The project consists of three primary additions, one a workshop and garage, the second a basement expansion that juts out over the lake, and a third, which expands the existing living areas with a wall of glass. This third addition, originally not part of the project, was a recommendation by Architecture Office well received by the client because of how it transformed the existing living areas. The existing architecture consists of a historic neo-classical house with a less purist addition that attempts to mimic the original. We took the approach of contrasting the existing to avoid having two additions lacking the craft and integrity of the original. This contrast is a welcoming change to previously dark interiors. The concept opens up opportunities for capturing lake views, creating modern living areas that flow from one to the next. The rear garage and second floor workshop compliment the owners entrepreneurial spirit, a person who enjoys the act of a making. The form is simple but clearly delineates itself form the brick construction with black metal siding and a glass walkway connecting the two. The structure draws from old factory buildings that gather daylight from above, synthesized through a milky polycarbonate portion of roof. The basement addition expands on an existing subterranean space used for storage and utilities. This room is converted into a living space with sleeping quarters, wet bar, and restroom facilities. This living room is a mini oasis from the rest of the house with views secluded to the water and sky. The openness of the balcony expand the view in all directions, with the sun blocked under a cantilevered shade cover.

The project consists of three primary additions, one a workshop and garage, the second a basement expansion that juts out over the lake, and a third, which expands the existing living areas with a wall of glass. This third addition, originally not part of the project, was a recommendation by Architecture Office well received by the client because of how it transformed the existing living areas. The existing architecture consists of a historic neo-classical house with a less purist addition that attempts to mimic the original. We took the approach of contrasting the existing to avoid having two additions lacking the craft and integrity of the original. This contrast is a welcoming change to previously dark interiors. The concept opens up opportunities for capturing lake views, creating modern living areas that flow from one to the next. The rear garage and second floor workshop compliment the owners entrepreneurial spirit, a person who enjoys the act of a making. The form is simple but clearly delineates itself form the brick construction with black metal siding and a glass walkway connecting the two. The structure draws from old factory buildings that gather daylight from above, synthesized through a milky polycarbonate portion of roof. The basement addition expands on an existing subterranean space used for storage and utilities. This room is converted into a living space with sleeping quarters, wet bar, and restroom facilities. This living room is a mini oasis from the rest of the house with views secluded to the water and sky. The openness of the balcony expand the view in all directions, with the sun blocked under a cantilevered shade cover.

The project consists of three primary additions, one a workshop and garage, the second a basement expansion that juts out over the lake, and a third, which expands the existing living areas with a wall of glass. This third addition, originally not part of the project, was a recommendation by Architecture Office well received by the client because of how it transformed the existing living areas. The existing architecture consists of a historic neo-classical house with a less purist addition that attempts to mimic the original. We took the approach of contrasting the existing to avoid having two additions lacking the craft and integrity of the original. This contrast is a welcoming change to previously dark interiors. The concept opens up opportunities for capturing lake views, creating modern living areas that flow from one to the next. The rear garage and second floor workshop compliment the owners entrepreneurial spirit, a person who enjoys the act of a making. The form is simple but clearly delineates itself form the brick construction with black metal siding and a glass walkway connecting the two. The structure draws from old factory buildings that gather daylight from above, synthesized through a milky polycarbonate portion of roof. The basement addition expands on an existing subterranean space used for storage and utilities. This room is converted into a living space with sleeping quarters, wet bar, and restroom facilities. This living room is a mini oasis from the rest of the house with views secluded to the water and sky. The openness of the balcony expand the view in all directions, with the sun blocked under a cantilevered shade cover.

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours The second-largest and most developed of Georgia's barrier islands, St. Simons is approximately twelve miles long and nearly three miles wide at its widest stretch (roughly the size of Manhattan Island in New York). The island is located in Glynn County on Georgia's coast and lies east of Brunswick (the seat of Glynn County), south of Little St. Simons Island and the Hampton River, and north of Jekyll Island. The resort community of Sea Island is separated from St. Simons on the east by the Black Banks River. Known for its oak tree canopies and historic landmarks, St. Simons is both a tourist destination and, according to the 2010 U.S. census, home to 12,743 residents. Early History The earliest St. Simons Island Village record of human habitation on the island dates to the Late Archaic Period, about 5,000 to 3,000 years ago. Remnants of shell rings left behind by Native Americans from this era survive on many of the barrier islands, including St. Simons. Centuries later, during the period known by historians as the chiefdom era, the Guale Indians established a chiefdom centered on St. Catherines Island and used St. Simons as their hunting and fishing grounds. By 1500 the Guale had established a permanent village of about 200 people on St. Simons, which they called Guadalquini. Beginning in 1568, the Spanish attempted to create missions along the Georgia coast. Catholic missions were the primary means by which Georgia's indigenous Native American chiefdoms were assimilated into the Spanish colonial system along the northern frontier of greater Spanish Florida. In the 1600s St. Simons became home to two Spanish missions: San Buenaventura de Guadalquini, on the southern tip of the island, and Santo Domingo de Asao (or Asajo), on the northern tip. Located on the inland side of the island were the pagan refugee villages of San Simón, the island's namesake, and Ocotonico. In 1684 pirate raids left the missions and villages largely abandoned. Colonial History As Fort Frederica early as 1670, with Great Britain's establishment of the colony of Carolina and its expansion into Georgia territory, Spanish rule was threatened by the English. The Georgia coast was considered "debatable land" by England and Spain, even though Spain had fully retreated from St. Simons by 1702. Thirty-one years later General James Edward Oglethorpe founded the English settlement of Savannah. In 1736 he established Fort Frederica, named after the heir to the British throne, Frederick Louis, prince of Wales, on the west side of St. Simons Island to protect Savannah and the Carolinas from the Spanish threat. Between 1736 and 1749 Fort Frederica was the hub of British military operations along the Georgia frontier. A town of the same name grew up around the fort and was of great importance to the new colony. By 1740 Frederica's population was 1,000. In 1736 the congregation of what would become Christ Church was organized within Fort Frederica as a mission of the Church of England. Charles Wesley led the first services. In 1742 Britain's decisive victory over Spain in the Battle of Bloody Marsh, during the War of Jenkins' Ear, ended the Spanish threat to the Georgia coast. When the British regimen disbanded in 1749, most of the townspeople relocated to the mainland. Fort Frederica went into decline and, except for a short time of prosperity during the 1760s and 1770s under the leadership of merchant James Spalding, never fully recovered. Today the historic citadel's tabby ruins are maintained by the National Park Service. Plantation Era By the start of the American Revolution (1775-83), Fort Frederica was obsolete, and St. Simons was left largely uninhabited as most of its residents joined the patriot army. Besides hosting a small Georgia naval victory on the Fort Frederica River, providing guns from its famous fort for use at Fort Morris in Sunbury, and serving as an arena for pillaging by privateers and British soldiers, the island played almost no role in the war. Following the war, many of the townspeople, their businesses destroyed, turned to agriculture. The island was transformed into fourteen cotton plantations after acres of live oak trees were cleared for farm land and used for building American warships, including the famous USS Constitution, or "Old Ironsides." Although rice was the predominant crop along the neighboring Altamaha River, St. Simons was known for its production of long-staple cotton, which soon came to be known as Sea Island cotton. Between Ebos Landing the 1780s and the outbreak of the Civil War (1861-65), St. Simons's plantation culture flourished. The saline atmosphere and the availability of cheap slave labor proved an ideal combination for the cultivation of Sea Island cotton. In 1803 a group of Ebo slaves who survived the Middle Passage and arrived on the west side of St. Simons staged a rebellion and drowned themselves. The sacred site is known today as Ebos Landing. One of the largest owners of land and slaves on St. Simons was Pierce Butler, master of Hampton Point Plantation, located on the northern end of the island. By 1793 Butler owned more than 500 slaves, who cultivated 800 acres of cotton on St. Simons and 300 acres of rice on Butler's Island in the Altamaha River delta. Butler's grandson, Pierce Mease Butler, who at the age of sixteen inherited a share of his grandfather's estate in 1826, was responsible for the largest sale of human beings in the history of the United States: in 1859, to restore his squandered fortune, he sold 429 slaves in Savannah for more than $300,000. The British actress and writer Fanny Kemble, whose tumultuous marriage to Pierce ended in divorce in 1849, published an eyewitness account of the evils of slavery on St. Simons in her book Journal of a Residence on a Georgian Plantation in 1838-1839 (1863). Another Retreat Plantation large owner of land and slaves on St. Simons was Major William Page, a friend and employee of Pierce Butler Sr. Before purchasing Retreat Plantation on the southwestern tip of the island in 1804, Page managed the Hampton plantation and Butler's Island. Upon Page's death in 1827, Thomas Butler King inherited the land together with his wife, Page's daughter, Anna Matilda Page King. King expanded his father-in-law's planting empire on St. Simons as well as on the mainland, and by 1835 Retreat Plantation alone was home to as many as 355 slaves. The center of life during the island's plantation era was Christ Church, Frederica. Organized in 1807 by a group of island planters, the Episcopal church is the second oldest in the Diocese of Georgia. Embargoes imposed by the War of 1812 (1812-15) prevented the parishioners from building a church structure, so they worshiped in the home of John Beck, which stood on the site of Oglethorpe's only St. Simons residence, Orange Hall. The first Christ Church building, finished on the present site in 1820, was ruined by occupying Union troops during the Civil War. In 1884 the Reverend Anson Dodge Jr. rebuilt the church as a memorial to his first wife, Ellen. The cruciform building with a trussed gothic roof and stained-glass windows remains active today as Christ Church. Civil War and Beyond The St. Simons Island Lighthouse outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 put a sudden end to St. Simons's lucrative plantation era. In January of that year, Confederate troops were stationed at the south end of the island to guard the entrance to Brunswick Harbor. Slaves from Retreat Plantation, owned by Thomas Butler King, built earthworks and batteries. Plantation residents were scattered—the men joined the Confederate army and their families moved to the mainland. Cannon fire was heard on the island in December 1861, and Confederate troops retreated in February 1862, after dynamiting the lighthouse to keep its beacon from aiding Union troops. Soon thereafter, Union troops occupied the island, which was used as a camp for freed slaves. By August 1862 more than 500 former slaves lived on St. Simons, including Susie King Taylor, who organized a school for freed slave children. But in November the ex-slaves were taken to Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Fernandina, Florida, leaving the island abandoned. After the Civil War the island never returned to its status as an agricultural community. The plantations lay dormant because there were no slaves to work the fields. After Union general William T. Sherman's January 1865 Special Field Order No. 15 —a demand that former plantations be divided and distributed to former slaves—was overturned by U.S. president Andrew Johnson less than a year later, freedmen and women were forced to work as sharecroppers on the small farms that dotted the land previously occupied by the sprawling plantations. By St. Simons Lumber Mills 1870 real economic recovery began with the reestablishment of the timber industry. Norman Dodge and Titus G. Meigs of New York set up lumber mill operations at Gascoigne Bluff, formerly Hamilton Plantation. The lumber mills provided welcome employment for both blacks and whites and also provided mail and passenger boats to the mainland. Such water traffic, together with the construction of a new lighthouse in 1872, designed by architect Charles B. Cluskey, marked the beginning of St. Simons's tourism industry. The keeper of the lighthouse created a small amusement park, which drew many visitors, as did the seemingly miraculous light that traveled from the top of the lighthouse tower to the bottom. The island became a summer retreat for families from the mainland, particularly from Baxley, Brunswick, and Waycross. The island's resort industry was thriving by the 1880s. Beachfront structures, such as a new pier and grand hotel, were built on the southeastern end of the island and could be accessed by ferry. Around this time wealthy northerners began vacationing on the island. Twentieth Century The St. Simons Island Pier and Village opening in 1924 of the Brunswick–St. Simons Highway, today known as the Torras Causeway, was a milestone in the development of resorts in the area. St. Simons's beaches were now easily accessible to locals and tourists alike. More than 5,000 automobiles took the short drive from Brunswick to St. Simons via the causeway on its opening day, paving the way for convenient residential and resort development. In 1926 automotive pioneer Howard Coffin of Detroit, Michigan, bought large tracts of land on St. Simons, including the former Retreat Plantation, and constructed a golf course, yacht club, paved roads, and a residential subdivision. Although the causeway had brought large numbers of summer people to the island, St. Simons remained a small community with only a few hundred permanent residents until the 1940s. The St. Simons Island outbreak of World War II (1941-45) brought more visitors and residents to St. Simons. Troops stationed at Jacksonville, Florida; Savannah; and nearby Camp Stewart took weekend vacations on the island, and a new naval air base and radar school became home to even more officers and soldiers. The increased wartime population brought the island its first public school. With a major shipyard for the production of Liberty ships in nearby Brunswick, the waters of St. Simons became active with German U-boats. In April 1942, just off the coast, the Texas Company oil tanker S. S. Oklahoma and the S. S. Esso Baton Rouge were torpedoed by the Germans, bringing the war very close to home for island residents. Due in large part to the military's improvement of the island's infrastructure during the war, development on the island boomed in the 1950s and 1960s. More permanent homes and subdivisions were built, and the island was no longer just a summer resort but also a thriving community. In 1950 the Methodist conference and retreat center Epworth by the Sea opened on Gascoigne Bluff. In 1961 novelist Eugenia Price visited St. Simons and began work on her first works of fiction, known as the St. Simons Trilogy. Inspired by real events on the island, Price's trilogy renewed interest in the history of Georgia's coast, and the novelist herself relocated to the island in 1965 and lived there for thirty-one years. St. Simons is also home to contemporary Georgia writer Tina McElroy Ansa. Since Epworth by the Sea 1980 St. Simons's population has doubled. The island's continued status as a vacation destination and its ongoing development boom have put historic landmarks and natural areas at risk. While such landmarks as the Fort Frederica ruins and the Battle of Bloody Marsh site are preserved and maintained by the National Park Service, and while the historic lighthouse is maintained by the Coastal Georgia Historical Society, historic Ebos Landing has been taken over by a sewage treatment plant. Several coastal organizations have formed in recent years to save natural areas on the island. The St. Simons Land Trust, for example, has received donations of large tracts of land and plans to protect property in the island's three traditional African American neighborhoods. Despite its rapid growth and development, St. Simons remains one of the most beautiful and important islands on the Georgia coast.

After an unsuccessful attempt at finding the original brick for this home, we were excited to present Eldorado Stone to our homeowners for its very natural look, high quality, and reputation. We chose the Cambria Cliffstone for its elegance and rich color tones. The residents wanted to expand the kitchen into a large open space where they could entertain family and friends, so the design goal was to create a comfortable outdoor space that complimented the home’s existing exterior. Additionally, large windows were installed in an effort to bring the outdoors in as well as compliment their landscaping. Eldorado Stone proved to be a perfect fit for the exterior of this addition, as it blends in with the greenery around the home in addition to the neighborhood as a whole. Eldorado Stone Profile Featured: Cambria Cliffstone installed with a Standard Grout Eldorado Stone Profile Featured: Cambria Cliffstone installed with a Standard Grout Architect: Brock Eustice Builder: RJK Construction, Inc. Website: www.rjkconstructioninc.com Designer: Designs by Skill, LLC Website: www.designsbyskill.com Mason: Ricky Webster Phone: 540-446-3661 Photography: Greg Hadley Website:www.greghadleyphotography.com

It was in 2012 when Mike Spreckelmeier first met Roy and Patti. They had been despondent after meeting with multiple contractors in an attempt to start their kitchen remodel. The contractors lacked follow through, came tardy to meetings and even failed to show up at others. Determined to leave nothing to chance in the pursuit of their dream, Roy and Patti followed up on a recommendation after overhearing a conversation that was taking place while they were standing in a gallingly long line waiting to cast a vote on Election Day. With a solid recommendation to pursue, Roy and Patti contacted Progressive Design Build. The rest is history. Mike showed up on time. For a small retainer, he provided preliminary sketches, ideas for maximizing space and storage, and solutions for a sunken family room that created a safety hazard and a problem with traffic flow. More importantly, he designed the project to the homeowners’ budget. Progressive Design Build shot some different elevations and designed a plan to raise the floor, allowing all finished floors to be on the same level. Upon completion, the kitchen was stunning. Features included LED backlit fire glass shelving, white recessed panel cabinets, a subway tile backsplash, Granite countertop, integrated refrigerator, undermount sink, and more. The living room was designed with complimentary finishes and included a natural stone fireplace wall with open cabinets flanked on both sides. The 12’ fireplace was made with a floor-to-ceiling white pebble finish. This Bonita Bay project completed on time and on budget—allowing this fabulous family a wonderful opportunity to create lasting memories for many years to come.

It was in 2012 when Mike Spreckelmeier first met Roy and Patti. They had been despondent after meeting with multiple contractors in an attempt to start their kitchen remodel. The contractors lacked follow through, came tardy to meetings and even failed to show up at others. Determined to leave nothing to chance in the pursuit of their dream, Roy and Patti followed up on a recommendation after overhearing a conversation that was taking place while they were standing in a gallingly long line waiting to cast a vote on Election Day. With a solid recommendation to pursue, Roy and Patti contacted Progressive Design Build. The rest is history. Mike showed up on time. For a small retainer, he provided preliminary sketches, ideas for maximizing space and storage, and solutions for a sunken family room that created a safety hazard and a problem with traffic flow. More importantly, he designed the project to the homeowners’ budget. Progressive Design Build shot some different elevations and designed a plan to raise the floor, allowing all finished floors to be on the same level. Upon completion, the kitchen was stunning. Features included LED backlit fire glass shelving, white recessed panel cabinets, a subway tile backsplash, Granite countertop, integrated refrigerator, undermount sink, and more. The living room was designed with complimentary finishes and included a natural stone fireplace wall with open cabinets flanked on both sides. The 12’ fireplace was made with a floor-to-ceiling white pebble finish. This Bonita Bay project completed on time and on budget—allowing this fabulous family a wonderful opportunity to create lasting memories for many years to come.

After an unsuccessful attempt at finding the original brick for this home, we were excited to present Eldorado Stone to our homeowners for its very natural look, high quality, and reputation. We chose the Cambria Cliffstone for its elegance and rich color tones. The residents wanted to expand the kitchen into a large open space where they could entertain family and friends, so the design goal was to create a comfortable outdoor space that complimented the home’s existing exterior. Additionally, large windows were installed in an effort to bring the outdoors in as well as compliment their landscaping. Eldorado Stone proved to be a perfect fit for the exterior of this addition, as it blends in with the greenery around the home in addition to the neighborhood as a whole. Eldorado Stone Profile Featured: Cambria Cliffstone installed with a Standard Grout Eldorado Stone Profile Featured: Cambria Cliffstone installed with a Standard Grout Architect: Brock Eustice Builder: RJK Construction, Inc. Website: www.rjkconstructioninc.com Designer: Designs by Skill, LLC Website: www.designsbyskill.com Mason: Ricky Webster Phone: 540-446-3661 Photography: Greg Hadley Website:www.greghadleyphotography.com

After an unsuccessful attempt at finding the original brick for this home, we were excited to present Eldorado Stone to our homeowners for its very natural look, high quality, and reputation. We chose the Cambria Cliffstone for its elegance and rich color tones. The residents wanted to expand the kitchen into a large open space where they could entertain family and friends, so the design goal was to create a comfortable outdoor space that complimented the home’s existing exterior. Additionally, large windows were installed in an effort to bring the outdoors in as well as compliment their landscaping. Eldorado Stone proved to be a perfect fit for the exterior of this addition, as it blends in with the greenery around the home in addition to the neighborhood as a whole. Eldorado Stone Profile Featured: Cambria Cliffstone installed with a Standard Grout Eldorado Stone Profile Featured: Cambria Cliffstone installed with a Standard Grout Architect: Brock Eustice Builder: RJK Construction, Inc. Website: www.rjkconstructioninc.com Designer: Designs by Skill, LLC Website: www.designsbyskill.com Mason: Ricky Webster Phone: 540-446-3661 Photography: Greg Hadley Website:www.greghadleyphotography.com

It was in 2012 when Mike Spreckelmeier first met Roy and Patti. They had been despondent after meeting with multiple contractors in an attempt to start their kitchen remodel. The contractors lacked follow through, came tardy to meetings and even failed to show up at others. Determined to leave nothing to chance in the pursuit of their dream, Roy and Patti followed up on a recommendation after overhearing a conversation that was taking place while they were standing in a gallingly long line waiting to cast a vote on Election Day. With a solid recommendation to pursue, Roy and Patti contacted Progressive Design Build. The rest is history. Mike showed up on time. For a small retainer, he provided preliminary sketches, ideas for maximizing space and storage, and solutions for a sunken family room that created a safety hazard and a problem with traffic flow. More importantly, he designed the project to the homeowners’ budget. Progressive Design Build shot some different elevations and designed a plan to raise the floor, allowing all finished floors to be on the same level. Upon completion, the kitchen was stunning. Features included LED backlit fire glass shelving, white recessed panel cabinets, a subway tile backsplash, Granite countertop, integrated refrigerator, undermount sink, and more. The living room was designed with complimentary finishes and included a natural stone fireplace wall with open cabinets flanked on both sides. The 12’ fireplace was made with a floor-to-ceiling white pebble finish. This Bonita Bay project completed on time and on budget—allowing this fabulous family a wonderful opportunity to create lasting memories for many years to come.

The site is located on the Mitchell House preparatory school campus in Polokwane. The client's brief called for an early childhood development centre which would accommodate 122 learners and requested that the building be evident of it's young and playful users. Curiosity, wonder and intrigue would become defining criteria in an attempt to create a conducive learning environment for young learners to grow, a building where children would be encouraged to interact with their environment. The construction methodology of the building would remain apparent, allowing its users to analyse the assembly of components. Due to the age group of the users, the building would need to function semi-autonomously from the rest of the school, while allowing for controlled interaction and inclusivity as is the norm for Mitchell House. A linear plan which coincides with the developmental progress of the learners was identified as the appropriate building typology. The spatial constraints of the site required this plan to be moulded into the available space between the existing infrastructure, however the linear process was maintained. From the access-controlled reception and administration area one would move past the creative arts and exhibition space towards the Northern wing where the youngest learners are taught. These would share connected ablutions and storerooms between classes to enable fluid movement and assistance throughout the teaching and service spaces. The East wing of the centre would house the elder learners who would be in the process of being integrated with the fabric of the main school campus. These classrooms include storage areas, however, have separate ablution facilities. The two wings of the building surround a courtyard where play and interaction are in abundance.

The owners knew they wanted to create spaces in their backyard that be useful and encourage them to be outside more often, but because their backyard space is so massive the scope and size of the project was initially difficult to define. After a few initial rounds of design, the project ended up creating a series of spaces near their house and pool rather than try to utilize the entirety of their yard. The existing pool was situated in proximity (and almost entirely aligned) to a detached garage. The garage was perfectly useful for parking cars, but nothing special Architecturally and certainly not functionally associated with the pool. The cabana would have been too far away from the main home if it were located on the opposite side of pool and would have been too large and visually obtrusive if arrange to the side of the pool. The design of the cabana was conceived as an addition to the garage that more appropriately capped the end of the pool with an openable space that could be used for cooking, lounging in the shade poolside, or playing games in with the space itself. There wasn’t enough space between the garage and pool to contain all the uses they wanted, so an additional shade structure with a dining space and a fire pit with build-in benches was included to the project, located near their existing living room. Board formed concrete walls were used as a common element between the shade structure and the cabana. The base used as a planter wall and back to the bench in the shade structure is maintained in the base of cabana to develop aesthetic cohesion between the two spaces. The cabana engages a build in bar to a series of folding glass walls for compact efficient use. The interior of the cabana had to maintain the existing garage roofline for structural stability, but the interior is vaulted to the highest extent possible. The interior of the vault is lined with wood to frame the space for visual clarity enhancing transparency. A goal of the project was to make a vast backyard more useful at a walkable scale by creating outdoor spaces close to each other and the existing living areas in and around the home. Rather than attempt to encapsulate the entire backyard it creates density around the edges that look onto the backyard. Because the spaces engage with the existing conditions the space has become a much-used outdoor living space. (Photos of After Construction Conditions by Sara Essex Bradley)

After an unsuccessful attempt at finding the original brick for this home, we were excited to present Eldorado Stone to our homeowners for its very natural look, high quality, and reputation. We chose the Cambria Cliffstone for its elegance and rich color tones. The residents wanted to expand the kitchen into a large open space where they could entertain family and friends, so the design goal was to create a comfortable outdoor space that complimented the home’s existing exterior. Additionally, large windows were installed in an effort to bring the outdoors in as well as compliment their landscaping. Eldorado Stone proved to be a perfect fit for the exterior of this addition, as it blends in with the greenery around the home in addition to the neighborhood as a whole. Eldorado Stone Profile Featured: Cambria Cliffstone installed with a Standard Grout Eldorado Stone Profile Featured: Cambria Cliffstone installed with a Standard Grout Architect: Brock Eustice Builder: RJK Construction, Inc. Website: www.rjkconstructioninc.com Designer: Designs by Skill, LLC Website: www.designsbyskill.com Mason: Ricky Webster Phone: 540-446-3661 Photography: Greg Hadley Website:www.greghadleyphotography.com

The site is located on the Mitchell House preparatory school campus in Polokwane. The client's brief called for an early childhood development centre which would accommodate 122 learners and requested that the building be evident of it's young and playful users. Curiosity, wonder and intrigue would become defining criteria in an attempt to create a conducive learning environment for young learners to grow, a building where children would be encouraged to interact with their environment. The construction methodology of the building would remain apparent, allowing its users to analyse the assembly of components. Due to the age group of the users, the building would need to function semi-autonomously from the rest of the school, while allowing for controlled interaction and inclusivity as is the norm for Mitchell House. A linear plan which coincides with the developmental progress of the learners was identified as the appropriate building typology. The spatial constraints of the site required this plan to be moulded into the available space between the existing infrastructure, however the linear process was maintained. From the access-controlled reception and administration area one would move past the creative arts and exhibition space towards the Northern wing where the youngest learners are taught. These would share connected ablutions and storerooms between classes to enable fluid movement and assistance throughout the teaching and service spaces. The East wing of the centre would house the elder learners who would be in the process of being integrated with the fabric of the main school campus. These classrooms include storage areas, however, have separate ablution facilities. The two wings of the building surround a courtyard where play and interaction are in abundance.

The site is located on the Mitchell House preparatory school campus in Polokwane. The client's brief called for an early childhood development centre which would accommodate 122 learners and requested that the building be evident of it's young and playful users. Curiosity, wonder and intrigue would become defining criteria in an attempt to create a conducive learning environment for young learners to grow, a building where children would be encouraged to interact with their environment. The construction methodology of the building would remain apparent, allowing its users to analyse the assembly of components. Due to the age group of the users, the building would need to function semi-autonomously from the rest of the school, while allowing for controlled interaction and inclusivity as is the norm for Mitchell House. A linear plan which coincides with the developmental progress of the learners was identified as the appropriate building typology. The spatial constraints of the site required this plan to be moulded into the available space between the existing infrastructure, however the linear process was maintained. From the access-controlled reception and administration area one would move past the creative arts and exhibition space towards the Northern wing where the youngest learners are taught. These would share connected ablutions and storerooms between classes to enable fluid movement and assistance throughout the teaching and service spaces. The East wing of the centre would house the elder learners who would be in the process of being integrated with the fabric of the main school campus. These classrooms include storage areas, however, have separate ablution facilities. The two wings of the building surround a courtyard where play and interaction are in abundance.

The site is located on the Mitchell House preparatory school campus in Polokwane. The client's brief called for an early childhood development centre which would accommodate 122 learners and requested that the building be evident of it's young and playful users. Curiosity, wonder and intrigue would become defining criteria in an attempt to create a conducive learning environment for young learners to grow, a building where children would be encouraged to interact with their environment. The construction methodology of the building would remain apparent, allowing its users to analyse the assembly of components. Due to the age group of the users, the building would need to function semi-autonomously from the rest of the school, while allowing for controlled interaction and inclusivity as is the norm for Mitchell House. A linear plan which coincides with the developmental progress of the learners was identified as the appropriate building typology. The spatial constraints of the site required this plan to be moulded into the available space between the existing infrastructure, however the linear process was maintained. From the access-controlled reception and administration area one would move past the creative arts and exhibition space towards the Northern wing where the youngest learners are taught. These would share connected ablutions and storerooms between classes to enable fluid movement and assistance throughout the teaching and service spaces. The East wing of the centre would house the elder learners who would be in the process of being integrated with the fabric of the main school campus. These classrooms include storage areas, however, have separate ablution facilities. The two wings of the building surround a courtyard where play and interaction are in abundance.

This stained glass window was created as part of our signature Aspen Stained Glass line. These windows look beautiful in cottage style or contemporary homes and are a great way for outdoor enthusiasts to celebrate their love of nature. The textured appearance of the glass provides the homeowners with a high level of privacy and comfort.

The kitchen was designed two years ago and was then erased and redesigned when the world became a different place a year later. As everyone attempted to flatten the curve, our goal in this regard was to create a kitchen that looked forward to a sharp curve down and of a happier time To that promise for happier times, the redesign, a goal was to make the kitchen brighter and more optimistic. This was done by using simple, primary shapes and circular pendants and emphasizing them in contrast, adding a playful countenance. The selection of a dynamic grain of figured walnut also contributes as this once-living material and its sinuous grain adds motion, rhythm, and scale. Proud of their 1970s home, one challenge of the design was to balance a 1970's feel and stay current. However, many ‘70s references looked and felt outdated. The first step was a changed mindset. Just like the return of the ‘40s bath and the retro movement a few years ago, every era returns in some way. Chronologically, the '70s will soon be here. Our design looked to era-specific furniture and materials of the decade. Figured walnut was so pervasive in the era: this motif was used on car exteriors such as the 1970 Town and Country Station Wagon, which debuted the same year the existing home was built. We also looked at furniture specific to the decade. The console stereo is referenced not only by high legs on the island but also by the knurled metal cabinet knobs reminiscent of often-used stereo dials. Knurled metalwork is also used on the kitchen faucet. The design references the second piece of '70s furniture in our modern TV tray, which is angled to face the television in the family room. Its round pencil and mug holder cutouts follow the design of walnut consoles and dashboard of the station wagon and other elements of the time.

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Sometimes it take a few tries to get a space to work how you want it to and that’s exactly what happened with this Hinsdale client. Their desire for a family friendly, open floor plan had them reworking an opening between the kitchen and family room and relocating some pantry cabinets in an attempt to make their home’s flow more suitable to their lifestyle. After living with this small change for a few years, they decided that a full kitchen remodel was really what was needed to make their home function the way they desired. They came in with the stereotypical “sketch on a napkin” done by an architect friend, and we proceeded to make that design come to life with a few tweaks along the way. The space was quite unique and also a bit challenging because of its multiple angled walls. While interesting, angles can be a challenge when trying make a space functional. The new kitchen has a great lineup of large appliances, including a large built-in fridge, steam oven and Galley workstation, which is a large prep sink that utilizes several inserts such as strainers and cutting boards and acts as a very large prep space. The new induction cooktop is easy to keep clean and a microwave drawer in the island is located away from the main prep space for convenient access. The main perimeter has tons of countertop space, with additional prep space available at the island and a slightly raised peninsula for casual meals and nice homework spot for the couple’s teenaged children. The kitchen also included a large shallow depth pantry and a large counter height desk area for keeping track of paperwork. The weathered finish on the cabinets and custom metal hood are a nice juxtaposition to the more sleek glass mosaic backsplash and waterfall countertops. The pendants and cabinet hardware provide modern details that provide an overall casual yet sophisticated feel in this transitional design. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Mike Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com