Location:
A retail space on Hope St in Providence used a polished concrete floor, custom shelving, a matte silver ceiling and bright pop of color to create an energizing yet serene environment for a spa and wellness shop.
This 1840’s farmhouse had been added on to over the years in ways which did not enhance its unique character. We redesigned the four-car garage into three bays with a mudroom entry. The connecting ell was redesigned to eliminate the 70’s style transom windows and unceremonious back door, and provide a welcoming and functional main entrance. The master bedroom’s large skylights were replaced with a large dormer capturing the view of an ancient oak and stream which runs behind the house. The expanded family room/music room opens to a small patio at the rear, allowing a private view of the wooded slope. The kitchen was completely renovated and expanded to include a new powder room, a pantry, and lots of space for cooking and entertaining. His and Hers master baths and the renovation of a large bath in the original house completed the renovation.
A quiet co-working space in an industrial building near the train tracks in Providence. The challenge was to provide different types of comfortable spaces and seating for writers, from extroverts who like a bit of noise to those who require silence and a studious environment. There is also a podcasting space which requires sound dampening and other acoustic conditions, as well as a Training Room, a Conference Room and two telephone rooms for zoom calls. We created a collection of rooms with good acoustic isolation from one another and quiet ventilation and air conditioning. Each space has a unique character using color, art, wallpaper and murals as well as custom cabinetry. The main space has a custom office for the organization’s managers, which features display shelving for local authors’ books. The “Quiet Car” (named in honor of the proximity to the Amtrak line) has custom writing nooks with shelving and sit-to-stand desks to allow flexibility in seating.
As design architect, we developed the program, shepherded the design through the Historic District Commission process and assembled the team for the renovation of this existing concrete block masonry building. We added a second story and planned for a fully electrical building powered by solar panels on the roof. The existing asphalt parking lot is to be transformed into a terrace and gardens, and the second story incorporates a rooftop garden. One enters a contemporary gallery space, and progresses through a paneled library space, ascending to an airy, light-filled second floor where each room has a different vibe: from Moroccan bath to Scandinavian birch minimalism to Louis XIV salon.
The exterior expression is meant to evoke the feeling of a civilized urban building, like a club in London or New York. The small balconies with their plantings provide a welcoming feeling both inside and out. The spaces are meant to be an oasis in the city.
The program includes a gallery space, a library, offices and large and small meeting rooms. Skylights will punctuate the staircase as well as a common area. The metal windows and doors allude to Parisian buildings, as does the façade expression.
