Client: Oliver Hospitality

Location: Atlanta, Ga

Design Team: 

Gamble + Gamble, Architecture

Reunion Goods & Services, Interior Design 

Ray Ellis & LaBrie, Historic Preservation Consultant

Atlanta Preservation Center Keystone Award 2018

Atlanta Magazine Groundbreakers Award 2017

Hotel Clermont is an adaptive reuse of a historic Atlanta hotel constructed in 1924 as the Bonaventure Arms Apartments. Located along a trolley car line, the apartment building embodied the transition from dense urban city centers towards suburban development made possible by the growing popularity of the automobile. 

It was constructed near the newly developed Ford Motor Assembly Plant, built in 1916, and was followed in 1926 by the massive Sears Roebuck Building now known as Ponce City Market. In 1939, the apartment building was converted to a hotel.  A 1958 document indicates the hotel had 100 rooms and 33 efficiency and one-bedroom furnished apartments. The building was eventually closed in 2009 after many years of decline. 

Hotel Clermont has been renovated and reopened for use as a boutique hotel with 94 guestrooms, a gracious lobby bar and cafe. Amenities include a restaurant to serve hotel patrons and neighborhood residents, as well as a rooftop bar with a stunning view of the surrounding neighborhoods and the Midtown skyline.  Although outside the scope of this project, great care was taken to ensure the continuous operation of the Clermont Lounge, a famous Atlanta landmark operated in the basement of the building. 

The historic preservation effort included window replacement and the restoration of the exterior brick and historic signage. Extensive interior work included restoration of interior terrazzo, plaster and trim. Structural repairs and rehabilitation of the central grand staircase were required to meet current building codes. Due to these efforts, the building is a candidate for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.

Press:

- Gun & Garden, Step Inside Hotel Clermont by Dacey Orr Sivewright  |  July 25, 2018

- Atlanta Business Chronicle, Hotel Clermont reopens as symbol of Ponce corridor’s rebirth by Amy Wenk  |  July 6, 2018

- Curbed Atlanta, The Hotel Clermont’s hard-fought return to grace by Josh Green  |  June 20, 2018

- Atlanta Magazine, A peek at the renovated Hotel Clermont’s hip rooms and vintage furnishings by Scott Henry  |  May 21, 2018

- Curbed Atlanta, Photos: At Clermont Hotel return of landmark radio tower marks major progress by Michael Kahn  |  January 5, 2018 

- Creative Loafing, Step inside the Clermont Hotel by Max Blau  |  January 23, 2014

Atlanta Urban Design Commission Award of Excellence 2015

Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation Excellence in Rehabilitation 2015

National Trust for Historic Preservation No.2 of Top Ten Saves 2014

Located on 145 Auburn Ave, The Daily World Building was a home to Atlanta's oldest African-American-owned daily newspaper. In 2008 the building was heavily damaged by a tornado, and the newspaper moved to a new site in East Point.  The building continued a slow decline through 2012 when plans were announced to sell the site and demolish the structure.  The Historic District Development Corporation, whose mission is preservation in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Historic District, launched an online petition to save the building. 

Finally purchased in January of 2014 by a group of preservation inclined real estate partners, the building and grounds are now listed on the National Historic Register, with complete renovation commencing late summer.  Retail/Office space will occupy the sidewalk level, directly on Atlanta's new street car route, with residences above.

Real estate developer and Sidewalk Radio host, Gene Kansas, who purchased the building in January this year says that it is a project with great potential and he is intending to bring it back to its former vibrancy.

photos of prior to renovation credit: Artem Nazarov

Location: Taccoa River, GA

Contractor: Marc Nicholson, Nicholson Home Builders

A series of properties along the Toccoa River in Blue Ridge, Georgia became the ideal site for a couple seeking a distinctly rustic but elegant home for entertaining a large extended family and relaxing along the river. The house unfolds along the bank, each room opening up to a view and soothing sounds of the water mere yards away. In order to fully appreciate the site, the house has been designed with multiple outdoor rooms, including a terraced yard, a serene hot tub escape, and screen-enclosed dining and living spaces. The grander outdoor areas connect back to the main body of the home through walls of gliding windows that virtually disappear, allowing the atmosphere of the river to spill into the office, kitchen, dining room, and great room.

Sweeping views of Lake Laceola from every room of the house are accompanied by a series of eccentric dormers that bring in ample direct sunlight as well as ambient light reflected off the walls of the deep shafts. The dormers highlight specific parts of the program-dining, yoga, bathing-and respond with the appropriate light. The houses dramatic roofline and heavy stone walls are complimented by an equally dramatic terraced landscape reaching down to the water’s edge designed by London-based landscape architect Martha Schwartz.

Location: St. Regis Residences, Atlanta,  21st floor

Contractor: Robert Soens, Pinnacle Custom Builders

An extension of an existing residence at the St. Regis hotel to host entertaining spaces and a large master suite. Rich materials such as ebony macassar wood paneling, Fortuny drapes, silver brown wave granite, dark colors and dramatic, but subtle lighting with art of artists such as Todd Murphy and Aaron Morse create moody and relaxing experience with a touch of mystery.  

A 1950s ranch style house converted into an open-planned, contemporary home. Site constraints influenced many of the design decisions; a walled courtyard transitions guests and homeowners from the public street and front yard to the private interior, while a narrow back yard and tight setbacks necessitated a second story master suite. A rooftop deck was added as a bonus to the second floor, as well as a living room off of the front of the house, sheltering the deck from the street.

Gartrell Street Twonhomes are located in Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn District, just around the corner from Edgewood Avenue amenities. This townhomes project consists of 24 units offering contemporary architecture dwelling experience with incredible views of downtown Atlanta. Gartrell Street Twonhomes were designed in collaboration with Epic Development.

A 1911 structure built as a baptist tabernacle serves today as a 2,600-seat performance venue. The work on this historic building includes ongoing improvements since 2006, as well as the renovation after damage caused by the March 2008 tornado.

The biggest challenge with this project was developing a design that could transform an old Pizza Hut into something completely new while creating a space that captured the Texas BBQ vibe the client envisioned. The smoke house and chopping table are both featured as part of the theatre of BBQ experience. The food is amazing so we knew our design needed to be too!

Working with an existing space and specific programmatic needs, in this case, meant doing a lot with just a little square footage. The result for Sweet Charlie’s is a bright, clean, and welcoming space accented by white washed wood siding and pops of ice cream art.  Both the client and contractor were a pleasure to collaborate with on this project, so the quickness with which the design phase, permitting, and construction were completed was made all the more satisfying.

The Water Tower Stacks are located in Atlanta’s Historic Old Fourth Ward, right on the edge of Old Water Tower Park near the Eastside Beltline Trail. This townhomes project consists of 10 units offering contemporary architecture dwelling experience with incredible views of downtown Atlanta. The Water Tower Stacks were designed in collaboration with Epic Development.

Location: Campbell Cove Lake, TN

Contractor: Marc Nicholson, Nicholson Home Builders

Campbell Cove Lake House near Ducktown, Tenessee, consists of three independent structures (main house, bunk house, and garage). The modules are held together under a single roof triangulating between desired heights of individual spaces and nodes. The folded structure of ridges and valleys evokes the forms of the mountainous landscape around it, prompting the idea of the structure rhyming with it's context. The breezeway frames the lake view and a key outdoor place sequence encompassing an observation deck, a screened-in porch, garden, and a terrace anchored by a sculptural fire place.

Situated on a hill overlooking Lake Oconee, this two-thousand square foot vertically zoned home has a small footprint, limiting its impact on the landscape, and offers views of the lake to every room. The stacked spaces create hierarchy of privacy allowing the owners and guests to ascent from the intimacy of the bedrooms to the social entertaining and dining spaces, culminating with the open roof terrace. Complete with a garden and outdoor kitchen, the roof provides a special connection to the treetops and the uninterrupted panorama of the lake and countryside. The house is designed to ventilate naturally, drawing cool air off the lake and up though the stair tower. 

World Architecture Festival - Finalist | American Institute of Architects - Georgia Chapter - Merit Award >> | American Institute of Architects -  Atlanta Chapter - Merit Award

Site  |  Heavily wooded, steeply sloped, 54 acre wooded lot on Highland Gap Road in North Carolina. A small creek cuts though the northern edge of the site and flows to the Middle Creek, less than 1/2 mile away.
Clients  |  Retirement age couple, downsizing
Programmatic Strategy  |  Eccentrically zoned, compact vertical
Formal Strategy  |  The overall form of the house is predicated on three factors:
- Eccentric pallete of center points based on placement of tree trunks
- Maximum solar gain derived from a carefully calibrated solar geometry
- Air flow capture and connection to the geologic and environmental qualities of the site
Hot Side/Cool Side  |  The upper windward side of the house faces uphill and directly south. An array of framed solar louvers wrap the so called “hot” side of the house, generating enough electricity on average daily basis to light the house. The stair serves as a vertical ventilation shaft, using the hot side of the house to magnify thermal movement on warm days during the swing season. 
The lower windward side of the house faces a small creek with the view extending towards a river basin. With predictable sir current in the mountains, the orientation captures cool air traveling up the hill. Windows serve as soft articulated apertures to emphasize air flow across smooth ceilings.
Energy Kit  |  Ultra efficient energy generating kit with positive energy generation over a 12 month cycle. PV: Monocrystalline silicon panels, moderately ventilated, south orientation and inclination of 45º on southern wall. 0,12 ~0,18 Kpk KW/m2 with a minimum package density of 80%
Cooling system  |   Multisplit system with COP = 2.9
Heating system  |   Heat pump + radiant floors, estimated conservatively at COP = 1. Mechanical supply and exhaust of air @ 0.35 ACH. Heat exchange plates and/or pipes. 20% exhaust air recirculation. Tight envelope @ 0.4 ACH
Sensor controlled lighting  |  Lighting intensity = 5 W/m2. Evacuated tube solar collectors with direct ow system (hot water) 30 m2, facing south @ 30º inclination on roof
Water Conservation  |  Two 1000 gallon cisterns located at east and west side of house
Energy Calculations  |  Ultra efficient system with 80-95% energy generation balance over a 12 month cycle.
Structure  |  CIP reinforced concrete with tube steel bracing at pressurized wall system
Wind Veil  |  3/8” diameter stainless steel beads on the cool side
Envelope  |  Interchangeable pressurized panel system Aluminum Clad SIP, Reyaears Doors and Windows, Hydrotech Roof system

Location: St. Regis Residences, Atlanta,  21st floor

Contractor: Robert Soens, Pinnacle Custom Builders

Private elevator access, sweeping views of the Buckhead neighborhood in Atlanta, and an eclectic mix of highly collectable antiques are all key ingredients of this spectacular 21st floor residence in Atlanta’s St. Regis Hotel. Artwork includes pieces by: Picasso, Todd Murphy, Jean De Merrie, Robert Longo, Barbara Amour, Michelle Schuff, and other noted Atlanta artists.  Antiques include a circa 1935 Jules Lelue dining room set, a Tang Dynasty terra cotta horse, a period Czechoslovakian art deco side board, and antique gaming pieces.  New furniture and collectibles are from Ligne Roset, R. Hughes, Moattar Rugs, Travis and Co., Jerry Pair.    4200 sf, completed in 2013.

Constructing new homes in historic urban neighborhoods presents many challenges, and 1211 Oakdale is no exception. In designing a new home over an existing ranch footprint, we redefined an archetypal style to create a home that embraves the contemporary tastes of the owner while respecting the fabric of the neighborhood.

An intelligent plan elimanates waste by making all spaces, including circulation, livable. The owners' love of entertaining led to the creation of large social spaces which flow from the interior to the exterior. The social aspect is heightened by aperatures that create visual connections between all spaces, to the exterior, and fill the interior with light.The program of the house also includes a library, wine cellar, art studio, gallery, and gardens.

Landscape: Douglas Allen, ASLA  |  Contractors: Innovative Building, Inc; Atlanta, GA  |  Location: Atlanta, GA  |  Completed: Winter 2001

Site  |  1/3 acre, gently sloping in a 1920's East Atlanta neighborhood, with an existing 1100 sf cottage nestled among beautiful, mature hardwoods.
 
Program  |  A recently married, professional couple (both working for non-profit companies) with similar creative interests: one is a painter, one works in clay.
Working with a very limited budget, the program called for a large, connected space of approximately 800 s.f. which would accomidate both mediums as well as serving as a social nexus for entertaining.
The painter requested a loft; the potter a plinth.
Environemntal response is literal, not rhetorical, and emphasizes a strong connection to the site.
 
Budget  |  $85,000 (with some sweat equity)
 
Contextual Response  |  The collection and storage of rainwater was part of the program, leading to a reconsideration of the existing house's form.
An inversion of the formal and oredering elements of the original house was proposed.
 
Systems  |  Existing House -- Studio
Foundation  | Piers and wood joists -- Concrete Plinth
Frame  |  Concealed -- Exposed
Roof  |  Gable/Deflector -- Scupper/Collector
Relation to Site  | Elevated/Enclosed -- Grounded/Expansive
Drainage  |  Incidental -- Intentional

This design is the first price winning entry for the 2006 Sustainable Home Competition.  
The entry was to improve the quality of life of the people who will inhabit the space and provide flexibility  with various living arrangements. The project budget was $125,000 requiring creativity in use of readily available materials and simplified construction techniques to provide a more customized home for the budget. 

By carefully configuring the program of the house on the site, the solution created a variety of indoor and outdoor public, social and private spaces with the house becoming a Figure and not an Object. The front porch is a strong signifier at the community level and stretches across the front of the lot to elevate social relations, while at the same time providing carport for unloading groceries and people under cover of the house. With access from the front porch and the living room, the garden serves as a focal point for the social spaces of the house. Rainwater is stored in cisterns in both the front and the rear yard and distributed into the vegetable garden via drip lines in between rain showers.  The site plan has been designed to comply with Xeriscape’s guidelines and suggestions for low water usage.

Air moves through the house in a  variety of ways depending on the season.  In the Spring and Autumn, a centrally located attic fan draws cool air in from both the social and private sides of the house through the Living Room.  In the Winter, the house is zoned in such a way as to permit  complete or partial heating.  Windows facing south permit the low winter sun to heat the dining room and kitchen throughout the day. 

The living room is the nexus of all activities in the house by interacting with every space on the site from the most public to the most private. Maximum flexibility is achieved by all load bearing walls at the perimeter of the house in every zone, maximum number of interior and exterior spaces, and services embedded along the side property lines allocating free and open space around the garden and grove. Moveable wall panels allow the house to adept to a variety of family sizes and social arrangements.