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Welcome, Meredith Smith!

We are super stoked to announce the arrival of a new studio mate, Meredith Smith! Meredith received her Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from Appalachian State University, her Master of Architecture from North Carolina State University, and has most recently been an integral team member on public, educational, and cultural projects at Vines Architecture in Raleigh. She has also served as a lecturer at the North Carolina State University College of Design and has taught both undergraduate and graduate studios at the School of Architecture. You can see the other faces of our studio and read Meredith’s full bio here. Please join us in welcoming Meredith to the team!

2020 AIA Triangle Design Awards

This year’s AIA Triangle Design Awards were presented virtually. Jury Chair Todd Walker of Archimania prepared two fun videos announcing the award recipients, first recognizing Merit Award honorees and then Honor Award honorees. Both videos highlighted significant architectural landmarks of Todd’s hometown, Memphis, Tennessee. We were thrilled to receive three Merit Awards for Jubala Coffee, the Ocotea Renovation, and the Kimball Residence, along with an Honor award for the Yamato Philbeck Residence. Congratulations to all the award recipients and many thanks to Keith Isaacs for photographing all four projects!

Fall 2020 Teaching Semester

The fall semester at the NCSU College of Design kicks off on 08 10 20. Jasmeen will be headed back for her fourth year while continuing on part-time in our office. Zach will be teaching ARC 201, the undergraduate Form studio, and Matt will be teaching his first ARC 401/503 Advanced Options studio. His students this semester will focus on the “Architecture of Mourning.” Stay tuned for images and updates in the newsletter and on Instagram!
 

 

House BC Update

House BC is wrapping up in East Raleigh next month, thanks to the careful attention to detail from Kemp Harris Inc. The project is a collaboration between in situ studio and several talented subcontractors, including Landvision, Living Roofs Inc., Arrowhead, and Dopko Cabinetry. Seeing their work come to life has been very exciting for us and our great clients. We can’t wait to share more photos of this soon! In the meantime, check out that view…

New [Chapel] Hill House

We’ve had a great time working with visionary clients to design a new project located on a wooded hillside in Chapel Hill. The main floor of the house is a ribbon of white brick that floats above a terraced courtyard and patio that slips down the hill beneath it. Atop the main level sits the kids’ wing, a wood box nestled within a lush green roof. The strata of the house are tied together vertically by stair and fireplace masses that define the main living spaces between them. We look forward to continuing work on this project and can’t wait until it becomes reality!
 

 

So & So Books is Open! & Guillotine by Eduardo C. Corral

Escape the heat and come grab a book from So & So Books! We are happy to announce that the bookstore is operating during its regular hours of 10a-5p Friday to Monday, and 10a-8p Tuesday to Thursday! Come check out the new releases, or just come grab a free face mask and some hand sanitizer! Featured this month is the release of Guillotine (08 04 20), a book of poetry by local author – Eduardo C. Corral. Guillotine voices the struggles of many immigrants, a topic never more relevant than today.

Song of the Month – Ferris Wheel – Sylvan Esso

Cheers.

in situ studio

919 397 3949
www.insitustudio.us

Jake Heffington

After three and a half years at in situ studio, Jake Heffington has set off to begin a new chapter in his life and the practice of architecture. His time in our office has been incredible, and so many of our clients have benefitted from his talents, his empathy, and his optimism. Jake has a number of exciting ideas for his next venture and will be working towards making them a reality in the near future. While we don’t know specifics, we know whatever he pursues will be extraordinary. Jake sees the world with his heart and strives in everything he does to make it a better place. In our eyes, he has been beyond successful, and we expect no less for what lies ahead. Farewell, Jake!

Visitor Center Update

We’ve spent the last couple of years working on two very important visitor center projects at the North Carolina Museum of Art and Eno River State Park. This month, we completed construction documents for both! Public bidding will happen late this summer, and both should be under construction this fall. Thanks to our incredible consultant teams for their hard work and to our clients for communicating an inspiring vision and purpose for both buildings! 

Back at the Studio

After eleven months of quarantine, we came back to the studio at the beginning of June. We’re a small crew, so maintaining a safe distance from each other has been easy. We’ve already fallen right back into old favorite habits like our daily visit to Yellow Dog. And, we’ve established some new traditions. No longer used for in-person client meetings, the conference table has been converted into a ping pong table! Thanks to Vince for engineering the “net!” So&So Books is open as well, allowing up to three people at a time to browse the store with proper facial covering. They’re also taking remote orders via email. Folks have plenty time to read these days, and book sales are booming! It’s been great to be back at the big table together, collaborating spontaneously as we have always done.

New Sports Facility in North Raleigh

Our team has been working feverishly on a new sports facility in North Raleigh. While we can’t say much now, the structure is an open air basketball and pickleball complex with a floating steel roof structure wrapped in translucent panels. We recently submitted the first set of site permit documents (thanks to Site Collaborative and Grounded for the heavy lifting), and can’t wait to finalize construction drawings in the next few months. Stay tuned!
 

Book of the Month – Dispatch – Cameron Awkward-Rich

Dispatch, a collection of poems written by Cameron Awkward-Rich, was released in late 2019 and responds to many topics salient today. In his writings, Awkward-Rich voices the shared experience of many African Americans in the United States, exploring topics such as racial injustice, sexuality, identity, and gender. The title evokes ideas of urgency, death, police work, and communication, which are core themes in both Awkward-Rich’s poetry and the society we are currently living in. Awkward-Rich’s emotional words of violence and love through the lens of a Trans African American provide a voice to a community that has been historically underrepresented. 

Song of the Month – Anarchy in the UK – The Sex Pistols

Cheers.

in situ studio

919 397 3949
www.insitustudio.us

Brittany and Jazz!

We are excited to announce that Brittany Siegert has joined our office full-time after two years of internships! And, this summer, Jasmeen Kaur has joined us as an intern! Brittany and Jazz are both former students from the NCSU School of Architecture who did incredible work in the studio setting. They both have incredible graphic and leadership abilities, and we are looking forward to further cultivating their natural talents for architecture in our office. Learn more about them here!

RuMo

Our team is in the final stages of preparing for construction on the Russell Moore Residence (aka RuMo). Construction documents wrapped up earlier this month, and we will hopefully start demo of an existing house on the site in the next couple of weeks. We are excited to be working with the wonderful people at John C. Sanders & Company, who also built the Stimmel Residence and Clark Court.

BoSa

Construction is about to begin for a new house we have designed on Prince Drive in Raleigh! Situated on a semi-wooded suburban lot, the modest exterior of this home gives way to dynamic interiors with an intimate relationship to exterior gathering spaces. A large light monitor washes the stucco fireplace wall with north light. A wall made entirely of millwork organizes the kitchen, dining, and bar areas, and an indoor climbing wall on the second floor is visible from the street! We are thrilled to watch this project come to life with the help of Arrowhead Building Co.

Construction Update

Work continues on several of our houses across the Triangle. One of our favorite parts in building the process is documenting small vignettes that materialize during the installation of finishes. These vignettes represent the culmination of hard work, while still allowing space to hope for what is yet to come! This month we’ve been tracking the layering of roof planes at Crane Fly, the installation of the steel portal at House BC, the skylight at the Lewis Residence, and the stone wall at Morgan Creek. We can’t wait to share more of these moments as these projects finish up this fall.
 

NCSU

This semester at the NCSU College of Design took an unexpected turn after Spring Break due to the COVID-19 outbreak, with all courses moving to remote learning. Vince, Jake, Zach and Matt were teaching studios in the first three years of the architecture curriculum and managed to transition to on-line teaching and critique. The students, to their credit, responded very well! Of course there were a number of aspects of face-to-face teaching that were impossible to replace, but the students worked hard and produced very good work nonetheless. Kudos to the leadership at the College, and especially to Architecture School Head, David Hill  for guiding the faculty and students through this challenging time!

Book of the Month – “Bird by Bird”

Cheers.

in situ studio

919 397 3949
www.insitustudio.us

in situ studio

919 397 3949
www.insitustudio.us

in situ studio

919 397 3949
www.insitustudio.us

Erin Sterling Lewis, FAIA

We are thrilled to share that Erin has been elevated to the AIA College of Fellows! This honor recognizes Erin’s tireless efforts to expand the public engagement role of architects in communities across the state over the past decade. Through initiatives like Activate NC and Connections 81.2 and her role as recent AIA NC President, Erin and her collaborators have sparked public initiatives across the state through speaking series, design competitions, and events that expand the leadership role of architects in imagining the best design outcomes for their communities. Erin’s accomplishments are remarkable, especially in light of how much we know she does in our office every day to lead award-winning projects and guide our team. Please join us in toasting Erin, a true citizen architect and standout in our profession!

Serial Returns in March!

Friday Morning Serial returns this month at 8:00 AM, on 03 19 20, in our office, with David Meeker. David will be talking about what’s next for Trophy Brewing, and why he thinks fare free bus service could transform Raleigh overnight. David is a true gem in our community, and we are excited to hear what he has to say! Come for a bowl of cereal, a hot cup of coffee, and bring a friend. RSVP here! And, if you have someone you think would be a great fit for Friday Morning Serial, please let us know via email!

Russell Moore

We’re currently wrapping up the design of the Russell Moore Residence located in the Oakdale neighborhood of Raleigh. The massing of the house is a cube carved to allow for daylight and seamless transitions between interior and exterior. A major slice through the middle of the house connects the two stories, terminating in a skylight reminiscent of a slot canyon. An indoor garden rests under the stair, furthering the connection to nature in this space. The living and dining rooms open directly to a rear balcony, patio, and a beautiful backyard. The kitchen is fit for culinary adventures and feasts with family and friends. Several built in bookshelves are adjacent to cozy reading nooks for small getaways. We’re aiming to start construction late this spring or early summer and are excited to share construction photos as the project comes out of the ground!

SWIM3C2AN2

Our team has a new project in galaxy far, far away (Chapel Hill), working on a new ground-up house, east of downtown. We have loved getting to know our clients and are super excited about what’s to come later this year. Can’t say much more at the moment, but just imagine: forts, treehouses, Tusken Raiders, kale, and courtyards! Stay tuned!

Readings on Race is back!

The next readings on race event will be held on March 26 at 101 S Wilmington Street from 7:00-9:00pm, where we will be discussing Wilmington’s Lie, by David Zucchino of Durham NC. This book details an often ignored event in our state’s history – the violent overthrow of Wilmington NC’s government in 1898 by white supremacists and the corresponding murder and expulsion of hundreds of African Americans in the community. The repercussions of this moment have shaped the demographic makeup of North Carolina to this day. Grab a local friend and join us for the discussion! So & So Books has generously offered a 25% discount for this event – pick up the book at 704 N Person St, or call to reserve your copy at 919 426 9502. E-mail questions to readingsonrace@gmail.com, or visit www.readingsonrace.com for more information.

Cheers.

in situ studio

919 397 3949
www.insitustudio.us

Teaching

The spring semester is underway at the NCSU College of Design, which means that Brittany and Natalie are in their FINAL semester of architecture school! Their project is a maker space and gallery located on the Duke University Campus, expanding the programming of the Pratt School of Engineering. Vince is teaching first year architecture students with Sara Queen, Ellen Weinstein, and Joe Burkett. Jake is teaching second year students in a site and environment studio, ARC 202, with Don Kranbuehl. Matt is teaching third year students in the ARC 302 technology studio. Stay tuned for updates on excellent student work this semester on our Instagram!

Houses

As the new year gains momentum we have four special houses under construction! In the beginning stages is the Lewis House in Johnston County, a home for a young family nestled at the edge of a forest. The three other houses have all reached the rough-in stage at the same time, keeping us running from site to site! The Taylor Property is a renovation to a Latimer and Matsumoto mid-century house in Chapel Hill. Cranefly is new construction that perches on the banks of New Hope Creek and the edge of Duke Forest. House BC is our newest “machine in the garden” – sited in a post-WWII neighborhood in East Raleigh. We couldn’t do what we do without amazing contractors and subs – special thanks to Bob Aiello, Durham Potter, Xylem Inc., BuildSense, Leo Gaev Metalworks, Kemp Harris, Dopko Cabinetry, and Arrowhead! We can’t wait to see finishes start in the coming weeks at all four sites!

Park Structures

We are in various stages of design for three park projects across the Triangle. Our work on the Eno River State Park Visitor Center is about to enter the construction documentation phase. The new visitor center will be nestled in the forest near the top of a hill, overlooking the park’s well-known pedestrian suspension bridge. We’ve also just started design work on a large recreation shelter in North Raleigh at Baileywick Park. This 32,000 SF structure will accommodate basketball, pickleball, and myriad other community events. Third, we moving into schematic design for a visitor center and six other structures at a new Wake County Park, Beech Bluff, located near Fuquay-Varina. We’ll be excited to share progress on these projects, along with updates on our two museum projects at the NCMA and MoLaS, in the coming months!

Feasibility Studies

Our team is currently completing several feasibility studies for important cultural resources in Raleigh. We recently completed a study for the Sutton Lobby and Theatre Renovation at Raleigh Little Theatre (pictured above). Our proposal focuses on the history of the building, updating finishes and lighting, way-finding, state-of-the-art theater lighting and sound technology, designed by TCC, and improved accessibility. We have also been helping the City of Raleigh and the Dorothea Dix Park Conservancy imagine the potential reuse of several existing structures in Dorothea Dix Park. This work focuses on the rehabilitation and potential reuse of four historic houses in the park and developing decision criteria that will guide viable future uses for other structures. And, finally, we have been working with Wake County PROS to assess the feasibility of reusing the main house at Kellam-Wyatt Farm as it becomes a new Wake County Park. We love working on projects at the feasibility stage to help clients establish a vision for how architecture can support their mission!

Book of the Month

Our book of the month is el croquis 202, featuring Austrian architect Bernardo Bader. Bader practices in the Voralberg region of Austria, known for its small towns and picturesque landscapes, but also the city of Bregenz (notable to architecture nerds as the home of Zumthor’s Kunsthaus Bregenz). The firm’s work fights back against criticism of Frampton’s theory of critical regionalism, arguing that any important work harmonizes with people and place. Bader says it this way, “We look at things that are familiar and try to understand what is behind them. We work with the method of finding things rather than reinventing them. No, we’re not afraid of the familiar.” We recommend checking out the Islamic Cemetery in Altach, the Alpine Sports Center in Schruns, or Salgenreute Chapel in Krumbach. Bader has quickly become an office hero. Get your copy here!

Best.

in situ studio

919 397 3949
www.insitustudio.us

Thanks to everyone who made our 2019 spectacular! Our work is not possible without you. Here’s to 2020!

Happy New Year!

in situ studio

919 397 3949
www.insitustudio.us

Divisare

Two of our projects – the Corbett Residence and the Yamato Philbeck Residence – have been included in our favorite online catalogue of architecture – Divisare! Here’s why we love the site, in their own words: “Divisare is the result of an effort of selection and classification of contemporary architecture conducted for over twenty years. Patient work, done with care, image after image, project after project, to offer you the ideal tool with which to organize your knowledge of contemporary architecture. Instead of a quick, distracted web, we want a slow, attentive one. Instead of hastily perused information, we prefer knowledge calmly absorbed.” We’d recommend subscribing here. Photography credits to Richard Leo Johnson and Keith Isaacs.

AIA Charlotte

The Merkel Cooper Residence was recognized with an AIA Charlotte Housing Merit Award earlier this month! The house is located on a steep slope above Lake Norman near Troutman. Executed to the finest detail by Kelly Custom Builders, the house is simple in form and uses a spare material palette. Zach and Matt had a fun, rainy trip to attend the awards event at the Bechtler Museum, accept the award, and catch up over beers afterwards with Marc Manack of SILO and the UNCC School of Acrhitecture. Thanks, AIA Charlotte, for another great event!

ArchDaily

We’ve had two projects featured on ArchDaily this month – the Kimball Residence and Yamato Philbeck Residence! Both of these project were designed on highly constrained sites near downtown Raleigh and built by Aiello Builders. We appreciate the years of support afforded us by ArchDaily, who first featured our work in 2012. Photography credits to Keith Isaacs.

The Taylor Property

Work continues on the 24-acre Taylor property in Chapel Hill. For the past two-and-a-half years, we’ve been working with out-of-state clients to plan improvements to this historic modernist site that was the childhood home of James Taylor. Part of the project is the refurbishment of a Matsumoto and Latimer designed main house. Since completing a design collaboration with Gregg Bleam Landscape Architect, we’ve been working with Build Sense to navigate the Town of Chapel Hill permitting gauntlet and get the project underway. Demolition is complete, and new work has begun on the main house, a guest house, and pool. We can’t wait to see this one take shape in the coming months!

Book of the Month

The book of the month is Projects 2009 – 2017: Valerio Olgiati – a monograph about one of Switzerland’s most renowned architects. Olgiati, son of Swiss Modernist Rudolf Olgiati, has created a body of work that can, at first blush, seem pure, oversimplified, and set in the world without care for context. Looking deeper, however, one can sense a conductor at work, orchestrating the spatial sequences of a powerful architecture. Pure forms begin to erode, shift, change, and disappear. Perceived simplicity is enriched by a play between solid and void, light and dark, and inside and outside. Entirely surprising atmospheres are created. Please take some time to study the work of Valerio Olgiati! We’d recommend starting with Villa Alem, Atelier Bardill, or House in Laax.

We hope you enjoy the last couple days of the Thanksgiving holiday. We’ll be back at it early Monday morning!

Best.

in situ studio

919 397 3949
www.insitustudio.us

Website Updates

We’ve updated our works page with three new projects – the Kimball Residence, the Stimmel Residence, and the Yamato Philbeck Residence. New photos by Keith Isaacs really capture the spaces well. Thanks to our amazing clients for the chance to work on these unique houses and to John Sanders and Bob Aiello for their work building the projects!

Friday Morning Serial

The next Friday Morning Serial, featuring Maggie Kane, is scheduled for 10 22 19, at 8:00am, in our office! For those of you who don’t already know, Maggie is the founder of A Place at the Table, the first pay-what-you-can cafe in downtown Raleigh. Maggie has a heart to serve, a desire to always be inclusive, and a passion for loving people. Through her work with people on the streets, she realized the power of community, the importance of dignity, and the beauty in bringing people together over incredible food. Come out to hear her tell her story, and as always enjoy a bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee on us! RSVP.

Readings on Race

On November 21st, Readings on Race will meet at 101 S Wilmington St. at 7:00pm to discuss The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander. In exposing the statistics and practices behind mass incarceration, police brutality, and racial profiling, this powerful book reveals the transformed and rebranded institutional racism behind the Jim Crow laws of the 19th and early 20th century that persists to this day. So & So Books has offered the book at a 20% discount for the event. Call ahead and reserve your copy today!

AIA NC Awards

Walter Magazine

We were honored to have the Trull Residence grace the cover of Walter in last month’s Home & Garden issue! The story, written by Michael Welton, focuses on our collaboration with our very thoughtful clients. And, Keith Isaacs’ photos are wonderful in print. Thanks to Walter for featuring our work!

Book of the Month

Best.

in situ studio

919 397 3949
www.insitustudio.us