What have we been up to? - Newbury

This blog article is the first in a series that will showcase various press snippets updating you on the stages of some of our bigger projects. First up: Newbury

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Pittsburgh City Guide: Best of the ‘BurbsSouth Lafayette – Newbury Community

This month Pittsburgh Magazine published an introspective look at some of the city’s noteworthy suburbs. The Newbury development was featured prominently in the publication’s section on the South Lafayette area:

“This formerly rural area offers a commodity that’s hard to find in inner-ring communities: new residential construction. One of the region’s most ambitious new developments, Newbury Market, has broken ground along Presto-Sygan Road, reclaiming an old industrial site as a New Urbanist community that promotes walkable streets, shared open space and a variety of price points.”

Click here to read more about Newbury’s burgeoning role in the South Lafayette, PA. Also, be sure to check out page 3 of the article to see Newbury’s sister project, Edgewater.

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Newbury Construction Update: June 2011
“The number of homes under construction or completed grows on a weekly basis at Newbury and we can now say that we are adding residents at nearly the same pace. Ten homes are now occupied at Newbury and that number will continue to grow substantially over these highly productive summer months.”

Click here to check out the gorgeous hi-resolution gallery of the nearly completed Newbury!

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Newbury Featured on WPXI Channel 11 News

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Greater Pittsburgh New Home:Traditional Neighborhoods Stage A Comeback
In this article, Greater Pittsburgh New Home offers a concise yet meaningful rundown of what New Urbanism is and how it is influencing a plethora of traditional neighborhood style developments in the Pittsburgh area. Newbury is described as true to the national traditional neighborhood methodology that is also well grounded in the ideals of New Urbanism.

Click here to read the full article and learn more about these two theories.

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BizJournals.com: Newbury project gets $11M in PENNVEST brownfield funds
The land Newbury was build on was formerly that of a chemical plant. Former residents of this area dealt with contaminated green snow as a result of this plant. Read this article to find out how this neighborhood went from that to a sustainable green community.

Click here to read up on Brownfields

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POP City Media: $240M mixed-use brownfield redevelopment breaks ground in South Fayette

A short piece discussing Newbury’s connection to the Brownfield Movement and how this crucial part of the development secured it a great amount of funding.

Click here to read the full article.

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A Home Facelift

Step 1: Evaluate

For this residence, Shapiro & Company Architects was hired to redo the front façade. Overall, the homeowner was not pleased with the way their house looked. In addition to remedying the owner's dissatisfaction, the achitect's wanted to address some of the poorly designed architectural elements: the out-of-proportion windows and front entryway gave the house a bulky appearance and the two-story entry was 1980's trendy. The house lacked charm and was not very welcoming.

Step 2: Design

After meeting with the client, Shapiro gained an insight into their likes and dislikes. The two design options as shown above reflected the owner's tastes while addressing the architectural problems mentioned above.

Step 3: Construction

The Side Windows:

One of the architect's major qualms with the original house design was the window proportion. In these pictures, the large first story windows have been removed completely to be replaced with tall, more elegant, french doors.

Front and Center:

First, the overhang was removed. The large area window was disassembled piece by piece and filled with brick. A subtle, yet important aspect to the new design was to create a larger more classical cornice line. So the builder, Lowell Hays, removed the existing and began to replace it with the new cornice design.

Unlike the former façade, the new entryway relays a sense of grandeur without being overwhelming or misproportioned.  The new front door unifies the french doors and windows.  Everything is a grounding focal point in the light, circular window.   

Curious as to how a circular window is installed?  Check out this clip from the Discovery Channel's "How Stuff Works." Lowell Hays was very careful and attentive to ensuring that the project remained in budget while also helping achieve the architect's vision.

The Exterior Finish:

  

A parge coat, (a thin coat of mortar) was added to the exterior to give the brick an authentic aged look.

The Details:

The owner wanted the exterior colors to be classic yet fresh and bright. Working with the owner, the architect selected several color options and the builder made large samples for the owners' review.

  

To create a welcome front the grade was slightly lowered and a blue-stone terrace was added along with wide steps and iron railing. To complete the look, beautiful shutters were installed.

The Garage:

  

A completely new feature for this home was an extension on the garage. The sequence above shows the progression from bare bones to structure. The same design elements from the entryway have been employed so the extension feels natural and looks seamless.

Step 4: Completion!

This home "face-lift" was a very successful collaboration between client, architect (Shapiro & Company Architects), and builder (Lowell Hays), resulting in a beautiful home that the owner can truly enjoy and be proud to own.

Ask the Architect: Where do your ideas come from?

 An Interview with Brad Shapiro, AIA  

When you work in a creative field, like architecture, you are constantly challenged to think outside the box. Every project is unique, and presents it's own set of interesting challenges. That journey often leads to incredible results, and so I'm often asked, "Where do you get your ideas?" I believe that question deserves a well thought out answer, so I've spent some time reflecting on the source of my inspiration.

I believe my ideas come from three major sources that are thankfully "renewable": my clients, the property and personal experience.

1. The Clients: Every person and family gives off an energy and uniqueness all their own. This aura plays a crucial part in my design.  I try to capture these personalities and translate them into designs. I also give a lot of thought into the person or families lifestyle. Big families with lots of children need mud rooms, big laundry rooms, maybe even a nook for the dog by the hearth.... while an older couple with children away from home might need space for entertaining and tucked away guest rooms when children come home to visit. The family and their lifestyle drives the design. I take all that information to the drawing board.  
 
2.  The Property: Like people, every site is unique. The size and shape of the location provides me with great insight into what type of house would feel right on it. The placement of the home should also position the view to best advantage. When designing this home in north Mississippi [property pictured above], I didn't want the house to overwhelm the small hilltop, so I designed a one-story home with low roof slopes.  It nestles itself comfortably into the landscape and becomes a natural part of the landscape. See more about this house.
3.  Personal Insight: I love to experience new environments to draw inspiration and ideas. This is a major reason why I like to travel. When visiting these wonderful places, like Italy, France, and the English Countryside, I am inspired by the beauty around me and the artistry and skill of the architects. From the thatched roof cottages in the Cotswolds to the dome of the Duomo in Florence, I am inspired to take my own creativity to new heights.

 

The wellspring of ideas

After presenting a design to a pleased client, he seemed somewhat mystified by my creativity and asked me a very interesting question: "Do you ever run out of ideas"? My answer was a definite and sure-No. My sources for ideas are renewable. They are constantly there and inevitably changing, so thankfully after 25 years as an architect, I feel I have just skimmed the surface of the possibilities. Thankfully, I draw from a wellspring of ideas!

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Four Faces of Shapiro & Company Architects

Over the years, Shapiro & Company Architects has been featured in many media outlets including Southern Living, Indianapolis Monthly, The Commercial Appeal,  MTVCribs, and Midsouth Magazine.

  In the past year, Shapiro & Company Architects was featured in four more publications: Memphis Magazine, AT HOME Tennessee, Luxury Home, and once more in Midsouth Magazine. 

The following articles offer four distinct faces of Shapiro & Company Architects' work demonstrating one unifying theme: the custom Shapiro home offers a true reflection of the homeowner's personality and dreams.

Memphis Magazine - March 2011

Post-Modern: Bringing Out a Vision
"Breaking New Ground" - p. 26

"You must have noticed it."  

This custom East Memphis residence for Dr. Paul Shea has been nicknamed by his friends as the "Taj MaPaul."  Memphis Magazine has captured the inside story of how Shea chose Shapiro & Company Architects and the process of cultivating his vision into bricks-and-mortar reality.

Shapiro summed up "his two biggest thrills" in working with Shea as "having his ideas come to life while building something of value" and "seeing the client's pride in what has been achieved."  Needless to say, the minimalist/post-modern aesthetic of this Memphis home left both client and company extremely pleased.

Read the full article here.

AT HOME Tennessee - March 2011

Farmhouse: Constructing a Soul
"Low-Country Soul" - p.56

"Nestled among the expansive rolling hills of back-country Sladen, Mississippi, is a farmhouse like no other."

Shapiro & Company Architects collaborated with Nashville-based Page Duke Landscape Architects and Memphis-based interior designer Rhea Crenshaw to create this retreat.  Despite being a new build, this lakeside farmhouse has the feel of a rich past and a soul through the usage of reclaimed building materials and a homey yet stylish interior design.  The exterior is constructed with reclaimed brick from a demolished structure in downtown Memphis, a material that is echoed throughout the house, as well as reclaimed cypress beams and antique pine floors.  This combined with the use of farm-style textiles and French antiques give the home a unique, un-canned look.

Read the full article here. 
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Luxury Home - March 2011

French Colonial: Weaving Past with Present

 "Shapiro & Company Architects, Inc." - p.124

"From an English manor-style home in Tennessee to an equestrian farmhouse in Mississippi, Shapiro & Company Architects; projects span a wide range of styles and states and highlight the firm's focus on design diversity."

The first line of this article says it all.  The goal of Shapiro and Company Architects is not to rehash the company's own vision.  Rather, our goal is to act as a translator for the client between their vision and personality out and a physical dwelling place.  

This article provides a poignant example of the Shapiro ethos.   The Creole-inspired home on Lake Wilson, Alabama was inspired by the client's fond family memories in Louisiana, her love of French Colonial Architecture, and her desire to capture the beauty and casual lifestyle of Lake Wilson.

Read the full article here. 

MIDSOUTH - August 2010

Cottage: Classic yet Versatile "Creating a Neighborhood" - p30

"Welford Cottage simultaneously offers comfort and privacy."

Designed as a "family entertaining-style home", an open layout was employed to allow the homeowner to utilize any combination of interior designs.  "Most folks like rooms that are defined, yet they don't want isolated space," Shapiro comments, "so we designed the home with clearly defined spaces but not defined uses."  For instance, Shapiro & Company Architects has made a slightly larger dining room that can also double as a sitting room for more intimate entertaining or can be used as is for a larger scale dinner party.

Lending the comfort and flexibility of a cottage, this design does not have the confined and often limited spaces that traditionally accompanys the style.  This home was originally designed for the Memphis 2010 Vesta Home Showcase and sold quickly. 

Read the full article here.

To see all articles featuring Shapiro & Company Architects, click here.