On behalf of our friends and investor clients we were able to close on this turn-key, vacation rental, investment property called “Among the Clouds” just before the holiday weekend so they could get started operating their new business. Check it out here and share it with your friends. It is the quintessential mountain retreat with hot tub and fire pit for your true mountain escape. Cheers to them!

Hi Folks! You can now see all the entries to WNC’s AIA Design Awards this year. Go here for the video overview.

The outdoor awards is this upcoming Thursday evening and is $25 for General Admission which includes beer, wine and catering by Corner Kitchen. The 30 minute awards portion will be presented via a cool multi-media projection. Come and enjoy this outdoor ceremony at the City County Plaza. For tickets and information go here. Come and join us Modern Mixer crowd. Cheers!

Yesterday, following a closing on a property for one of our investor clients {YEAH!} Kelly and I attended a meeting with AIA Asheville and a member of our city’s planning department on the movement towards changing our zoning to allow more density and housing types in some of our neighborhoods. If interested the presentation can be seen HERE. The city is looking for your input so, also, go HERE and take the survey following. This is your chance to help influence the future of your community. Cheers!

Have you driven by Beaver Lake recently? You might have noticed the new modern home under construction on Merrimon Ave. The home is the vision of local architect Robert Griffin that he has designed for a custom client. The details of the home, including these renderings he sent to us, will be featured in the Fall edition of Carolina Home and Garden magazine. Check it out next month. Cheers and have a great week!

The German philosopher Freidrich von Schelling said, “Architecture is music in space as if it were frozen music” while Plato stated, “Rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul.” Even without knowing it as a young boy I was fascinated by rhythm used in the design of buildings. For me it is the breath of life for most constructions. Here is a photo of my grade school by modern architect Ed Barnes as featured in Life magazine in 1965.

The repetitive massing and lines distinguishing functional volumes, as well as, flooding the spaces with indirect natural light. Other childhood examples included the church by Eliel Saarinen across from our central library and the telephone switching station one block from that.

As human beings we are naturally drawn to experiencing things that are done in a rhythm such as music, dance, poetry; where time and movements are coordinated. Rhythm, or repetition, through design can be generated by a harmonious sequence of structural components, a pattern of masses alternating with voids, a sequence of light alternating with shades or shadows, and alternating colors or textures. Like in music rhythm in design naturally evokes emotion without cognitive awareness. Order and flow create harmony. 

Locally, we have many classic examples. Take a look at our art deco buildings. It is easy to see the breakdown of rhythmical patterns limited to building fenestrations both horizontally and vertically.

Moving to more modern examples I draw from my hikes around UNCA starting with the university’s original building Phillips Hall. Constructed in 1961 and designed by SIX Associates the building layers rhythms experientially as you walk up the stairs and into the interior via its structural columns, window walls, railing and even light placement. There I’m reminded of the Bauhaus interpretation of building as machine. 

One of my favorite contemporary buildings in Asheville is Overlook Hall. Completed in 2012 the facade of this residence hall portrays a more poetic pattern or rhythm that suggests that each individual student has their own unique placement or viewpoint within the mass fabric of being a student on campus. They are both unique and the same at once. 

A more sophisticated residential example is Carlton Architecture’s Slickrock House in the Mountain Air community shown below. There are many complimentary patterns and rhythms working together: standardized structural supports, a roofline emphasizing various volumes of space and light, window mullions and surface patterns. Much like an artist, musician or poet — a designer has to work back and forth balancing the realities of materials and elements with a more intuitive sense of balance and flow until a natural harmony is achieved.

Late architect Michael Graves said, “I see architecture not as Gropius did, as a moral venture, as truth, but as invention, in the same way that poetry or music or painting is invention.” So, the next time you think of a building as static and all engineering based you might want to take a deeper look. Perhaps you might even hear it.

Want to see more modern examples of rhythm in architecture? Yep — we have a Pinterest page for that, too. Have the best Sunday ever. I know we will if you stop and see us at the Flea for Y’all today. Bring an umbrella. Cheers!

Yesterday, I stopped by Lexington Glassworks having strolled past their open door a few times a week on my way to my “go-to” yoga studio Go Yoga. Having arrived a bit too early I decided to finally step into the space. Wow! I had no idea how established of a venue it was. I could always see that the product was well crafted, but the space itself was equally and thoughtfully crafted, too. From layout to detail they have created a mindful experience around glass blowing making it a blend of retail, education and cool social space.

I’ll refrain from saying a whole lot more, but simply encourage you to visit. Their own space and website tells their story better than I so I’ll step back and let them take over. If you haven’t been — GO. They have a beer on tap and a schedule for live music. Cheers!

Hi Folks! It is almost time for the AIA’s Annual Design Awards. I got a peek at all the 40 some regional entries last night at our board meeting. There are some cool designs entered in the competition. The outdoor event is $25 for General Admission which includes beer, wine and heavy nibbles. The 30 minute awards portion will be presented via a cool multi-media projection. Come and enjoy this outdoor ceremony at the City County Plaza. For tickets and information go here. 

Come and join us Modern Mixer crowd. Cheers!

4 Bedrooms | 3.5 Bathrooms | Studio | 4379 sqft | MLS#3171637 

On the market is Grove Park’s premiere mid-century home by notable Asheville architect Tony Lord of the Asheville Citizen Times Building. This completely updated legacy home has been thoughtfully stewarded forward for future generations to enjoy.

Meticulously modernized this gallery style interior sets the precedent for a minimalist aesthetic allowing the occupant to take center stage. Framed by clean, architectural lines the flowing main level is open and nestled in lush nature offering a variety of rooms for living, working and entertaining.

The lower level is designed to be highly versatile as a studio, office or guest bedroom /in-law suite. There is a full bathroom and it comes readily plumbed for a studio kitchen. To tour more on this home, including the new European style kitchen and expansive master bedroom suite, go here. 

This home is shown by appointment. Give Kelly or Troy a call to learn more. Cheers!

Article from February 2009 | Architect Mark Allison is a native of Asheville. He left Asheville after high school to study at UNC Charlotte. He followed that with studies in Denmark and then finished with his degree from the Pratt Institute. Eventually, he moved to Atlanta where he spent several years working for the Epsten Group. The Epsten Group was one of the first design groups in Atlanta practicing sustainable principles and LEED certifications with their projects. In 1997 he returned to Asheville where he worked for both PBC&L Architects and Samsel Architects. One year ago, after completing a home for him and his family, he opened his own design office.

Mark’s office is in his new home, which is located in one of my favorite mid-century neighborhoods off of Town Mountain Rd. The home was constructed on a steep slope opposite many 1960’s contemporary homes. While creating a 3300 sqft modern home for today his design is sensitive to the context of his neighbors all while balancing with the steep slope of his 1.5 acre site.

Mark’s use of sustainable materials was evident through much of his home along with incorporating some passive solar exposure. The steep slope of the site allowed the incorporation of a deep basement into the foundation. Mark made use of a pre-cast concrete system to allow for larger openings and more a natural light. The basement does not feel like a basement.

One of the mechanical items I knew little about was the Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV). Mark tried to explain it to me, but it went in one ear and out the other while admiring the house. Doing an online search I found the dictionary explanation in unreadable technical jargon. Still not getting it I found this video that will helped. Take a moment to watch.

Previous to visiting Mark’s office and home I looked at his website. I noticed two projects I wanted to discuss with him.

One of the two projects is a concept for a commercial building along Merrimon Ave. Mark has a great deal of experience developing commercial projects. In Mark’s words, “This building for a retail or office tenant creates a pedestrian oasis against heavy automobile traffic on Merrimon Avenue. A south-facing courtyard shielded from the street by an armature of precast concrete and glass block wall creates a multifunction courtyard. One passes from here to an inner court between an existing building and the new. The design reinforces the emerging emerging pedestrian character of this new urban edge. The challenge was to create an economical, energy efficient shell that is true to its concept, affords flexibility to its future tenants.” I could immediately recognize and appreciate the attempts Mark was making to address both the automobile and the pedestrian. The simplicity, scale and continuous portion of the architectural marquee creates a billboard to help identify it from an automobile. At the same time the way the pedestrian level falls back becomes welcoming to those on foot. For me they are simple, clean gestures that get the job done while addressing issues that many new buildings along Merrimon don’t.

The other project I noticed is a home he is creating for a family in Asheville.  He is designing a 1500q/ft., sustainable house that will house 3 generations under one roof. The house utilizes passive solar design principles and is tailored to its gently sloping site.  Shared terraces and courtyards join both the public and private wings. I appreciated what he and his clients were working to achieve and believe that they were creating something we will see more of in the future which is a smaller home with the flexibility to house more generations, accommodate a professional office all while working to be energy efficient.

Looking at Mark’s projects you notice that he works closely in blending the program of each project with the context of the specific site. He works back and forth with all the different issues involved in designing a building until there is a natural balance of all the pieces while always including his individual, creative vision as part of the process and result.

(text by Troy Winterrowd, Mark’s house photos by John Fletcher of the Citizen Times)

We received some sweet testimonials from clients this month that we just had to share. Cheers to our great clients and friends!

SELLER Jeff who left our community for, where else, Palm Springs has been a friend and long-term client with us. Thanks for singing our praises. We miss you! “I have worked with Kelly and Troy three times while in Asheville. Every single experience was top-notch. They KNOW this market — mid-century, modern, cutting edge — all of it. They love what they are doing, and you can feel it. They are strategic and never once wasted my time. Everything they showed me was on the money. 

Kelly had the vision to see past obstacles and offer solutions if needed, and it was never in an effort to sell me on something. I always felt that Kelly and Troy were on my side, had my best interest at heart, and that I was THE most important client they had. They have class and smarts and made selling AND buying easier. I’ve been on both sides of that table, and let’s face it, those can be stressful times. But I never felt stressed or pressured. They take care of all the angles. I will be forever grateful for their expertise and sincerity. You will not find anyone who works harder for you, or makes it as fun. Look no further!” And did we tell you the home sold for above asking price at a record level for the neighborhood?

BUYERS Andrea and Lucy just moved here from San Francisco. As we are always saying well located ranch homes are a great resource for “Making Your Modern” here in the mountains. We found them one walkable to town with mountain views. They are thrilled and preparing for the renovations with the architect and builder team all lined up. As always we can’t wait to see the results. 

“Kelly and Troy had an immediate intuitive sense for what we were looking for and helped us identify those types of houses without distraction. They work so seamlessly as a team–Troy’s ability to creatively visualize the possibility for a house and its surroundings; Kelly’s extraordinary efficiency and list of contacts. We found a home quickly and were able to see its possibilities. We were also able to close quickly. We are comfortable having relied on their knowledge, and they were awesome to work with. We have now chosen to work with them on a second project.”