Greetings from in situ studio!
Now into the heat of the summer, our work over the past months has culminated with several projects starting construction. We are learning the skill of balancing current projects while maintaining the continual search for future work. May and June have been busy months!
We have updated images of several of our current and recent projects on the website and our facebook page. Please take some time to browse through them. Other updates follow below.
Thanks for your continuing support!
The Stokes Residence
We are excited to unveil our first completed whole-house renovation! In Cameron Village, the Stokes Residence is a complete renovation of a 1952 bungalow ranch. The focus of this project was a newly-opened floor plan allowing for fluidity of light and movement in the formerly dark and partitioned space. Without the kitchen’s enclosing walls and with new skylights, the naturally illuminated space now extends both horizontally and vertically to the exterior. The project also included updating two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and an office, replacing old windows with operable casements, creating a new porch with embedded planter, refinishing the hardwood floors, and painting inside and out.
Thanks to our team that made this project possible: Fluhrer Reed Structural Engineers, Ballard Construction, and Xylem, Inc.
And thanks to Hilary for the opportunity to create a showcase contemporary interior. We hope you enjoy your new home!
The Chasen Residence
As one project ends, another begins. The The Chasen Residence is a 1,400 SF, 3-bedroom, 2-bath, residence on East Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh. We were excited to learn about two unique interests of our clients: fish and food. The client owns fish, and we are accommodating a large saltwater aquarium with space for making and cleaning its water. Food preparation and meals are an important part of the clients’ life, and we have designed the ground floor to include a large kitchen with a custom-designed, convertible island and kitchen table. The front and side yards of the slim lot allow for a large vegetable garden, sustained by four rain barrels. The front porch spills out as stairs and a gable roof speaks to the context of the historic Southeast Raleigh neighborhood.
With a $107/SF budget, every inch matters. During the design development phase, we’ve tweaked the design to create an efficient floor plan. Considering future growth, the lofted office is designed to be easily enclosed into a third bedroom. A screened porch at the back could also be enclosed to extend the conditioned living space when needed. The site is designed for the addition of a future garage and accessory dwelling once Raleigh’s zoning changes are finalized by the new UDO.
Now begins the push to design this project down to the details. Thanks to Adam and Auditi for their inspiration!
Site Visits: AIA NC CfAD and UNCW Shellfish Research Hatchery
Seeing the physical reality of a design is perhaps the most rewarding experience for an architect. Recently, we were fortunate to visit two major projects Matt and Erin were involved with at Frank Harmon Architect PA, before founding in situ studio.
Thanks to David Crawford of AIA NC for touring us around the AIA NC CfAD construction site. Passing this building daily, we have been following its progress. Standing in its spaces and imagining the finished product developed a new sense of delight and pride. David was committed enough to climb with us to the third level (pictured above). Thanks to Clancy & Theys, David, and the entire building committee for their commitment to this project that is sure to serve the architects of our state beautifully.
Matt also visited Dr. Ami Wilbur in her new lab at the UNCW Shellfish Research Hatchery. This was his most challenging project at Frank’s office due to program requirements, the complexity of the aquaculture system, and the difficulty of fitting the building sensitively on a very constrained site. The hatchery is in full operation and currently growing scallops, a variety of oyster species, and blue crabs. Thanks to Ami for the tour! It was great to see her in her element.
Exploris Middle School Bus Bench Competition
A few months ago we helped Exploris Middle School seventh graders with a charrette designing bus benches for a nearby site. The first and second place teams visited our office this month to see our space and what we’re working on.
We’re now continuing our work with the school to take the winning design and turn it into a real bench! The winning design features a long bench with built-in trash and recycling receptacles, recycled chain link fence, a defined place for a wheelchair, and an integrated bike rack. We’re using the design as a guide while trying to accommodate for materials already acquired. Construction documents are now underway.
Working In Our Community
Last month we hosted the inaugural On The House Happy Hour, a Triangle Modernist Houses event. It was a great success, with over 150 people in attendance! We displayed our recent and current work, and featured the work of Axiom Environmental and CityFabric. Thanks to George Smart for organizing this fun evening with friends, clients, and colleagues. And thanks to The Wine Feed, a new Raleigh wine retailer, for providing the night’s wine menu.
Matt returned inspired from his travels to Charlottesville and New Orleans. The quality of the student work he reviewed at UVA was astounding, thanks to the direction of Marlon Blackwell, Maurice Cox, and Daniel Bluestone. And, the NOLA convention experience was rich with dialogue, food, music, and site visits. Thanks to Steve Dumez for organizing a memorable chain of events! Overall, the week of travel was an amazing opportunity to reinforce existing friendships and forge relationships with new colleagues. We are already looking forward to next year’s convention in DC!
Erin has continued her service on the Raleigh Planning Commission and in several roles within the AIA. One of the most interesting recent developments with the City of Raleigh has been the delicious discussion about allowing food trucks in our city.
Nicole visited with Emily Pilloton and Matthew Miller of Studio H in Bertie County, making a day trip in mid-May. We are following the construction of this semester’s project, the Windsor Super Market, and hope to visit again soon.
We have continued to cultivate other relationships with several community partners and predict exciting developments this summer with Lemonade International and Raleigh City Farm. Lemonade International’s screening of Reparando at The Rialto Theater was a huge success. We were a proud sponsor and would like to thank everyone who came.
Please contact us if there is anyway we can help you.
Best.
in situ studio
919 397 3949
www.insitustudio.us