Architect's Statement

The mid-century explosion of ranch style homes across the country and the style's subsequent wane in popularity has left us with a large homogeneous stock of housing vulnerable to tear downs, MacMansion-ing, extreme tampering and typically unfortunate expediencies. Cliff May wept.

In the case of this home, its former suburban location just outside of downtown Atlanta is now surrounded by urban growth and homes with large lots and mature landscaping have become more and more desirable.

Our Owners have lived in their ranch style home for over twenty years, just sent their last child to college, are very familiar with the shortcomings of a tract plan imposed on rolling piedmont landscape and approached us with the notion of complete reconsideration whether it be remodeling or teardown and new construction. The economics of saving foundations, structure, floors, roofs and walls over new construction quickly dictated remodeling with limited additions. They have responded with delight to our proposed design and that their home could retain its character and live to satisfy their goals.

After touring the neighborhood with our Owners we were not disappointed to recommend retaining the existing house. Instead we recognized an opportunity to contribute a highly visible example of the adaptation of ranches to current lifestyles. During the tour the Owners, quite proud of their neighborhood, were pleased to point out homes where modifications or replacements strengthened the sense of community and those that did not. Most egregious in their opinion were multi-gabled neo-eclectic adaptations.

The site's most notable feature is an unusually deep lot sloping down to a small branch, populated by mature trees with a large beech the most outstanding example. Their primary request was extensive glass on the back of the house coupled with a deck off of the living areas facing south into the stunning site. Not ones to spend time in the master bedroom they surprisingly requested that it be located on the street side and spaces where they would spend their waking time oriented to the rear.

Our solution reorganizes the plan to their intended lifestyle, opens view corridors through the house in order to visually expand the size of the rooms (2,000 square feet of conditioned space) and effectively extend them into the landscape.

Gardening is a favorite occupation of both owners and a large deck with room for outdoor dining and container plantings stepping down to the backyard was essential, as was a Gardening Room provided at the basement level with direct access from the back yard.