BALLARD WOODS

Squirrels were literally eating the front porch of this woodland house.  The design of a larger porch built of squirrel-resistant materials and a new bay window enabled the client to add some Craftsman style to the exterior.  The back deck, too small for large parties and in need of repair, was replaced with a new deck and pergola of ipe, cedar, and fir, with a cable rail to maximize views of the woods.  

Contractor:  Ovation Builders

PARK STREET PORCH

A house in a historic district, although gracious on the street side, had only a service porch facing a beautiful back yard.  Children and dogs needed a way to transition from the yard into the kitchen, the parents wanted a place to sit and catch their breath, and the City of Charlottesville wanted an appropriate porch design for a house built in 1898.  Although close to the house next door, the porch is made private and shady with drapes along one side.  

Contractor:  Ovation Builders

THOMAS JEFFERSON MEMORIAL CHURCH

A cracked, heaving concrete entrance walk was replaced with a courtyard creating a sense of place for Sunday congregants and weddings, funerals, and other life events that happen at a church.  The design, in collaboration with architect Kurt Wassenaar, evolved through work sessions with church members.  An overgrown wooded area behind the church was transformed into a memorial garden. Two pavilions, one adjacent to the church playground where parents can sit while keeping an eye on their children and one more remote for quiet conversations, are used for after-church socializing and outdoor classes. An existing semi-circular stone wall became the originating geometry for a stone labyrinth set into the grass.  

Contractors: Abrahamse and Company and Tom Elliott Construction

ORCHARD LANE PORCH

WINSTON ROAD PORCH

Because of excellent engineering, a 60 year old reinforced concrete deck exhibited no cracks or decay, but it was an unappealing place to spend a summer afternoon.  The owners wanted the new screened porch built on the deck to be as transparent as possible so they could easily see their children playing in the yard below.  The original steel railing was retrofitted to fit between new columns placed to add no additional load to the concrete, which was finished with stone tile.  Three large skylights allow natural light to continue reaching the interior of the house.  The well-preserved concrete stairs descending into the yard had new stone treads applied around the existing railing so it did not need to be removed.  

Contractor: Jeremy Manning-Smith