Creating A New Old House
Yesterday's
Character for Today's New Houses
By Russell
Versaci
Design and Create A New House That Looks Like It's Always Been There
Here is the best of both worlds: New houses
with old world sensibilities. In Creating a New Old House, architect
Russell Versaci shows you that it is possible to design and create a
new house that looks and feels like it has always been there.
Versaci explores how architects, builders, and
craftsmen are reinterpreting the traditional American house. Through
photographs and engaging text, discussions of history and
craftsmanship, and sidelong glances at the workings of real old
houses, Versaci explains how traditional houses go together and what
gives them their unique design appeal.
- Features 17 new, old-style houses -- from
colonials to farmhouses -- from all over the country
- Versaci identifies Eight Pillars of
Traditional Design that create a solid foundation for combining
authentic, traditional design with livability to create homes
that feel old yet work for the demands of modern family living.
About the Author:
Russell Versaci, is an accomplished
residential architect who has spent two decades in professional
practice designing traditional houses. Recognized for his expertise
by his peers in traditional design, Versaci is a founding member of
the Institute for Traditional Architecture, a select guild of
architects dedicated to teaching the art and craft of traditional
building.
"A book providing the guidance and details
necessary to create a new/old house is long overdue. Russell Versaci
writes with authority about the value of historical accuracy when
creating a house with architectural integrity. He keeps the reader
focused on both design direction and practical considerations."
-- Barbara Sallick, co-founder and senior vice-president of Design,
Waterworks
"Russell Versaci presents a masterful survey
of the best in new, historically inspired homes. But he gives us
more than pretty pictures; he also shares the techniques that
skilled designers use to achieve historical resonance and emotional
impact. And for owners about to build a new traditional home, this
book is an invaluable guide to showing the level of design skill you
should expect from your architect."
-- Clem Labine, editorial director, Traditional Building
Introduction:
Let's find a great old house and fix it up." Perhaps you daydream
of living in a home with a past. But in real life, you know that the
adventure of rebuilding an old house often leads down a rocky road.
By creating a new old house, you can skirt these troubles and
satisfy your old-house soul. This book will show you the path to a
new home that is patterned on tradition.
Two decades ago in architecture school I discovered my own
passion for things old. At the time, Modernism was the rule of the
day. The spare forms of Modern American homes did not have the
connection to the old-fashioned arts and crafts that made
traditional houses delightful places to live. In the world of
Modernism, I was a lost soul.
Disenchanted, I turned to history for inspiration. While
searching through dusty volumes in the library, I uncovered
treasures. America was rich with forgotten styles, from the first
colonial dwellings and styles of the new republic through
early-twentieth-century classicism. Determined to rediscover the
legacy of the past, I decided to make a career out of designing
homes built on tradition.
Longing for an old house
Like many of you, my clients long to recreate the gracious homes of
the past. In pursuit of their dreams, we have brought to life the
new old house, a vintage home designed for modern living. We have
unearthed forgotten details of style, building techniques, and
materials with timeless character and integrated them with the
benefits of modern conveniences. The houses we have created are new
variations on classic styles, blending the emotional comforts of the
past with the creature comforts of today.
Timeless pillars
As an architect, I delight in the complexity of designing houses. In
the process, I have learned ways of building "new old," which have
become my working tools. I call these principles the Pillars of
Traditional Design. The Pillars are design principles drawn from the
old ways of building which seamlessly weave the past into the
present.
The houses in these pages have been created by architects,
builders, and homeowners who are dedicated to making new old houses.
These homes represent rich geographic diversity of regional styles
in America. You will see portraits of seventeen new houses in the
traditional styles of our forefathers: from the native forms of the
Southwest and Spanish settlements in Florida and California, to the
early architecture of the colonies from New England to Georgia,
through the Greek Revival style, to the pioneer traditions of Texas
and the Rocky Mountains.
These outstanding examples, selected from more than 300 homes,
present the way traditional American styles are being reinterpreted
in the best new homes of today. My hope is that they will inspire
you to create the new old house of your dreams, wherever you may
live
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Reviving the Classic
Homes of the Past
A PORTFOLIO OF NEW
OLD HOUSES
CALIFORNIA SPANISH
COLONIAL REVIVAL
Recapturing the Romance
of Spain
ROCKY MOUNTAIN RANCH
River House in Big Sky
Country
SPANISH-PUEBLO ADOBE
Reviving a Primitive
Power
MIDWESTERN GREEK
REVIVAL
An Honest Prairie
Farmhouse
CONNECTICUT VALLEY
COLONIAL
Relocating a Relic
PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH
FARMHOUSE
A New Farmstead with a
Past
HUDSON VALLEY GREEK
REVIVAL
Building by the Book
MARYLAND TIDEWATER
PLANTATION
Preserving History
GERMAN STONE
FARMHOUSE
Bringing a Farm Back to
Life
CAPE COD COTTAGE
A House of Salvaged
Bones
SOUTHERN PIEDMONT
FARMHOUSE
A New Farmhouse for an
Old Village
SOUTHERN ANTEBELLUM
PLANTATION
Proper Southern Manners
FRENCH CREOLE COTTAGE
A Weathered Bayou
Cottage
TEXAS GERMAN RANCH
Sunday House on the
Prairie
FRENCH COLONIAL
PLANTATION HOUSE
A Portrait of Louisiana
Heritage
CRAFTSMAN ARTS AND
CRAFTS BUNGALOW
House of Fine
Woodworking
COLONIAL REVIVAL
SHINGLE STYLE
New England in the
Northwest
Directory of
Architects
Hard-cover, 9-1/4 x 10-7/8 in.,
224 pages, with
color
photos and drawings
Published 2005
ISBN: 978-1-56158-615-8
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