"Putting Up" a 1920's Bungalow

Originally published @

http://thecom-position.com/
juliette@thecom-position.com

This Atlanta residence and home to Architect Richard Bunn and Ken Felts completed its renovation in 2008. The project is a 900 sq ft addition of a large kitchen, seating-den space, master suite with work area and outside porch with a fireplace and wood-fire stone baking oven. The design and construction was intended to extend the life of the house for the next 100 years. The purpose of the renovation was to create space responding to their modern lifestyle and design sensibility. The kitchen extends onto the porch, connecting the inside to the outside.

Ken who has not been involved in a design project prior to this one noted the obsessive level of detail occurring during the design process. He says he can now truly appreciate the time it takes for a designer to work thru the design. The success comes out of the detailed needs assessment, careful planning and three-dimensional study of spatial relationships.

Ken also witnessed the positive “tug of war” occurring between Dick as the Architect and the Contractor during the building phase. They both had visions of how something should be done which at times created friction. The final solution solved collaboratively made the project stronger, illustrating the importance of the designer’s involvement through the construction process.

Ken moved into this house from the typical large newly constructed home with big furniture. Now living in a much smaller but well thought out space with a Knoll Risom Chair replacing his Lazy Boy “lounger” has been a positive change.

He says everything is so comfortable and

perfect for the way they live and entertain. The kitchen

can accommodate ten cooks, and has.

They spend most of their time in the kitchen, living, Master and outside. Evidence to how we don’t need a lot of space if it is well designed.

The renovation was designed and constructed based on Earthcraft principles. “Earthcraft House created in 1999, is a residential green building program of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association in partnership with Southface Energy Institute. This program serves as a blueprint for energy and resource efficient homes.” Definition from the Earthcraft’s website. The mission of Southface is to educate research, advocate and provide technical assistance for residential and commercial sustainable building technology for architects, designers, builders, owners and realtors. The Earthcraft program is specific to the southeast region due to building specifications responding to the climates of the region.
Some of the features designed into this home are the Tankless water heater, Water filtration system, HVAC and Electrical systems and building shell construction.
Dick educated the contractor on Earthcraft materials and methods. Since then the builder has passionately adapted these practices for his own business and is now a listed Earthcraft builder.
Dick Bunn, Principal Architect and Interior Designer with Insight Design in Atlanta Georgia has produced over 5,000,000 square feet of space for his corporate, professional service, retail banking and higher education clients.
Dick’s design knowledge and approach fostered talents of many fortunate interior designers and architects mentored over the years.
Wicksteadworks, an Atlanta based construction firm specializes in sustainable residential construction . Their customers rave about the thorough process, high quality work and excellent communication. Their work has been in national publications, HGTV Ground Breakers, Better Homes and Gardens and Bob Villa.com
Dick and Ken both have a passion for cooking. See our article Preserving… It’s Not Just For Your Grandmother

Designer/Architect: A Richard Bunn, AIAhttp://www.insightinc.netBuilder: WicksteadWorkshttp://www.wicksteadworks.com
Guiding Principles: Earthcrafthouse.comwww.Southface.org
Photographer: Nate Dorn http://www.dornbrothers.com/
Photographer: Lee Grider http://www.f64studio.com
Also see information at the USGBC website on sustainable building at LEED for Homes, LEED is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=147