Chapel Hill Renovation Revisited
We are getting near the end of May, which means National Preservation Month is almost over. To continue our celebration, today we revisit our historic Chapel Hill Renovation. This Dutch Colonial was originally built in the 1933 and is located in one of Chapel Hill’s historic districts. From the street view, the home maintained much of its original character. Away from the street, a former rear service porch had been altered and enclosed. That area become the primary focus of the exterior changes. The altered porch zone was removed and a new two-story addition was added in the style of the
Our Values: Achievement
Continuing with our blog series that highlights each of our 12 values, today we will focus on Achievement. We are proud of our accomplishments, including recognition for the quality of our work, design awards, consistent positive feedback, and being published in both print and digital media outlets. We are also proud of our internal measures of success: achieving financial profitability and solvency, longevity of our firm, and the strength of our brand. 2020 marks our 35th anniversary and we are celebrating the longevity of our studio - since 1985. In 2016, Samsel Architects was recognized by AIA North Carolina as the Firm
Center for Craft Renovation wins 2020 Griffin Award
Our renovation at 67 Broadway in downtown Asheville has won a 2020 Griffin Award from The Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County. 67 Broadway is home to Center for Craft’s National Craft Innovation Hub. This is the 17th Griffin Award for our studio since we opened the doors in 1985. The Center for Craft headquarters is in a historic four-story brick structure that was built in 1912. We worked with Center for Craft to renovate the building, maintain its historic certification and highlight the beauty of its existing structural systems. Breathing new life into three of the building’s four stories,
Modern Cottage in Biltmore Forest
This woodland cottage, located in the Town of Biltmore Forest, near Asheville, North Carolina and the landmark Biltmore Estate, is modern in its construction while holding true to historic examples in the area. From the first glimpse of the exterior through the trees, the house appears as if it has always been there. In response to our client’s request that the house not appear dominant or outwardly showy, we rotated the home’s linear footprint to greet guests with its shortest façade, presenting the impression of a small cottage. The design of the house alludes to the countryside homes of C.F.A. Voysey,
Downtown Apartment Renovation Revisited
May is National Preservation Month, and to celebrate we are revisiting one of our historic renovation projects in Downtown Asheville. This apartment is on the top level of a 1905 building that is on the National Register of Historic Places. For our renovation, we redesigned the cramped interior to be open and modern while still preserving the historic charm of the granite building. To learn more about Preservation Month, you can visit The National Trust for Historic Preservation. This month, they have virtual tours of important landmarks across the US. You can also visit and learn from our local society, The
Sunsets and Sazeracs at Black Mountain Renovation
Breathing new life into existing homes is a source of inspiration for us and our clients. We were happy to hear from our client about the joy their re-imagined spaces have given them through the Coronavirus pandemic. The value of a beautiful home is keenly evident right now. Our clients wanted to update their 1920s stone home in Black Mountain by bringing more light into the home and capturing the view of the nearby Craggy Gardens. The clients envision spending several more decades in the house and challenged us to make the home easier to navigate with open gathering spaces and