Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

A major multi-million pound development consisting of shops, offices and housing has been earmarked for Newry city centre.

An application for the development which would create substantial jobs during construction and upon completion has been submitted to Newry, Mourne and Down District Council for consideration.

The would-be developer the Belfast-based Kerr Property Holdings Ltd has plans for a site in excess of 10,000 sq metres.

This includes over 2,000 sq metres of office space, taking in the three-storey listed building at 47 Merhants Quay, the former Renault car sales showroom and garage. It was owned by the Goss family from Mayobridge, but has been vacant for many years.

The development would also include three retail units, each with service yard area.

There would be a coffee bar incorporated too, this to be located within the ground floor of the listed building.

The ambitious proposals would also involve a substantial programme of demolition of existing properties with replacement new-builds.

Buildings at Merchants Quay and Cornmarket would be taken down and the site completely redeveloped and transformed.

There is a major emphasis on housing as part of the scheme.

A total of 82 units is planned. These would be within multi-storey blocks and the residential accommodation will consist of a mix of both private and social housing.

There would be landscaping too as part of the plans.

And tenants of the new units would have access to parking and a communal courtyard around which the properties would be constructed.

In all three applications have had to be submitted.

A full planning application, as well as two others one for Listed Building Consent and the other DCA, which is permission for demolition within a conservation area.

The DCA bid is for demolition of the former car sales showroom/garage located at Nos 49-54 Merchants Quay and the premises located at No. 46 Merchants Quay, Newry.

The listed building consent is specifically for 47 Merchants Quay.

It seeks approval to develop a vacant storage unit to proposed commercial use, consisting of coffee bar at ground floor with office accommodation above. This would then connect at the rear to a new proposed office complex.

It would require remedial works to external and internal fabric of the listed building including repairs to stonework and brickwork; timber beams and joists and the roof structure, which would involve glazing, as well as the repair or replacement of timber windows and doors.

The three retail units as yet for unspecified tenants are located elsewhere on the site.

All three applications relation to this scheme are due to be publicly advertised this week.

Original post:
Multi-million pound retail, office and housing plans on site of former car showroom in Newry - Armagh i

Home Design

Brought to life by Flavin Architects and designer Lindsay Bentis, the house takes cues from destinations like Turks and Caicos and Jackson Hole.

An Eilersen sectional from Lekker Home and a purple swivel chair from Ligne Roset bask in the light afforded by the family rooms sliding glass doors, which open to a bi-level patio. / Photo by Nat Rea

When it came time to build their dream home, a boisterous Newton family of five took cues from places theyd stayed during their travels. They count among their influences beach resorts on Turks and Caicos, ski resorts in Jackson Hole, and hideaways on the rugged coast of Big Sur. The use of natural woods, stone, concrete, and metals [in those properties] were all relevant when defining the architecture we have come to love, the husband says.

The couple commissioned Flavin Architects to design their house. The firm, known for its natural, contemporary aesthetic, was the perfect fit. We wanted modern, but also warm, the wife explainsa house that would still fit in with its traditional neighbors. In other words, something different, but not too different. We can be as different as desired, says principal architect Howard Raley, who worked alongside firm founder Colin Flavin. They didnt turn that dial way up.

The recessed front entrance creates a sheltered porch, while adding visual interest. / Photo by Nat Rea

At 8,885 square feet, the house has clean lines and lots of glass, but doesnt feel austere or out of place, Flavin says, thanks to the teams nods to New England design. There are divided-light windows rather than single expanses of glass, for instance, and hipped roofs rather than flat ones. Flavin also melded Northwestern-esque materials with wholly Northeastern ones: Stained western-red-cedar boards compose the shingled faade, while raw-concrete retaining walls juxtapose the foundations local ledgestone veneer. The houses galvanized steel gutters are no stranger to New England either, yet evoke a modern, industrial flavor.

Organic materials were the jumping-off point for Lindsay Bentis, who designed the homes interiors. Throughout most of the first floor, walnut and oak windows are earthy accents against white walls. Rooms, meanwhile, are made cozy with wood ceilings, textured tiles, trails of burnished-brass details, surprise moments of pattern, and sumptuous textiles. We spent a lot of time sourcing lighting [together, too], Bentis says. The fixtures act as sculptures in these rooms.

A wallcovering by MissPrint lends a playful, feminine feel to the wifes office. / Photo by Nat Rea

The powder room includes a textured, ceramic-tile backsplash and a custom concrete countertop. / Photo by Nat Rea

The husband worked closely with the architects to develop an ergonomic design for the staircase in the entry. The low, deep tread makes it easy to go up and down, he says. A painting by a family friend, Rubin Gold, hangs nearby. / Photo by Nat Rea

A cloud-like pendant light by Apparatus, for one, provides a warm welcome in the 19-foot-high foyer, where porcelain floor tiles echo the feel of the retaining walls out front. The star of the space, however, is the single-stringer staircase with steel-edged glass rails and white-oak treads. Flavin and Bentis credit the husband on his vision for the piece, which looks spectacular at night through the wall of double-height windows, lit from within.

Off to the right, the kitchencreated in collaboration with Tone Amado, of Design Group 47is a study in spare design, with grainy wood cabinetry that softens the effect of a room with many hard surfaces. A trio of walnut windows frames a leafy view above matching base cabinets, topped with porcelain slabs. A tall wall of stained cabinetry that matches the island hides appliances. [The husband] hates clutter, Bentis says. Everything has a place.

In the kitchen, spun-aluminum pendant lights by Louis Poulsen hang above the island. A pass-through window to the screened porch makes grilling easy. / Photo by Nat Rea

Bentis chose purple for accents throughout the house, including the dining room rug, because it was one of the few colors the husband and wife both liked. / Photo by Nat Rea

The public living spaces, oriented around the kitchen, are where organic materials, sculptural furnishings, and saturated colors coalesce. The couple, who regularly entertain family, needed the dining room to seat many, but feeling crowded wasnt an option. Bentiss solution? A glass table that takes up little visual real estate and doesnt obscure the purple carpet, slim side chairs, and a Larose Guyon light fixture, discovered during a designer/client field trip to a furniture fair in New York. Sunlight bounces right through the room, Bentis says.

The dining room opens into the living room, a moody, womb-like space with charcoal walls, velvet swivel chairs, a built-in bar, and curtains that wrap the room at the press of a button. The bar at the 11 Howard hotel in SoHo, where the wife and Bentis stayed on a trip to New York, served as the inspiration. She wanted that dark and smoky atmosphere, Bentis says.

To achieve a moody feel in the living room, designer Lindsay Bentis chose Benjamin Moores Blue Note for the walls and trim work. / Photo by Nat Rea

The gold-tone legs of the coffee table in the living room echo the brass finish on the base of the dining room table. / Photo by Nat Rea

The family room furniture faces a massive television and linear gas fireplace surround, clad in steel plates that weigh about 1,000 pounds and sport a hand-rubbed wax finish. / Photo by Nat Rea

From there, custom steel doors open to a large family room: the heart of the home and the soul of this materials-rich project, with its rift-sawn, white-oak floor, walnut ceiling, and monolithic marble coffee table. To satisfy the couples request to incorporate metal elements that reflect architectural styles they admired on visits to the West Coast, Bentis commissioned Loki Custom Furniture to create a hot-rolled, steel-paneled surround for the fireplace. The metal has a patina with blue, purple, and silver tones that feels very organic, Bentis says.

The rooms flow easily from one to the next, as well as to the outdoors, which was an important consideration for these frequent hosts. A bi-level patio offers more space to entertain and easy access to the lawn, where the kids are in a constant state of motion. Theres also quite the setup in the basementan impressively outfitted sports court, complete with a flat-screen television. Were down there every day, the husband says. Raley calls the subterranean project, which involved removing more than 10 feet of ledge, a tremendous feat.

He and Flavin, along with Bentis, marvel at the familys involvement. Everywhere we go, we look at design details, inside and out, the wife says. There are cool elements everywhere; you just have to look.

Landscape architect Michael DAngelo helped the design team refine the scheme of the patio off the family room. / Photo by Nat Rea

The screened porch, which has a cedar ceiling and window trim, exudes a modern, rustic vibe. / Photo by Nat Rea

A sports court in the basement offers the couples three kids a distraction from electronic devices, especially in the winter. Their friends are here all the time, the wife says. / Photo by Nat Rea

The mudroom, which connects to the front entry, the garage, and the basement stairwell, features a walnut-lined wall with hooks and a bench. An inky wallcovering from MuralsWallpaper adorns the hall beyond. / Photo by Nat Rea

A gray wallcovering creates a cozy backdrop for the Hupp bed from Casa Design Group in the master bedroom. An industrial-style Vortice chandelier with a black enamel finish by Lucent Lightshop pops against the oak ceiling. / Photo by Nat Rea

Etched marble tile lines the master bath. / Photo by Nat Rea

ArchitectFlavin Architects

ContractorsDerba Construction, MB Development

Interior DesignerThread by Lindsay Bentis

Landscape ArchitectMichael DAngelo Landscape Architecture

See more here:
Flavin Architects Designs a Home Inspired by the Owners' Travels - Boston magazine

William Duff, founder of San Francisco firm WDA

Architects are spending a lot more time at home and its giving them a new perspective on design.

For architects who designed their own homes, stay-at-home orders mean theyre putting their own designs to the test. Some are thinking of making changes, according to the Wall Street Journal.

William Duff, founder of San Francisco firm WDA, designed his own home around large open communal spaces. It wasnt until he was forced to work from home beside his wife and two children that he realized the open floor plan allowed sound to bounce across the house, making phone calls and video conferences difficult.

Hes forced to take calls and work in his isolated basement. Cooking at home more often has him thinking of expanding his kitchen and food storage.

Architect Marlon Blackwell wants to build a separate structure on his Arkansas property for family members to use when they need some space from the rest of their clan.

The realities of pandemic living have inspired others to dream up new amenities for future projects. Tucson, Arizona-based architect Rick Joy is exploring a no-contact delivery system, something like a mailbox with two open ends for food delivery drivers and the like to drop deliveries without having to come into contact with residents.

I know my clients are going to ask for that in the future, he said. [WSJ] Dennis Lynch

Read more:
In isolation, architects are putting their own designs to the test - The Real Deal

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David Baker Architects has been recognized with 2020 AIA California Firm Award. Photo_AnneHamersky.

San Francisco-based practice DavidBakerArchitects has been recognized with the 2020 AIA California Firm Award.

The award is presented to an architecture firm each year, according to theAmerican Institute of Architects, California Council (AIA CA), that has "consistently produced distinguished architecture for a period of at least 10 years." The award, AIA CA adds, recognizes "the firm not only for the quality of its work, but also for its impact-driven design philosophy dedicated to helping solve the housing crisis."

Regarding where he thinks the firm is headed over the next five to ten years, David Baker told Archinect last year: "We are transitioning to our third generation of leadership. Architectural practice continues to evolve, and we will continue to adapt. Our practice has decentralized to three offices in the past few years, and I think that trend, enabled by new technology, will continue. The diversity of leadership will broaden our practice areas, from custom fabrication to interiors to research to larger-scale planning. But the only thing certain about the future is that your predictions wont be quite right."

More:
David Baker Architects receives 2020 AIA California Firm of the Year award - Archinect

Architecture and the building industry are one of the most essential industries as they fulfill the need of shelter for humans. Architects who have worked in the industry have pointed out several drawbacks and lack of tech penetration.

To help bridge the gap in the industry, these women architects turned into entrepreneurs to provide solutions for fellow architects and designers.

Here is a look at women who are creating innovative tech products and creative solutions to help architects grow in the industry.

Vijayadurga Koppisetti, an architect from Hyderabad believes greener solutions are not only important to safeguard the environment but also the health and wellbeing of occupants. In 2018, she founded Architude, an infra-tech startup to provide green buildings with solutions that are affordable and easily adoptable.

By leveraging new age technologies, Architude is developing products and services to help foster sustainability and reduce the construction industrys carbon footprint by providing green solutions. The Hyderabad-based startup has built an AI (artificial intelligence) product called KNOWYOURBUILD that suggests lists of suitable and sustainable materials tagged with time, cost, energy efficiency and maintenance information.

The virtual prototype models built using Architude products behave exactly like real buildings. The cost of the construction, time schedules, energy efficiency of the building and the data needed to maintain the building can all be extracted from these models.

Working in the industry for close to two decades, Tithi Tewari had witnessed several problems and situations while communicating design intent to clients through traditional tools and mediums that did little to aid their overall understanding. Despite the extensive use of 3D renders and walkthroughs, she realised that clients had trouble visualising the end-product.

Tithi and her husband Gautam Tewaris startup SmartVizX launched Trezi, a fully-immersive VR product for the construction industry in 2018. The startup claims it is Indias first such product for this industry.

Trezi is a SaaS product, which transforms design communication in the building construction industry. It allows users to step into the virtual world with co-designers and clients to interact with their design, and each other, in real-time, within immersive environments and over desktop systems alike. It allows users to explore, review, and modify their designs at full scale and colour.

It was Minal Dubeys childhood dream to become an architect. However, when she became one, she says people around her did not really understand what the work of an architect entailed.

Turning to entrepreneurial solutions, Minal identified that the key was to encourage architects and interior designers to document their work. Her startup Spaciux creates content for an online community of architects and interior designers.

Realising the potential of documentation for architects and designers, she began to offer services to architects to document their work. After the documentation process, the startup makes the best of social media sites like Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube to showcase their work and help architects connect with potential clients.

A major milestone has been producing a web series called Spaciux Incredible Architects which showcases various types of Indian architecture on Amazon Prime, which was released in the US and UK as well.

With a background in the design industry and having worked with many firms as an architect, Tanya saw a gap in designers, their practice, and business communication. She realised that design and architecture firms were only focusing on their work, and not using communication to ensure growth.

Keen to bridge this gap, Tanya started Epistle Communications in 2011 from her home, a one-of-its-kind agency that offers bespoke strategic communication consulting for design, architecture, and allied industries.

The startup has more than 30 design and allied brands as clients. The list includes Indias top 10 architecture firms. It has helped clients get featured in over 1,800 online and 1,500 print publications and has helped small and big firms get global recognition and access to new business opportunities.

How has the coronavirus outbreak disrupted your life? And how are you dealing with it? Write to us or send us a video with subject line 'Coronavirus Disruption' to editorial@yourstory.com

Read more from the original source:
These architects-turned-entrepreneurs are building innovative products and solutions for architects - YourStory

in district 2 of ho chi minh city, nha dan architects has carved out an introverted yet voluminous living space called bunker house. spanning five floor levels, including a basement and roof terrace, the interior spatial experiences are designed around the concrete structure, resulting in a sense of robustness and an honest expression of materiality.

all images courtesy of nha dan architects

in previous projects by nha dan architects, a system of concrete beams and columns was used to free the floor plans of columns, better connecting the different spaces while letting the outdoors in. in bunker house, they employed this concrete system not only as structure, but also as spatial partitions and the projects guiding aesthetics.

a series of concrete columns grouped into 3 legs serve as structural anchor points for the cantilevered waffle slabs. these 3 legs define the spatial experiences throughout the house: on the first floor, the first leg protects the living spaces from the outside world; the secondessentially an elevator coreand the third leg together delineate a soft border between served and service spaces. the first and second leg accentuate the living and dining room with the added height. on the upper levels, these legs merge with non-structural walls to define the limits between the interior and the outdoors, and partition off the upper level into smaller rooms.

the raw aesthetic and texture from the waffle slabs ribs are continued onto the concrete and metal pergolas on the outside, and also the ceilings and walls. the resulting interior space feels contained and sturdy, like a bunker, and yet fluid, airy and full of natural light.

project info:

project name: bunker house

type: residential

location: district 2, ho chi minh city, vietnam

architect: nha dan architects

status: completed

design: 2018

construction: 2019

construction area: 9493.77 ft2 (882 m2)

architects in charge: nguyen dinh gioi, tran minh phuoc

contractor: nhadan co., ltd

Originally posted here:
the bunker house by nha dan architects exposes the raw texture of concrete in vietnam - Designboom

Reopening Schools

With the school year ending soon, schools across the country are looking ahead to the fall. The CDC recently released a one-page checklist for administrators to consider when reopening schools that include screening students and staff upon their arrival, increasing cleaning and disinfecting throughout facilities, social distancing, promoting regular hand washing and employees wearing face coverings.

These guidelines, along with input from state and local health officials, will impact the learning environment moving forward. We asked designers and architects from across the country what they anticipate classrooms will look like in the fall if they were to reopen, how the coronavirus will impact school design in the long-term, and suggestions on design concepts schools can implement right away to help with social distancing in facilities. Their answers offer insight to available design options and possibilities that can help school leaders plan and make the best decisions for their students and staff.

Answers have been edited for length and clarity.

Within classrooms, there may be a need to create physical distance by making operational decisions such as staggering the number of students within the physical space. Perhaps by deploying remote learning tools and strategies, students can join the classroom instruction from another location within the school building. James E. LaPosta Jr., FAIA, LEED AP, Principal, Chief Architectural Officer at JCJ Architecture

Because schools dont have the time or the funding to build additional classrooms or make the ones they have bigger, they are left with options that strategically alter how existing space is being utilized. For example, schools could use colored tape to mark circulation patterns and six-foot queueing distances on the floor (as were now seeing in grocery stores) around offices, lunchrooms and other locations. Other strategies may require enacting changes in social design, such as dividing the students into groups on a rotating schedule of in-person and distance/online learning. As for classrooms often already challenged with overcrowding schools may need to make tough choices. In classrooms where there is a support area, temporarily removing the support area furnishings may allow desks to be sufficiently separated. Alternatively, larger classes could be moved into the gymnasium or the cafeteria, or even outdoors should weather permit. Julia McFadden, AIA, associate principal and K-12 sector leader for Svigals + Partners, New Haven, CT

As students return to K-12 classrooms in the fall they will be greeted with the next normal a classroom hyper-focused on hygiene, social-distancing, and enhanced air filtration. Most, if not all of these next normal will become routine but will they take away from the learning experience, after all they are bolt-on measures born from reaction rather than proactive design thinking. Billions will be spent by schools all over the world to react in this way and it will not improve the learning environment for our children. After all we are social creatures and we learn by doing in an interactive, socially engaged environment. Jason Boyer, AIA, LEED AP, Principal at Studio Ma, Phoenix, AZ.

The Fall (of 2020) is way too early to anticipate meaningful, long-term, changes of any kind, in life, or in anything at all as planning, design and building take significant time; months, years. Sure, Fall 2020 will be a different experience for the class of 2024 and maybe the classes of 2025, 2026 and 2027.

But will it stay that way? There is no telling. So, in what ways might it change? This remains to be seen.

The shift in thinking the COVID19 crisis will precipitate will likely take five years or more to manifest itself in measurable ways certainly that long in new buildings; most likely more time than that. John Kirk, AIA, Partner, Cooper Robertson

Schools will likely step up the level of monitoring of each individual students health with daily (or more frequent) symptom checks while promoting hygiene in the daily routine. The latter will probably include handwashing stations at building and classroom entrances coupled with increased cleaning and sanitizing protocols for students, faculty and staff. Mark A. Sullivan, AIA, LEED AP, partner with JZA+D

Read the original post:
Here's What Designers and Architects Anticipate Schools Will Look Like in the Fall and After COVID-19 - Spaces4Learning

The ber Shed 2 / Jost Architects

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Text description provided by the architects. Theber Shed 2 is the second rural building we have designed on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia. The project came about because the client had a lot of stuff and needed more space to store it, display it and enjoy it.

His collection included vintage cars, WWII army jeeps, model planes, GI Joes, art, old signs, signed guitars, antique tram ticket dispensers etc etc etc.

There was an existing off the shelf blue corrugated shed which was only 4 years old with galvanised structural steel still shiny. The problem the client had apart from the need for more room was that he couldnt get his classic, stainless-steel Airstream bus in due to the access being too low in height and could just not see how keeping the existing shed was going to work.

We convinced him that we had to keep the existing structure, adapt, reclad and add to the building to make it work both functionally and visually to look like it was always one building.

It improves a usually bland utility into a piece of elegant architecture set in an amazing setting. It realizes the fact that there isnt really a preconceived idea about what a shed should look like and proves that a shed can look really great.

Theres not really much more to say about it as the photos pretty much tell the story. A favourite project of ours with a fantastic client and builder who did our design justice.

Read more here:
The ber Shed 2 / Jost Architects - ArchDaily

Citing the "interests of justice,'' a federal judge has ended Oregon refuge occupation leader Ryan Paynes federal supervision a year and a half early.

Payne, once described as a pivotal architect of the armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, served his prison term of three years and one month and completed half of the three years of supervised release that U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown ordered in March 2018. He received credit for the time he was held in jail after his arrest in late January 2016.

Payne was sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiring to impede federal employees at the wildlife refuge through intimidation, threat or force. He paid his $10,000 restitution in full by Sept. 23

Payne married after getting out of prison, has four children with his wife and one on the way, according to his lawyer Lisa Hay, Oregons federal public defender.

He is head of operations at REM Technologies, a start-up company in Belgrade, Montana. The company is developing a new method of processing raw materials in the metals supply industry. Hes been employed there since August after working as a licensed electrician for another company since his release from custody, according to his lawyer Lisa Hay, Oregons federal public defender.

Mr. Paynes compliant conduct and positive contribution to his community throughout the past 18 months of supervised release demonstrates that further supervision is unnecessary, Hay wrote to the court.

Federal prosecutors did not object. Brown granted Paynes request, effective May 12.

Payne was one of 18 people who either pleaded guilty or were convicted by a jury in the 41-day Malheur refuge occupation in 2016. Prosecutors originally indicted 26 people. Leader Ammon Bundy, brother Ryan Bundy and five others were acquitted of all charges during a trial. The government dropped a conspiracy case against independent broadcaster Pete Santilli.

In January 2018, a federal judge in Nevada dismissed separate conspiracy charges against Payne, Ammon and Ryan Bundy and their father, Cliven Bundy, after she found prosecutors engaged in flagrant misconduct'' and a deliberate attempt to mislead'' and made several misrepresentations to both the defense and the court about evidence. The U.S. Attorneys Office is appealing the dismissal.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian

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Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.

Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter

Read more:
Judge grants early end to Oregon refuge occupation architect Ryan Paynes federal supervision - OregonLive

Ive been spending a lot of time at home lately ... like many of us of here in Virginia and across the nation.

Luckily, my house is my favorite place to be. I fell in love with it from afar and had a house crush on it for years.

Its a modern house, but different from any Id ever seen.

I used to walk by it while pushing a stroller when my younger son was a baby. Id crane my neck to get a good look at it: tucked away in the hollow of a hill above a small lake in the Bon Air area of Chesterfield County. The house was all angles, blue-gray wood siding and windows facing the water. It was indeed different: private, strange and artistic. Every time I saw it, I thought: What would it be like to live there?

One day, I saw the For Sale sign during my morning walk. I ran home, pushing the stroller, and Googled the house, out of breath. It was at the very top of our buying range, a little over, to be honest, but just barely within reach. I said to myself: I have to have it.

We called our real estate agent, then put in an offer. After a small bidding war and a crazy amount of luck, it was ours.

Francis Decker and Colleen Curran's Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose.

My house was built in 1974 by Richmond architect Ernie Rose for his family.

The house is all angles and light, strung together by a spine of skylights down the front hall, and turned toward the lake so that almost every room has a water view.

Its designed slightly in the Frank Lloyd Wright style, with its narrow entrance that forces you into the home, and then opens up, with a sweeping view of the water and an open floor plan. But its also unique to itself and the architect who created it.

I didnt know much about Rose when we bought the house. But I wanted to know more. So I turned to the Richmond Times-Dispatch archives, where I found a stack of articles about him.

Retired architect Ernie Rose stands in the office in his workshop at his house which boasts many features attractive to the handyman. (Photo 2005)

Born in Richmond, Rose ran a thriving architecture firm in the 1980s and 1990s, first with Ernie Rose Inc., followed by Rose Architects in the mid-1990s. Roses firm designed some of the first office buildings in the Innsbrook Corporate Center, the Heilig-Meyers headquarters in Goochland County and the original CarMax showroom on West Broad Street that is now used as the prototype for over 150 locations.

Rose was known for his budget-conscious approach to projects. He could come up with a budget for a quality building and stick to it, an attribute hard to find in many architects, said his former business partner Mark Larson. He also designed condominiums in the Lockgreen community off River Road and the new urban housing development Winchester Greens off Hull Street Road.

Before out-of-town developers discovered Richmond, he almost had a monopoly on office work in town. It became a chase for developers. Whoever could call him first got his services, Larson said.

In 1999, Rose Architects merged with Baskervill, and Rose retired shortly afterward. When he died in 2006 at the age of 67, projects of Rose Architects dotted the city as well as 20 other states.

Francis Decker and Colleen Curran's Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose.

But what he didnt make at least many of were private residences.

Ernie just didnt do houses. He was a commercial architect, his wife, Connie Rose, said.

Designing houses requires a certain personality, Larson said. Its labor intensive. It doesnt pay as well as [other projects].

While Rose might be best known for his commercial work, his private homes are spectacular. But, of course, Im biased.

Pennie and Keith Parkin at their home designed by Ernie Rose.

Pennie and Keith Parkin's Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose.

Pennie and Keith Parkin at their home designed by Ernie Rose.

Pennie and Keith Parkin's Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose.

Keith and Pennie Parkin at their Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose.

Pennie and Keith Parkin's Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose. Skylight in their living room.

Architect Ernie Rose's sketch ofPennie and Keith Parkin's house on Lake Shore Drive.

Francis Decker and Colleen Curran's Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose.

Francis Decker and Colleen Curran at their Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose.

Gus Decker, 8, Colleen Curran, Henry Decker, 12 and Francis Decker and at their Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose.

View of the skylights at Francis Decker and Colleen Curran's Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose.

Built-in bookcases in the living room at Francis Decker and Colleen Curran's Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose.

Francis Decker and Colleen Curran's Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose.

Francis Decker and Colleen Curran's Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose.

Main hall at Francis Decker and Colleen Curran's Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose. The sliding barn door conceals a small storage area.

Francis Decker and Colleen Curran's Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose. Bedroom built-in window seat and wrap-around windows overlooking the lake.

Francis Decker and Colleen Curran's Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose. Built-in linen closet in the front hall used for towels and sheets. The top drawers are used for the kids' hats and gloves in the winter.

Francis Decker and Colleen Curran's Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose. Skylights in the main hall let in diffused light.

Francis Decker and Colleen Curran's Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose.

Francis Decker and Colleen Curran's Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose. View of the kitchen.

Francis Decker and Colleen Curran's Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose. Built-in china cabinet and bar in the kitchen.

Connie and Ernie Rose stand outside their home on Buford Road in the Bon Air section of Chesterfield. By all definitions it is a handyman's dream house as it features a complete woodshop and a lift in the garage for working on automobiles.

Ernie and Connie Rose built their Bon Air home to look like an old Virginia farmhouse. Ernie, an architect, designed the building. Photo taken Thursday, December 5, 1996. View is of the front door.

Ernie and Connie Rose built their Bon Air home to look like an old Virginia farmhouse. Ernie, an architect, designed the building. Photo taken Thursday, December 5, 1996. View is of the backyard.

The personal residence Ernie Rose built for himself and his wife on Buford Road. It was built in the Victorian style to blend in with the houses in Old Bon Air.

The personal residence Ernie Rose built for himself and his wife on Buford Road.

Ernie and Connie Rose built their Bon Air home to look like an old Virginia farmhouse. Ernie, an architect, designed the building. They are standing in the living room. Photo taken Thursday, December 5, 1996.

Ernie Rose built these closets and the window seat including its cushions for the upstairs bedroom. Photo taken Thursday, December 5, 1996.

Ernest W. Rose Jr., with Rose Architects, is surrounded by models and drawings of the future headquarters for Heilig Meyers in Goochland. The company is one of the 'Rising 25' after twenty-six years in business. Photo taken Tuesday, August 13, 1996.

Ernie and Connie Rose built their Bon Air home to look like an old Virginia farmhouse. Ernie, an architect, designed the building. The photo of their kitchen was taken Thursday, December 5, 1996.

Retired architect Ernie Rose stands in the office in his workshop at his house which boasts many features attractive to the handyman. (Photo 2005)

Even though my house is over 45 years old, it feels so fresh and modern, and it speaks to how my family lives today.

It has an open floor plan with an open kitchen that looks over the large living room. I can cook and watch my children playing at the same time. There is no formal dining room, because Rose didnt believe in them at the time. What I love about this house is how efficient it is. It makes sense. It was designed with a distinctive vision and on a budget which was classic Ernie Rose.

Ernie didnt do showy stuff. His work was about quality, the craft, the scale. His houses were almost designed not to be flashy. He was a midcentury modern kind of guy. He liked Frank Lloyd Wright houses. Like those houses, it was hard to find the entrance. Its all about the scale, bringing the scale down to the human scale. They were very human-oriented, Larson said.

Francis Decker and Colleen Curran's Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose. Bedroom built-in window seat and wrap-around windows overlooking the lake.

At my home, the entrance is tucked into the side of the house. The master bedroom is just off the front door, with a built-in window seat overlooking the lake and built-in closets and drawers. The windows are so large, that when you sit at the window seat, you feel as if youre outside in nature, even though youre inside. And thats how it feels throughout the house: that it was built to be one with nature.

Rose designed his homes to fit the landscape and to offer the best views of the nature around them. In the living room, built-in bookshelves climb one wall in a dramatic slant. There are built-ins throughout the house: a china cabinet in the kitchen, a linen closet in the hall, and filing cabinets and drawers in a small study upstairs.

Ernie would lay out a house based on efficiency. He cared a lot about that. He designed to maximize the materials in the building and to minimize waste. The level of details that was part of Ernies mindset, Larson said. A good architect will spend a lot of time worrying about those kinds of things.

The bones of the house are so great, we didnt have to do much to it when we moved in, except to purge most of our furniture, because with the built-ins, we didnt need it anymore. Instead, we focused on filling the walls with paintings signed by my artist father-in-law, Chase Decker.

Francis Decker and Colleen Curran's Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose.

When I showed a friend a picture of our living room, she asked: Where are all the books and toys and newspapers? Where is the clutter? Theyre in the built-ins. Honestly, its the easiest house to tidy up Ive ever lived in. It has a whole-house vacuum (from the 70s that still works!) that has been a life-changer.

Even the long modern sofa in the living room is a built-in that Rose designed and built himself.

Ernie was a craftsman. He worked on restoring old cars and MGs. But he also had a really great touch with furniture. He liked the simplicity of Shaker-type furniture. He would use that as a starting point and make it his own, Larson said.

Rose studied architecture at Virginia Tech and Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y. At Tech, he was inspired by the Bauhaus school, taught by many of the professors, which focuses on craft, simplicity and having a harmony of function.

They taught him how to make things with your hands, Larson said.

Ernie was very much into the modern and the midcentury, the Eames and Bertoia chairs, Connie said. He made really good cabinets and beautiful furniture. He never had a plan. Hed just start cutting wood, and it always came together. I have a lot of pieces he built and so do the kids.

Main hall at Francis Decker and Colleen Curran's Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose. The sliding barn door conceals a small storage area.

When the Roses lived here in the 1970s, they had three sons, and the house was so private, they didnt have any window coverings. The skylights in the main hall let in the softest, most diffused light, all day.

Ernie was very big on having light come in. He didnt like dark interiors. He would put windows in corners and near the door to let in the light, Connie said.

When the lake behind the house became a popular spot for ice-skating in the winter, Connie had to invest in curtains for the bedroom for privacy. Otherwise, the house is turned away from the street, facing the water, for total privacy. Its the inverse of many houses, which typically face the street. Its not for everyone, but it spoke to me and my appreciation of privacy.

The house also has a garage with a pitched roof and doors that swing open where Rose used to work on vintage cars. My husband has turned it into the man cave. He throws parties in there that I dont even realize are happening, and that, my friends, is marital bliss.

Pennie and Keith Parkin's Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose.

Our house wasnt the first that Rose built in the Bon Air neighborhood. He built another, modern in style, for the Hsu family in 1972. Its built into the hill, all cantilevers and levels, with a deep brown-stained siding. We struck up a friendship with the owners, Keith and Pennie Parkin, based on our love of Ernie Rose houses.

Parkin, a graphic designer, was looking for a house after his divorce in 2012. He spotted the Rose house while out driving.

Keith and Pennie Parkin at their Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose.

No one was living here at the time. I pulled into the driveway and peeked into the windows. I wasnt sure if I could afford it. But I was like, This house has to be mine, Parkin said.

He called his agent, got a tour and learned the listing price was within his budget at $260,000. It wasnt updated, but I didnt care, he said. I liked the fact that it was contemporary, modern and completely different than any house Id ever seen.

Pennie and Keith Parkin's Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose. Skylight in their living room.

Their house is like a mirror image of ours. It has the familiar Ernie Rose trappings: the same white built-ins with silver pulls. They even have a built-in stereo cabinet and a giant square skylight in their living room.

While Ernie was working on that house, he came across the lot for our house.

Architect Ernie Rose's sketch ofPennie and Keith Parkin's house on Lake Shore Drive.

The Roses bought the lakefront lot for $3,500. Rose didnt have a lot of work at the time, as he was just starting out with his own company, and Connie said he would often come out and help build the house.

It took nine months to build, which wasnt a long time, but seemed like forever, she said. The budget for the house was a little under $45,000, which Rose stuck to, for the most part. To adjust for inflation, that would be around $250,000 today. In the interest of full disclosure, the list price when we bought the house in 2014 was a bit more $300,000 because it included two additional parcels of land, one on each side. My husband and I pooled all our savings together, every scrap and cent we'd ever saved or earned, for the deposit and never looked back.

Ernie and Connie Rose built their Bon Air home to look like an old Virginia farmhouse. Ernie, an architect, designed the building. Photo taken Thursday, December 5, 1996. View is of the front door.

The house Ernie Rose is most well-known for is a white Victorian on Buford Road that was featured in Southern Living magazine twice. Built in 1995, the Buford Road house was custom-built to look like the late 19th-century Victorian homes that surround it, even though it was designed by a modern architect.

The Buford Road house was a whole other turn completely. Ernie said, I cannot and will not build a contemporary house in the middle of Old Bon Air. It wouldnt be right, Connie said.

Connie and Ernie Rose stand outside their home on Buford Road in the Bon Air section of Chesterfield. By all definitions it is a handyman's dream house as it features a complete woodshop and a lift in the garage for working on automobiles.

The house on Buford Road was the greatest example of his craftsmanship, Larson said.

Outside, it almost looks like a farmhouse from the 1900s with a standing-seam green metal roof and copper gutters, but inside, it has all the modern amenities and functional design of today.

It was such an amazing house with lots of oversize columns and woodwork, Connie said. It had built-in furniture, cabinets and Corian counters, which Ernie favored. The garage even had a hydraulic lift where he worked on his vintage cars.

When it sold in 2005, the listing price was around $750,000.

Gus Decker, 8, Colleen Curran, Henry Decker, 12 and Francis Decker and at their Lake Shore Drive home designed by Ernie Rose.

In these times when were encouraged to be safer at home, I feel lucky. Because this is the only place I want to be.

I think about Ernie Rose often and what its like to live in a house thats well-designed. And how thankful I am for it, especially now.

Downstairs, the electrical box is signed, simply, in strong black letters: Rose. Like an artist signing a painting. A work of art. That we, by some sort of miracle, get to live in.

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Richmond architect Ernie Rose built rare, modern houses in Bon Air. I get to live in one - Richmond.com