pride
of place The Architecture Issue: historic homes & modern outlooks
CONTENTS AUGUST 2016 // ISSUE NO.334
Home 76
Art Deco Revival One of Buckhead’s most storied residences is given a new lease on life thanks to a preservation-minded team.
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Visual Mantra Strong, rhythmic gestures create an atmospheric “om” in Bobby McAlpine and Susan Ferrier’s ADAC office.
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Country Idyll Frederick Spitzmiller reconstructs a 1852 Greek Revival home for 21st-century living.
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Classic Contemporary A 1920s Virginia-Highland dwelling is the pinnacle of urban living at the hands of Pritchett Dixon.
Style
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14
Beat the Heat
Stay chic in the summer
heat with these stylish outdoor collections.
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Architecture Articulated
Atlanta’s
rapid development raises questions about the city’s architectural legacy—and its future.
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Life 25 28 29 30 96 8
88 6
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Real Estate Property Report Calendar Cultural happenings around Atlanta Naomi On architectural taste. Dish Dispatches from the local culinary scene Etc. Marcia’s favorite place: her closet Editor’s Letter Resources + Ad Index
Cover photographed by Erica George Dines
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Cade sofa, $2299; Aero ottomans $499-$899; Avilia rug, $899. Westside Provisions 1170 Howell Mill Road NW, Atlanta roomandboard.com
AMERICAN MADE SINCE 1980
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What are your favorite landmarks in Atlanta, or throughout the state?
ARCHITECTURE ARTICULATED WRITTEN BY
Suzanna Cullen Hamilton
Atlanta’s rapid development raises serious questions about our city’s architectural landmarks and historic preservation. What will define our legacy—and determine our future? Norman D. Askins, D. Stanley Dixon, Robert Norris, Frederick Spitzmiller and Keith Summerour weigh in.
Robert Norris
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Frederick Spitzmiller
D. Stanley Dixon
Norman D. Askins
Keith Summerour
D. STANLEY DIXON: Philip Trammell Shutze changed the trajectory of Atlanta’s architectural excellence. The Swan House exemplifies a highly articulated and sophisticated interior. The High Museum by Richard Meier set the bar for Atlanta’s contemporary architecture. ROBERT NORRIS: Oakland Cemetery and the Fox Theatre are Atlanta landmarks. Barrington Hall in Roswell and Pebble Hill Plantation in Thomasville are renowned throughout Georgia. FREDERICK SPITZMILLER: In designing the Academy of Medicine and The Temple, Shutze exemplified classical forms that combined perfect scale with incredible imagination and inspiration. In Savannah, 19th-century homes designed by William Jay and the Cotton Exchange are fabulous. KEITH SUMMEROUR: Georgia Cracker farmhouses embody the 19th-century Southern vernacular while Entelechy II on Sea Island speaks to John Portman’s creativity in the 20th century. The future of the world was contemplated in The Little White House.
Which landmark projects, residential or commercial, have proved watershed moments for our communities? FS: Saving
the Fox Theatre was a turning point for Atlanta preservationists. The adaptive reuse of the Sears, Roebuck & Co. building as the vibrant Ponce City Market is an inspiration for similar acts of intelligent commercial development. RN: Inman Park was Atlanta’s first planned suburb in the late 19th century, and The Wren’s Nest was home to Joel Chandler Harris—both important Atlanta landmarks. NORMAN ASKINS: The Herndon mansion represents a pivotal moment for Atlanta architecture and history. Alonzo Herndon was
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STYLE
ARCHITECTURE
left The historic Swan House at the Atlanta History Center. below The Randolph-Lucas House, prior to its relocation from Buckhead to Ansley Park. opposite The Richards Mausoleum in Grant Park’s Oakland Cemetery.
THE SWAN HOUSE COURTESY OF ATLANTA HISTORY CENTER
born a slave but became one of America’s wealthiest African-Americans in the 20th century and built this superb example of Colonial Revival architecture. KS: The construction of Lake Lanier was pivotal in providing water to the growing Atlanta region. DSD: Savannah was established in 1733, and the series of plush green parks surrounded by residences represent one of the country’s best-planned cities.
What is the state of historic preservation in Georgia? Which organizations are critical to raising awareness of our architectural landmarks? NA: We
must focus on both the preservation of our historic neighborhoods and our homes. A building’s character is as dependent upon the fabric of its neighborhood as it is upon its architectural detailing. DSD: Unfortunately, we have little in place 17
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ART DECO
REVIVAL 76
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With its stepped profile and ornamental reliefs, the EvansCucich house, built in 1934, is believed to be Atlanta’s only Art Deco residence. “Like many admirers, we knew the home was one-of-a-kind,” says Parker Blanchard, who purchased the thendilapidated structure with his wife, McKenzie, in 2013, and enlisted architect J. Ryan Duffey for its restoration.
One of Buckhead’s most storied residences is given a new lease on life thanks to a team of forward-thinking, preservation-minded Atlantans. WRITTE WRI TTEN N BY BY Je Jenn nnif ifer er
Bol oles es
PHOTOG PHO TOGRAP RAP A HED BY Er Eric ica a
Geor Ge orge ge Din ines es
STYLIN STY LING G BY BY El Elea eano norr
Rope Ro perr
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FEW HOUSES IN BUCKHEAD have been the source of such endless fascination as the EvansCucich house, built in 1934 and named for its previous owners. Considered to be Atlanta’s only Art Deco residence, it has captivated neighbors and passersby for decades, while rumors of its mysterious underground tunnel, thought to lead to the opposite side of the street, have been the fodder of neighborhood lore for generations. But by the time Parker Blanchard and his wife, McKenzie, bought the house in 2013, the structure was in disrepair. Undeterred by the home’s ailments and dazzled by its architecture, the couple embarked on a major restoration of the house, assembling an expert team to help bring the house back to its former glory, all while gently tweaking it for the needs of a 21st-century family. Serving as architect for the project was Ryan Duffey, whose enthusiasm for the house equaled that of the homeowners. “The house presented an awesome 78
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Because the existing windows and doors were damaged beyond repair, Ryan chose replacements that were consistent with the home’s age and style. The terrazzo floors are original to the house and were laid only at the front, where guests were traditionally received. opposite The front-facing rooms, originally designed to be more formal, feature stylized wall reliefs. “Art Deco architecture is about playing with crisp shapes,” says Ryan of the aesthetic.
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left Bobby McAlpine and Susan Ferrier incorporated beauty, sanctuary and “a bit of theater” into their new office inside ADAC. The chandelier was originally purchased for a client in Morocco; after a hurricane blew it to the ground, Ferrier enlisted Charles Calhoun to restore it. right A porcupine Ferrier fell for at a Paris flea market is elevated by a BRADLEY base. A glance at McAlpine’s office desk.
visual mantra STRONG, RHYTHMIC GESTURES AND PRIDE OF PLACE CREATE AN ATMOSPHERIC “OM” IN BOBBY MCALPINE AND SUSAN FERRIER’S NEW ADAC OFFICE. WRITTEN BY Elizabeth PHOTOGRAPHED BY
Ralls
Erica George Dines
STYLED BY
Blake Weeks
THE BUOYANCY AND EMPOWERMENT THAT COMES WITH WORKING IN A BEAUTIFUL SETTING is just as important as the environment you choose to surround yourself with in your private dwelling, says architect Bobby McAlpine. “What you practice at home can follow you to work,” he shares. It’s a beauty-as-sanctuary philosophy that business partner and acclaimed designer Susan Ferrier not only espouses but also kept top of mind as she devised the interiors for their newly renovated office inside ADAC. “The emotionality we brought into this space is a higher vibration—and ultimately, it brings out better results in the workplace,” says Ferrier of the crisp but atmospheric mood she and McAlpine have created for their team of 11. Indeed, it’s powerful, rhythmic gestures, such as floor-to-ceiling drapery partitions, high-back skirted chairs, and wood-planked walls that allow employees of the architectureand-interiors firm both the privacy to succeed and the freedom to “strengthen a common muscle,” as McAlpine says. 89
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COUNTRY
IDYLL
Architect Frederick Spitzmiller reconstructs an 1852 Greek Revival home for 21st-century living. WRITTEN BY Suzanna
Cullen Hamilton
PHOTOGRAPHED BY Erica
George Dines
STYLING BY Eleanor
Roper
As the sun sets over the lush grounds, the Greek Revival home known as Redland overlooks its new site in Harris County. Nineteenth-century bricks lead to the period house restored by Atlanta architect Rick Spitzmiller of Spitzmiller & Norris.
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SOUTHERNERS KNOW A GOOD HOUND WILL ALWAYS FIND HIS WAY HOME. When Randolph showed up on Rick Spitzmiller’s gracious Greek Revival front porch, the dog became the master of the architect’s exquisite 19th-century country retreat known as Redland. “Growing up as an equestrian, I always asked my parents if we could ride past the beautiful house in Midland, Georgia,” says Spitzmiller. The house was built in 1852 for the Jenkins family and remained in the family until they decided to sell it in 2005. “I was ready to find a refined country home to be a respite from Atlanta, and this house had always captivated me,” he says. By relocating the house to his property in Harris County, Spitzmiller lost the tax benefits of purchasing a historic home, but, he says, “I acquired the architectural freedom to make the house comfortable, including creating a new kitchen, bathrooms and extra living space.”
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CLASSIC
CONTEMPORARY A 1920S VIRGINIA-HIGHLAND DWELLING IS THE PINNACLE OF URBAN LIVING THANKS TO A DESIGN OVERHAUL BY CREATIVE COUPLE TODD PRITCHETT AND CRAIG DIXON. WRITTEN BY
Sejal Bhima PHOTOGRAPHED BY
Mali Azima
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The sunroom of architects Todd Pritchett and Craig Dixon’s bungalow offers a stylish window into their home: clean and contemporary but full of character. Sofa, Ligne Roset. Chair, DWR. Custom coffee table, Jeff Jones Design.
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