in civic priorities. What do these buildings say about power, permanence, and the future we’re building?

Manassas resident Charlie Pickett, born and raised on Dean Drive, shares his story as data centers and energy infrastructure reshape his lifelong neighborhood. A powerful reflection on history, loss, and what it means to belong in a changing landscape.