Build Something Great
2023 Recap
Over 200 architects, design enthusiasts, and community leaders joined AIA Atlanta’s Build Something Great awards celebration at Buckhead Theatre on Saturday, November 18.
During the evening, the chapter revealed the 2023 winners of the Residential & Hospitality Design Awards, as well as the Honor Award recipients. Thank you to all guests and a big congratulations to the winners.
Residential & Hospitality Design Awards
Restaurant – New Construction
Merit Award
The Summit House at Balsam Mountain
Kuo Diedrich Chi Architects
Photo: Paul Dyer
Hotel – Guest Rooms 101+
Honor Awards
Ivan Allen Sr. Award
Ken Higa, AIA
John A. Busby Jr. Exceptional Young Architect Award
Heather Potts Lang, AIA
John A. Busby Jr. Exceptional Young Architect Award
Bridget Ellgass, AIA
Dorothy Spence Citizen Architect Award
Jonathan Gould, AIA
Firm of the Year
HKS
23 Perry
About the Project
Project Name
23 Perry
Project Location
Newnan, Georgia
Firm
Lightroom Studio, LLC
Category
Single-Family – Contemporary
Owner
Compass – Matthew Doyle
Narrative
Deeply inspired by the intricate dance between history and modernity, which infuses life into the transformation of the 100-plus-year-old former Georgia Cigar Factory in downtown Newnan. Our vision was to create a modern loft residence that pays homage to the building’s rich heritage while blending in contemporary luxuries. With careful restoration and innovative design, we embraced the past and envisioned the future, giving birth to a true modern industrial aesthetic that stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of architecture.
Nestled in the heart of historic downtown Newnan, the factory held a special place in the community’s heart. Our responsibility was to respect and cherish this legacy while transforming it into a living space that would make the past proud.
Meticulous preservation of the building’s original features was at the heart of this restoration. The soul of the factory lies in the warmth of its heart-pine beams. With great care, we repurposed these timeworn beams into stunning interior cladding for the stairwell, celebrating their rustic beauty. Every brick reclaimed from demolition found its place in the reconstructed façade, a testament to the factory’s resilience and the sustainable spirit of our design.
Beyond the historical boundaries of the four exterior walls, our design vision unfolded with creativity. A complete renovation brought forth a blend of old-world charm and cutting-edge amenities.
With 7000 square feet of living space, the loft exudes grandeur and openness. The original exterior walls were retained to maintain the factory’s character. Every element, from sleek finishes to state-of-the-art appliances, was thoughtfully curated to create an environment of indulgence and comfort.
No detail was overlooked, and designer details abound, reflecting our passion for perfection. The spaces not only look beautiful but also serve the needs of modern life effortlessly.
The result is a modern loft residence that encapsulates the spirit of the past while embracing contemporary luxuries. It is a living testament to architectural restoration and the harmonious coexistence of history and innovation.
In conclusion, the restoration of the former Georgia Cigar Factory into a modern loft residence has been a journey of passion, creativity, and respect for the past. This project exemplifies our commitment as architects to embrace the legacy of historical structures and envision their potential for the future. The building stands tall in downtown Newnan, celebrating the spirit of small-town living while inviting the luxuries of big city life, culminating in a harmonious fusion of the old and the new. We are proud to have been a part of this transformation, and we hope that this residence will continue to inspire generations to come.
Additional Team Information
Architects and Designers
Dr. William Carpenter FAIA
Chad D. Reineke AIA, RIBA, IIDA, Ncarb
General Contractor
JW Construction Management
Whistler
About the Project
Project Name
Whistler
Project Location
Atlanta, Georgia
Firm
Niles Bolton Associates
Category
Multifamily/Mixed-Use – Over 50 Units
Owner
LV Collective
Narrative
A design/build delivery, Whistler sits on the SPI-16 zoning ordinance, which encourages minimizing the amount of vehicular parking and increasing the use of alternative modes of transportation and mobility. Originally designed as a podium with 6 parking levels, the team made a progressive, significant pivot and entire 284,839-square-foot property is served with just one level of basement parking totaling 25 spaces—an amount unheard of for a project this size.
Once the parking was reduced, careful consideration was given to the building’s base to give the illusion it has sufficient height to support the tall tower above it. The solution was a sleek, dark grey brick base of stacked amenities that animates the street both day and night. The design of floor-to-ceiling windows with vertical mullions draws attention to the base, making it appear taller than it really is. When looking at Whistler from a distance, the massing has a main body—a mid-grey tone that rises and eventually forms a clean rectangle at the top with “mini towers” off the corners. The team carved out balconies at several locations at a rhythm of every three levels that shift as you go up the building. Varying the tower elements and balcony levels helped give the building movement and break up the vertical repetition.
Warm and welcoming, the curated amenities are reminiscent of a boutique hotel. Entering the double-height lobby, residents have access to the on-site Daydreamer café with shaded outdoor seating to help with street presence and engage pedestrians. Walking up the stairs, ample private and group study spaces, podcast room, and dog spa can be found on the mezzanine level. Taking the elevator past the remaining residential floors, level 24 features penthouse units, sky lounge, saunas, and a rooftop deck with grilling stations, infinity edge pool, and hot tub overlooking the city. Accessible to all residents, an expansive fitness center encompasses the 25th floor and offers state-of-the-art equipment, yoga studio, spin studio and a unique fitness on-demand room with two interactive mirrors.
Challenges on the ground floor stemmed from the tight site and client wish to seamlessly incorporate the Daydreamer Café, which is open to the public, with the adjacent resident amenity spaces that are open 24/7. The solution was to push the café and lobby to the front of the building, creating a welcoming ‘front door’ along Spring Street and efficiently locating the parking entry, service access, and utilities along Abercrombie Place. Security measures were incorporated into the design so the café and kitchen can be locked down without interrupting the two-story lobby that includes mail, package, and a variety of work and study spaces. The fitness center makes up the entire top floor, and the unbeatable views of Atlanta are more than enough to keep residents motivated during their workouts but present a noise challenge when considering the units directly below. The design team worked to create a tight sound barrier so residents on the 24th floor can enjoy peace and quiet without noisy distractions from above.
Additional Team Information
Architects and Designers
Mohamed Mohsen, AIA
April Tann, RA
Timothy Fuerst, RA
Civil Engineer
Kimley Horn
MEP Engineer
ENG3 Consulting Engineers (Mechanical and Plumbing), Ingenuity Engineers (Electrical)
Structural Engineer
SCA Consulting Engineers
Landscape Architect
Ironwood Design Group
General Contractor
JE Dunn Construction
Additional Consultants
Interior Design – Variant Collaborative
Low Voltage – J&A Engineering Consultants
Sustainability Consultant – US-EcoLogic
FF&E Vendors
Anthropologie
Blue Dot
CB2
Crate & Barrel
Four Hands Marketplace
Pottery Barn
Rejuvenation
Sunpan
Urban Outfitters
West Elm Contract
1200 Ponce
About the Project
Project Name
1200 Ponce
Project Location
Atlanta, Georgia
Firm
Choate+Hertlein Architects
Category
Multifamily/Mixed-Use – 50 Units or Less
Owner
Minerva Homes
Narrative
1200 Ponce is a condominium development located at the intersection of Ponce de Leon Avenue and Briarcliff Road in Atlanta’s Druid Hills neighborhood. The original complex consisted of a Church, School, and Chapel Building along with a Gymnasium Building that was attached to a former Carriage House. To justify the purchase price of this key urban parcel, the developer challenged the design team to get as much residential density as possible on the site. The overall program was to create a community of for sale homes that would provide a unique option for residents who want to live in this prime location.
The layout of the site and the design of the buildings had to respond to the specific requirements of the Druid Hills Landmark District. Existing surface parking and entry drives in the front setbacks were required to be removed and replaced with green space to restore the Olmstedian vision of large landscaped front yards and parkways along the Ponce De Leon corridor. Proposed new buildings were also required to be located beyond the front yard setbacks. The scale and look of each of these new buildings have been designed to be compatible with the character of existing historic buildings and homes in the Druid Hills neighborhood.
The overall vision is to create a 51-unit residential complex with generous individual unit sizes ranging from 1,500 to 3,200 SF and an overall density of 12 units per acre. The development purposely retained the church and school building, which have been converted into 23 creative units that incorporate the special features of each of the existing buildings. The Church sanctuary was divided into 6 three story units, and an additional unit that occupies the former choir balcony. A third floor was added to the existing two-story School building, and 12 units total were in this structure organized along the original double loaded corridor. A new two-story addition containing 4 units sensitively connected to the School Building near the corner of Ponce de Leon and Briarcliff.
To achieve the maximum density, three additional new buildings will eventually be constructed on the site. Building B will contain 4 units and is located along Ponce de Leon between the Church and the adjacent “Green Gables” property. This building matches the scale and look of the historic houses located throughout Druid Hills. Building C will house 15 units over parking and is located on the site of the former gymnasium. Building D will have 9 units with below grade parking and is located along Briarcliff Road. The inspiration for the design of this building was the 1920’s walk-up apartment buildings located further north along Briarcliff Road. The site provides for 102 parking spaces to achieve an overall ratio of 2 spaces per unit.
The completed project will result in the respectful reuse of these important neighborhood buildings along with the addition of 3 appropriate new structures that will provide for a variety of unique housing alternatives in the highly sought after Historic Druid Hills community.
Additional Team Information
Architects and Designers
Dennis Hertlein – AIA Member
Civil Engineer
Maxwell Reddick and Associates
MEP Engineer
The Safaie Landry Partnership
Structural Engineer
Stability Engineering
Landscape Architect
Baker Land Design
General Contractor
Minerva Homes
Additional Consultants
Acoustic engineer-Merck & Hill Consultants
Virgin Hotels Nashville
About the Project
Project Name
Virgin Hotels Nashville
Project Location
Nashville, Tennessee
Firm
BLUR Workshop
Category
Hotels with Guest rooms from 101+
Owner
Virgin Hotels & Buccinni Polin Group
Narrative
The Virgin Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee is situated on the edge of Nashville’s famed Music Row and is positioned between Vanderbilt, the rapidly transforming Midtown neighborhood, and the burgeoning Gulch district. Designed in partnership with Hastings Architecture, our charge was to create a lifestyle hotel that conveyed the character of Nashville to its out-of-town guests, while also creating a living room style destination for local Nashvillians.
Albeit on the edge of a famous district, the site lacked substantial foot traffic to support our diverse program. We saw this as a challenge to draw in Nashville’s downtown hustle via an architectural solution. That solution laid in activating the entire length of building frontage with a series of different indoor/outdoor experiences. The hotel borders two public streets, Division Street and Music Square West. The visual prominence of this intersection was ample reason to extend the Commons Club outdoors, further activating the street. This exterior extension features lush plantings which create intimate seating groups along the perimeter while a large, communal tree table occupies the center the space. The outdoor space is connected to the interior through an oversized guillotine door that allows for a double sided, indoor/outdoor bar. Moving south on Music Square West, exterior café seating, the main hotel lobby, porte cochere, and large covered canopy for rooftop elevator queueing and inclement weather valet service further enlivens Music Square West. From the Commons Club terrace heading west down Division Street, an elevated dining terrace provides a perched spot for people watching on the street below. The Gathering Level above hosts an outdoor terrace running the length of the Meeting Room, while the Ballroom opens onto a large rooftop event lawn.
The hotel sits atop a topographic highpoint, with the upper levels of the hotel having commanding views in all directions. The rooftop experience is defined by a rooftop bar, infinity edge pool, and lower roof terrace. The rooftop bar is narrow and features floor to ceiling glass with dichotomic views of rolling green hills beyond historic Vanderbilt to the West and the ever-changing dramatic downtown skyline to the East. The lower roof terrace reorients the view corridor and connects guests with an unobstructed view down Demonbreun Street to downtown.
The exterior façade is inspired from the sentiments prevalent throughout early 20th century urban utilitarian structures , in particular large masonry publishing houses found throughout historic Nashville. The modern interpretation is expressed through an ordered façade of manganese iron-spot Norman brick and warehouse-style, large-scale windows. Working off the light drawn through the large, scale windows, the interior volumes are as equally expressive as the exterior and create a blurred threshold between the two. By pulling the iron spot brick and blackened steel of the exterior aesthetic into the building, the design weaves the vibrancy of the street and the warm, interior experiences together into a cohesive and immersive guest experience.
Additional Team Information
Architects and Designers
Scott Sickeler, AIA
Allison Isaacs, AIA
Irene Chang
David Moore
David Powell, FAIA
Blaine Kimbrough, AIA
Matt Spaulding
Ethan Keller
Civil Engineer
Barge Cauthen
MEP Engineer
Blum Engineering
Structural Engineer
EMC Structural Engineers
Landscape Architect
Hodgson Douglas
General Contractor
Yates
Additional Consultants
Hastings Architecture, Architectural Design Partner; Mark Zeff, Interior Design Concept; BOLD Lighting Design
Elliott's Restaurant
About the Project
Project Name
Elliott’s Restaurant
Project Location
Peachtree City, Georgia
Firm
Office of Design
Category
Restaurant – Renovation/Tenant Build-out
Owner
Palmer’s Restaurant Group
Narrative
Office of Design approached the biggest programmatic hurdle of dividing the space into a restaurant and marketplace by creating an entry vestibule for the public. This allows each entity to operate independently of each other as needed. The layout also grants each space direct access to the kitchen. This allows the marketplace easy access to preprepared foods and to-go orders.
The addition of the private dining mezzanine created an opportunity to design a more intimate bar underneath. The lesser ceiling height over the bar makes this area of the restaurant feel cozier, which is compounded by the use of warm, natural wood finishes. When customers are seated at the bar, its circular shape places emphasis on the bartenders and on the back-bar display, which highlights the restaurant’s carefully curated beverage program.
Beyond the programmatic goals of the space, Elliott’s wanted to create an environment that felt elegant but comfortable to encourage their customers to stay a while. The desire for dining in comfort is mirrored in the restaurant’s cuisine, which: “celebrates the traditional flavors of Southern food while providing modern twists on classic dishes”.
Comfort and modern elegance coexist harmoniously in the restaurant. A nod to traditional beadboard has been upgraded by using sleek, vertically oriented planks painted in a regionally popular soft green. Greens and blues dominate the color palette to create a soothing and calming environment. Creamy whites applied to much of the upper half of the dining room’s volume make the space feel airy and bright where it felt rustic and dim previously. The introduction of a few splashes of color emphasizes the dichotomy between a traditional southern aesthetic and modern sensibilities, much like the restaurant’s cuisine.
Traditional picture molding creates a calming, simple motif along the walls and calls to mind many a southern formal dining room. The molding perfectly frames sound-absorbing wallcoverings and playful wall sconces which create atmospheric, subtle lighting and serve as functional décor. Large, light-weight pendant fixtures help to humanize the scale of the high-ceilinged dining room while breaking up the more repetitive design elements used throughout.
Environmental comfort is a consideration in more than just the finishing of the space. Sound levels were a huge focus when planning the layout and selecting materials. We created barriers for sound by using partitions and level changes with biophilic elements to muffle noise between tables. Drapery is used for visual interest but the use of a dual-purpose sun-obstructing and sound-absorbing sheer fabric along the existing storefront helps reduce noise pollution and prevent unnecessary heat gain and glare. Drapery is also used to privatize the mezzanine area and to add color to the space.
Additional Team Information
Architects and Designers
Morgan Justis, NCIDQ, IIDA
Danny England, At-large Director, AIA Georgia
MEP Engineer
Westside Engineering, LLC
Structural Engineer
Stability Engineering
General Contractor
Rick B GC
FF&E Vendors
Office Creations
Design Manufacturing Group
Biggerstaff Brewing Co.
About the Project
Project Name
Biggerstaff Brewing Co.
Project Location
Atlanta, Georgia
Firm
Office of Design
Category
Restaurant – Renovation/Tenant Build-out
Owner
Clay & Sarah Davies
Narrative
The name of the client’s establishment was inspired by family that once owned a farm. To recall this history, curated pieces and finishes rooted to southern farmhouses are included throughout. To tie in the rich history of the building, much of the shell architecture was preserved. Original concrete masonry units were left exposed and clear-sealed, and the building’s original steel structure was also left exposed and unpainted. Aspects of the raw, industrial shell were pulled into the finishes and furnishings in the space. A concrete masonry unit backed banquette was used as a division between the main dining area and the coffee bar; waxed steel and powder coated metals were used in the millwork and in furniture details throughout. Wood was used for the bar counter surfaces and faces as well as in the trim-work to bring some warmth into the space.
The name of the client’s establishment was inspired by family that once owned a farm. To recall this history, curated pieces and finishes rooted to southern farmhouses are included throughout. To tie in the rich history of the building, much of the shell architecture was preserved. Original concrete masonry units were left exposed and clear-sealed, and the building’s original steel structure was also left exposed and unpainted. Aspects of the raw, industrial shell were pulled into the finishes and furnishings in the space. A concrete masonry unit backed banquette was used as a division between the main dining area and the coffee bar; waxed steel and powder coated metals were used in the millwork and in furniture details throughout. Wood was used for the bar counter surfaces and faces as well as in the trim-work to bring some warmth into the space.
The biggest challenge with this program was cohesively combining the different program requirements. We did this by using furniture as subtle spatial divisions: a combined host-stand and banquette serve to divide the main dining from the coffee lounge area, while large standing-height communal tables divide the brewery bar and kitchen expo from customer areas.
Per client request, we needed to create high visibility from the dining spaces to the kitchen and brewery. We accomplished this by building a large opening with an expo table at the transition from the dining area to the kitchen and installing large windows into the brewery.
By keeping spatial divisions minimal, we achieved an open, fluid, and dynamic layout. This, with highly curated finishes combining southern farmhouse inspired decor with a historically rich and industrial building shell, creates a truly unique brewpub experience.
Additional Team Information
Architects and Designers
Morgan Justis, IIDA, NCIDQ
Danny England, At-large Director, AIA Atlanta
General Contractor
MetroGreen Construction
Additional Consultants
B10 Union – millwork design and fabrication
Black Mountain Cross
About the Project
Project Name
Black Mountain Cross
Project Location
Black Mountain, NC
Firm
35 Degrees North
Category
Single-Family – Contemporary
Owner
Lydia and John Foreman
Narrative
The design parti is a simple skewed cruciform shape… The public wing is a shorter, wider section that orients to the distant mountain ranges. The narrower private bedroom wing, orients to a closer ridge view
The main focus of the public wing are the views. An operable corner window wall orients the visitor’s focus to the exterior decks and subsequent views beyond. The glass panels open behind the stove linking the space to the hot tub and on the view axis to a covered deck. The finishes are natural concrete, a variety of oak finishes on floor, wall and ceiling with sho sugi ban accents. They balance each other well providing a neutral color palate within the natural light-filled spaces.
At the intersection of these forms, is one of the main project features – a custom 10-person hot tub. This was the first item mentioned by the owners in the design process and is the kingpin of the design. The hot tub deck has a private changing room with shower and links the bedroom wing to the main living wing of the building. The deck steps down around the tub on each side revealing the waterfall edge where the water return disappears between the tub and the deck.
The deck off the kitchen faces the street and is covered, allowing space for grill and small table. The entry deck has full exposure to the distant mountain views and wildlife, a great spot to enjoy morning coffee or a meal with both soft seating around a firepit and table and chairs. The rear deck includes a modern porch swing, from which to enjoy the views, a great place to read a book or take an afternoon nap while enjoying the contemplative setting.
The master and guest bedroom wing is linked by a corridor with a sloped ceiling and sho sugi ban wall. The rooms themselves include minimalist finishes, strategically placed windows, accent walls and vaulted ceilings of board and battened oak accent walls. The bathrooms have unique showers with milk glass walls to the exterior, porcelain tile walls and floors. The master bath includes a shower double vanity and more luxurious space.
The homeowners association mandated a garage that the owners did not want to feature. As a result, the garage was buried into the hillside underneath the entry porch. A lower-level game/bunk room was added underneath the living room with room for future expansion. At the intersection of the two guiding geometries, a communicating spiral stair connects the lower level to the foyer above.
The exterior materials were controlled by the homeowners association. The main finish of the house is natural ash board and batten siding with random spacing. The roof is standing seam metal and the foundation is natural concrete. The house is meant to weather over time, thus harmonizing and blending with the surrounding dense woods.
Additional Team Information
Architects and Designers
Max Neiswander, AIA
Structural Engineer
Dean & Associates, Inc. Mills River, NC
General Contractor
Steel Root Builders, Asheville, NC
FF&E Vendors
Shelter Collective, Asheville, NC
The Foundry
About the Project
Project Name
The Foundry
Project Location
Alexandria, Virginia
Firm
Cooper Carry, Inc.
Category
Multifamily/Mixed-Use – Over 50 Units
Owner
Perseus TDC
Narrative
The Foundry successfully converts an obsolete 13-story, 600,000-square foot office building and into a meaningful 16-story mixed-use, multi-family building with 520 units, 25,000 SF of retail, parking, and significant amenities. Well-sited, the existing building is in Alexandria VA, one block away from the Eisenhower Avenue Metro stop, adjacent to the interstate.
The office building floorplate was nearly 47,000 sf 46,376 SF and 124’ deep x 374’ long, not intended for a typical double-loaded corridor seen in efficient multi-family developments. Fitting the required residential unit mix within the existing 20’ x 20’ column bays was a challenge solved by integrating both a façade and plan solution to allow for narrower units. Unique amenities, such as grocery cart storage, commercial dryers, and rentable storage units, were used to occupy core building area leftover from extra elevator shafts and utilities.
Small windows and an antiquated mechanical system led to the complete replacement of the skin and HVAC. Ultimately, a brick-faced precast concrete skin was selected over a traditional masonry wall, saving time and dollars on the overall schedule. Larger windows and exposed structure provided more daylight and taller volumes than others in this market.
With the original five-acre surface parking lot designated for the office building sold to another developer, the development needed to find additional parking. The design team studied the capacity of the existing structural system and was able to convert three levels of existing office floors into parking.
Working with the City and the neighboring development, the team was able to create a new retail place and sidewalk on Mandeville Street. The cross-section was modified, widening the sidewalk from 6’ to 18’. Thus, recognizing the future synergy that could be created in an underserved area, with significant future development on both sides of the street. The neighboring block’s development includes a Wegmans grocery store and new retail plaza, which creates synergies with a movie theater and restaurants to the south. Retail was also introduced to the base of The Foundry will support this activity, as well as provide transparency via a double-sided lobby.
Designed before the coronavirus pandemic, the facility’s outdoor spaces are valuable open-air opportunities for recreation, relaxation, and socialization. Interior amenities include a sports bar and game room spread across two levels at the property, a workshop room, and two rooftop entertaining spaces with views of the nearby Masonic Temple and historic Old Town Alexandria. Outdoor spaces feature landscaping with a partially covered terrace and other intimate gathering areas surrounding an outdoor kitchen, as well as a pool.
Designed to meet LEED certification, the development overachieves in it’s life cycle assessment by virtue of the extent of reused materials and resources, significantly reducing its carbon footprint.
Additional Team Information
Architects and Designers
Architect, Design Principal – Stephen M. Smith, AIA, Cooper Carry
Architect, Project Manager – Heidi Leinbach, AIA, Cooper Carry
Architect, Staff Architect – Heba Bella, Cooper Carry
Civil Engineer
Christopher Consultants
MEP Engineer
The Integrated Companies
Structural Engineer
SK&A
Landscape Architect
Christopher Consultants
General Contractor
Balfour Beatty Construction
Additional Consultants
Interiors – Studios (public spaces) and Cooper Carry (apartment units)
Studios Contact: Melissa Funkey
Cooper Carry Contact: Heidi Leinbach
Life Safety: Jensen Hughes
Acoustics: Polysonics
Sustainability: Cooper Carry
Utilities: Richter & Associates
Waterproofing/ Curtainwall: Curtain Wall Design & Consulting, Inc.
FF&E Vendors
Precast: Arban & Carosi www.arbancarosi.com
Brick: Taylor Clay Products, Inc.
Metal Panel: Reynobond
Curtainwall & Storefront: YKK AP
Windows: Old Castle
Roofing membrane at amenity deck: Hydrotech
Amenity Deck Pavers: Hanover
Guardrails (both glass and aluminum): Atlantic Aluminum Products
Energy Star Unit appliances: GE Appliances
Watersense Plumbing Fixtures: Delta Faucet
VRF System: Havtech
Unit lights: Abra Lighting, Amenity areas: Lightheaded, Apparatus, WAC Lighting, Luminii
Summit House/Mine Tavern at Balsam Mountain
About the Project
Project Name
Summit House/Mine Tavern at Balsam Mountain
Project Location
Sylva, North Carolina
Firm
Kuo Diedrich Chi Architects
Category
Restaurant – New Construction
Owner
Balsam Mountain Preserve
Narrative
Balsam Mountain Preserve is a completely reimagined private club community in Sylva, N.C. When Balsam Mountain was developed in the early 2000s, plans called for a signature Arnold Palmer-designed course in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains, equestrian center, pool/fitness center and overall focus on conservation considering more than 3,000 of the 4,500-acres were set aside as conservation easement.
After Balsam Mountain fell into financial troubles several years ago and changed owners, the new group kept the eco-development mindset but embraced an entirely new vision for the club’s future amenities/lifestyle after consulting our firm and land planner. Indeed, rather than borrowing yet another blueprint from traditional clubhouse design, our firm conceived a contrarian clubhouse design inspired by the property’s pristine mining history roots.
The innovative end result is a cluster of connected cottages and buildings called Doubletop Village that now serves as Balsam Mountain’s new “clubhouse” facility. The buildings are arranged as rural industrial structures constructed over time and recently renovated for our purpose – all organized around outdoor spaces with striking views of the surrounding Double Top mountains and newly designed Palmer Practice Park that goes with the club’s championship layout.
Among the popular new creative clubhouse attractions are Summit House restaurant and the Mine Tavern, featuring indoor-outdoor spaces that open to a shared courtyard of natural landscape with an outdoor fireplace and regional craft beers on tap. If anything, Balsam Mountain epitomizes the future of clubhouse design, where integrated outdoor courtyards, terraces, and lawns effectively replace and become the “lobbies and corridors” of the traditional large clubhouse structures of old.
The site overlooking the practice park, golf course, and the Blue Ridge Mountains beyond gave the firm design the inspiration it needed for the clubhouse. To thoroughly enjoy the mountains, one has to appreciate the outdoors and focus on the views in tandem with the experience within.
To achieve this new sense of place, the team “blew up” the clubhouse into multiple structures, leaving an outdoor courtyard of boulders, native plants and an outdoor fireplace in place of the traditional lobby. Around this courtyard are the other club components that efficiently serve the golf functions as well as provide attractive gathering spaces for members and guess.
To further enhance the viewscapes and spaces, these elements are scaled to allow them to expand and contract by opening and closing movable glass walls to the dining porch and indoor/outdoor bar. The first building houses the Summit House restaurant with its wine cellar and tasting room, and the General Store, which functions as the pro shop.
Meanwhile, the second structure houses the Mine Tavern bar, administration, and locker rooms. Together these spaces have become the new center of energy for the club community, places where resident members can enjoy an entire day.
Additional Team Information
Architects and Designers
KDC Architects:
Mark A. Diedrich, AIA
Chris J. Rijo
MEP Engineer
Molnar Jordan & Associates, Inc.
Structural Engineer
PEC Structural Engineers
Landscape Architect
Vision Design Collaborative
General Contractor
Vannoy Construction
Additional Consultants
Alchemy Design Studio
Camacho Food Service Design & Consulting
LUX et VERITAS DESIGN
FF&E Vendors
by Interior Designer: Alchemy Design Studio
Brevard House
About the Project
Project Name
Brevard House
Project Location
Brevard, North Carolina
Firm
Point Office Architecture & Design
Category
Single-Family – Contemporary
Narrative
Our clients purchased the property on which this house was built several years before design and construction began. The 36-acre mountainside property, which abuts Pisgah National Forest, was located adjacent to a family member’s land and offered ample opportunities for bike and hiking trails, as well as a private homesite surrounded by mature forests.
The client’s overriding goals for the project were to build something minimally invasive and appropriate to its environment, while taking advantage of the natural amenities afforded by the site. Parents of two teenage kids, and with privacy in mind, the clients wanted to separate the main living quarters from the guest and kid’s bedrooms. Given the wooded landscape surrounding the house, they also requested that the master bedroom be designed so that it would feel immersed in the landscape. Lastly, they wanted to orient towards the two prominent view corridors to the southeast and southwest of the property. With these prompts in mind, we devised a layout with the main living and master bedroom program located in one form and the guest and kid’s bedrooms in a separate form. We then pulled these forms apart and torqued them, creating an internal courtyard that opens to the southwest, facing Kagle Mountain. We shifted the forms slightly in opposite directions to create a degree of privacy and autonomy for the guest wing and to cantilever the master bedroom over a steep topographical drop-off, thereby creating the desired effect of the bedroom feeling suspended in the trees. The front façade design was determined by the use and typology of spaces on the interior side of the wall. The exterior rhythm and composition of the bays transmit the function on the interior where, for instance, a two-foot bay with no window would be a closet, while a five-foot bay with a window would be a bathtub, and so forth.
Movement through all interior and exterior spaces is subtly orchestrated with a spine of circulation marked by a continuous nine-foot cast-in-place concrete wall. The wall becomes the predominant organizing element in the design: extending to welcome visitors at the parking area, moving through the interior of the house, and continuing out to the rear yard. This axial feature, while clearly man-made, blurs the distinctions between interior and exterior spaces by existing continuously in both, visible throughout the property.
The earthy material palette consists of concrete, wood, and Corten steel in an effort to integrate the house into its environment. The materials are meant to weather over time, marking the same natural processes and unpredictable changes that occur in the surrounding forest. The asymmetrical layout and introverted courtyard, coupled with an abundance of glass, creates an interesting interplay of light on the building forms throughout the course of the day. The Brevard House is a unique spot from which to observe the passage of time.
Additional Team Information
Architects and Designers
Clark Tate, AIA
Mathew Weaver, AIA
Structural Engineer
Shear Structural
General Contractor
Wheelhouse Builders, Brevard, NC