A smiling young man in a white dress shirt, standing outdoors with a modern building in the background.

Adam Roark AIA is a licensed architect located in Columbia, South Carolina.

Architect at Damien Blumetti Architect
Owner of Roark Architecture & voice of The Roarkitect

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ADAM ROARK, AIA, NCARB

BACKGROUND

The son of small business owners in Florence, SC, Adam was raised to understand the value of a strong work ethic and realities of how the real world operates. Now living in Columbia, SC with his wife [Lauren] and two children [Charlie and Ellie], Adam enjoys putting to work the entrepreneurial spirit and values that he grew up entrenched in.

Adam attended Clemson University for his undergraduate degree in architecture with a minor in fiction writing—a hobby that guides the narrative process that he approaches architecture and design in general. For his master’s degree in architecture, he specialized in “Digital Ecologies” as a way to bridge the digital world with the physical one. This expertise aims to create a set of principles for how modern and ever-evolving technology can be used in tandem with traditional and timeless design principles to achieve practical and simple solutions for the most complex design problems.

While at Clemson University, Adam spent a summer interning in New York City at Richard Meier & Partners [now MeierArchitects]. This experience of working in the most architecturally significant city for one of the most influential architects set an extremely glamorous and high bar for what a life in architecture could be. After graduating, he gained experience working in offices in urban Atlanta GA, rural Auburn AL, historic Charleston SC, and [presently] modern Sarasota FL. Working in various cities on a plethora of project types allowed for an expanded perspective on what architecture is, who it serves, and how it realistically does so.

PHILOSOPHY

Adam believes the primary value an architect can bring to a project is to be willing to listen and learn from all parties involved and to keep a client’s specific goals, needs, and wants at the forefront of the entire process while being guided by professionalism and integrity.

Integrity—a word that should carry through every aspect of the design phase ranging from the initial sharing of a vision over text to the day a foot enters a finished structure. And everything in-between. Due to rising costs, an abundance of regulatory hoops, and scarcity of [quality] materials and labor, today’s design and construction climate can be quite a complicated and frustrating process to navigate.

Adam’s background in Digital Ecologies and personal interests in technology have played an important role in developing his philosophy on design—especially in the era of artificial intelligence. Losing the human touch in a world increasingly run by algorithms and datacenters is a deep concern that is still being played out and one that he is carefully observing, pondering, and refining thoughts on. AI is a powerful tool that can’t be totally ignored; but it’s still a choice. Adam’s choice is to use AI with prudence (and as little as possible) to solve real problems while fully embracing the traditional craft, judgment, and responsibility of being an architect.

FEATURED PROJECTS

VIEW PORTFOLIO

Construction site with incomplete wooden framing for a building. Tools and construction plans are on the ground, and a blue air compressor is visible. Trees and a cloudy sky are in the background.

ROARK RESIDENCE

A square-footage-conscious home for Adam’s parents. After moving to the countryside to be closer to grandchildren, a home was needed that can handle various ages and stages of life concurrently.

A parking lot in front of a brick commercial building with signs for 'Tenant 1,' 'Tenant 2,' and 'Tenant 3.' Several cars are parked, and a few people are walking near the entrance. There are trees and a partly cloudy sky above.

SHOPPING CENTER

A 3-tenant shopping center in Florence, SC designed for Holcombe Land Development. This project occupies a long-vacant lot and serves as a flexible, schematic option for potential tenants.

Modern living room with beige sofas, purple and patterned pillows, a glass-topped coffee table, and a dining area with wooden accents and artwork on the wall.

FAMILY HOUSE

A small-footprint house located in rural South Carolina as a part of a family compound. The home was designed for a young couple with children [and plans for more] who needed flexibility for future expansion.

Modern building surrounded by lush greenery, including tall palm trees, with a white car parked in front, under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.

ESTERO HOUSE

Designed with Damien Blumetti Architect, Estero House is an efficient modern home for a young couple who have a firm understanding of what they need for essential daily living.

SERVICES

DAMIEN BLUMETTI ARCHITECT

Adam is an architect at Damien Blumetti Architect—a multi-award winning design-build architecture firm located in Sarasota, Florida. Adam has been with Damien in some capacity since he started the firm in 2017. What began as a few rendering jobs evolved into a career working on incredibly complex, custom homes throughout the Southeast. Although many of our projects are located in the Florida-Gulf Coast region, we are taking commissions throughout the United States and have experience working with distance between the office and the site.

ROARK ARCHITECTURE

Adam is also the owner of Roark Architecture—a one-man studio that tackles projects that generally require a licensed architect. These are often smaller projects with unique needs in his own backyard of Columbia, Florence, and other surrounding areas. Services include residential and commercial design, drone photography, site planning, zoning research and permitting assistance.

OUR APPROACH

In either case, the approach remains the same. With integrity at the forefront, the focus is on simple, modern architecture that is guided by timeless principles regarding efficient spatial planning and site-specific design. With aesthetics always in mind, honest materials constructed with a high-level of craftsmanship that both elevate a design and ensure it can stand the test of time are highly prioritized. All with the ultimate goal of meeting specific needs [programmatic, timeline, cost, or otherwise] of clients and keeping them as involved as they desire to be.

Work samples completed with Damien Blumetti, Roark Architecture, and other firms are located to the left. If you’d like to work together on a project and aren’t sure which umbrella is best suited, feel free to reach out for further discussion on how to best serve you.

Modern house with a large glass window, a staircase on the right leading to a balcony, and a person on the balcony adjusting their hair. The interior shows a living space with a gray sofa, a decorative tree lamp, and a table. Outside, the sky is partly cloudy with trees and autumn leaves visible.

People walking and sitting in front of a modern brick building with large windows and balconies, with a blue sky and scattered clouds in the background.

Modern living room with beige sofas, colorful pillows, glass coffee table, and a wooden wall with a painting, illuminated by ceiling lights.

A brick commercial building with three sections labeled Tenant 1, Tenant 2, and Tenant 3, situated behind a parking lot with several parked cars and trees, under a partly cloudy sky.

Modern building surrounded by lush greenery, including palm trees and plants, with a white car parked in the foreground under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

Modern multi-story building with large overhangs, glass balcony, and reddish-brown walls, surrounded by lush palm trees, under a partly cloudy sky.

Interested in working together?

Let’s chat over email, phone, or coffee at Loveland
If we are a good fit, let’s build with integrity

Modern house with wooden facade, large glass windows, and a backyard with green grass and outdoor furniture, under a blue sky.

Call / Text

Aerial view of a house under construction with visible wooden framing and construction materials on the ground.

Modern house with large glass windows, vertical slat design, overlooking water with palm trees and lush greenery in foreground.

Modern interior living space with a white sectional sofa, wooden ceiling, and large floor-to-ceiling windows showing greenery outside.

Modern house with large windows and outdoor seating area next to a swimming pool under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.

Modern building with a perforated white facade surrounded by tall palm trees and lush green vegetation under a partly cloudy sky.

Modern white house with geometric roofing, surrounded by green trees, a driveway with a black BMW parked, and a small front garden.

Modern white residential buildings with large windows, surrounded by tropical plants and trees, under a blue sky with few clouds.

Modern minimalist architectural structure with flat white walls, rectangular openings, a smooth concrete ground, and lush green trees in the background, under a clear sky.

Exterior view of Beulah Senior Center with parking lot, landscaped with purple and pink flowers, under a blue sky with white clouds.

Modern building with wooden lattice design, a pool with water lilies, and landscaped garden with palm trees under a blue sky.

Adam Roark AIA is an architect located in Columbia, South Carolina

Architect at Damien Blumetti Architect Owner of Roark Architecture

A young man with curly dark hair and a white dress shirt smiling outdoors with a modern building in the background.

ABOUT

The son of small business owners in Florence, SC, Adam was raised to understand the value of a strong work ethic and realities of how the real world operates. Now living in Columbia, SC with his wife [Lauren] and two children [Charlie and Ellie], Adam enjoys putting to work the entrepreneurial spirit and values that he grew up entrenched in.
Adam attended Clemson University for his undergraduate degree in architecture with a minor in fiction writing—a hobby that guides the narrative process that he approaches architecture and design in general. For his master’s degree in architecture, he specialized in “Digital Ecologies” as a way to bridge the digital world with the physical one. This expertise aims to create a set of principles for how modern and ever-evolving technology can be used in tandem with traditional and timeless design principles to achieve practical and simple solutions for the most complex design problems.
While at Clemson University, Adam spent a summer interning in New York City at Richard Meier & Partners [now MeierArchitects]. This experience of working in the most architecturally significant city for one of the most influential architects set an extremely glamorous and high bar for what a life in architecture could be. After graduating, he gained experience working in offices in urban Atlanta GA, rural Auburn AL, historic Charleston SC, and [presently] modern Sarasota FL. Working in various cities on a plethora of project types allowed for an expanded perspective on what architecture is, who it serves, and how it realistically does so.
Adam believes the primary value an architect can bring to a project is to be willing to listen and learn from all parties involved and to keep a client’s specific goals, needs, and wants at the forefront of the entire process while being guided by professionalism and integrity.
Integrity—a word that should carry through every aspect of the design phase ranging from the initial sharing of a vision over text to the day a foot enters a finished structure. And everything in-between. Due to rising costs, an abundance of regulatory hoops, and scarcity of [quality] materials and labor, today’s design and construction climate can be quite a complicated and frustrating process to navigate.
Adam’s background in Digital Ecologies and personal interests in technology have played an important role in developing his philosophy on design—especially in the era of artificial intelligence. Losing the human touch in a world increasingly run by algorithms and datacenters is a deep concern that is still being played out and one that he is carefully observing, pondering, and refining thoughts on. AI is a powerful tool that can’t be totally ignored; but it’s still a choice. Adam’s choice is to use AI with prudence (and as little as possible) to solve real problems while fully embracing the traditional craft, judgment, and responsibility of being an architect.
2007-2012 | Clemson University - Bachelors of Architecture + Fiction Writing Minor
2013-2015 | Clemson University - Masters of Architecture + Digital Ecologies
2013 | Richard Meier & Partners, New York, NY
2014-2015 | tvsdesign, Atlanta, GA
2015-2018 | Stacy Norman Architects, Auburn, AL
2018-2020 | LS3P Associates, Charleston, SC
2018-Present | Damien Blumetti Architect, Sarasota, FL
2014 | AIA Henry Adams Certificate
2023-2026 | AIA Florida Design Awards [with Damien Blumetti Architect]