Bohl Architects

The First Modern House in Annapolis

2011-07-13T16:30:00.000-07:00

More from my article on 86-88 State Circle in Annapolis Maryland, a duplex built by Alexander Randall in 1878.

The architectural ornamentation of the building is animalistic. The terracotta ridge roof tiles are like
vertebra. The terracotta fish scale siding is a taut skin. The stepped windows in the side stair hall take
pleasure in the muscular mechanical movement of legs and feet climbing stairs. The pediment on the porch roof does not align with the front door so the path from sidewalk to front door has a zigzag dance that celebrates biped ambulatory movement. The stucco panels of this pediment and the pediments at the gable ends of the main roof hold a key to the spirit of this building: oyster shells were pressed into the stucco during construction. The shells were tightly spaced, with the mother of pearl facing out. Most of the shells are gone, only a pattern of holes and some shell fragments protected by overhanging eaves remain. In classical architecture, pediments were filled with sculptures of heroic human exploits; think of the Parthenon “Elgin” marble figures.

However, here in Annapolis in 1878, the monumental space of the pediment is given over to celebrate the existence of nature, the beauty of Chesapeake Bay life, and the simple joy of eating.

The Alexander Randall duplex is “modern” architecture because it makes an emotional artistic statement: the wonderment of organic earthly life. The architectural spirit in this house links directly to the natural architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright in the 20th century and the biomorphic forms of architect Frank Gehry today.

The nature-celebrating architecture of 86-88 State Circle is diametrically opposed to the social status architecture of the five-part plan mansions. It is also in direct contrast to the architecture of balance and harmony at the U.S. Post Office on Church Circle (see Annapolis Home Magazine Vol. 2, No.1). It is marvelous to have in Annapolis the immediate comparison of such distinctly different architectural thoughts.

This is an excerpt from a column called On the Corner, part of series by Chip Bohl published in Annapolis Home Vol. 2, No. 4. Photography by Geoffrey Hodgdson.

The First Modern House in Annapolis

2011-07-12T13:17:00.000-07:00

The first modern house in Annapolis, a duplex located at 86-88 State Circle, was built by Alexander Randall (1803-81). Randall was lawyer, businessman, United States Congressman, and Maryland Attorney General. He and his family were very well educated, world travelers, and successful in business, science, and the arts. He was a staunch unionist and campaigned to keep the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis during the Civil War. His wife Elizabeth Blanchard Randall (1827-96) met with T.H.
Huxley in London after the publication of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species (1859), when Huxley was promoting the evolutionary biology of Darwin and scientific naturalism. Alexander and Elizabeth had seven children, which may have prompted them in 1878 to build the duplex in front of their home, The Bordley-Randall House, described in this series in Annapolis Home Magazine Vol. 2, No. 3.

The architecture of 86-88 State Circle celebrates the complexity of organic life. The building’s silhouette is asymmetrical and varies dramatically from different vantage points. Interior rooms seem to push and pull themselves into space as if they are responding to a force requiring their existence. The three-story front bay windows are dominating vertical elements. The narrow chasm between them further accents their
thrust into the sky. Each material of the house seems to have its own life. The brick foundation steps down in the front to support the vertical bay windows, and then moves around to the sides of the building and reaches up to the roof at the pediment over the stairs. Note the “room” above the entrance porch: it spans over half of the porch ceiling, and seems as if it has been pushed out from inside to create the space
necessary for its existence. Its two small windows make no attempt to match others in the house. They are the size they need to be, based on natural selection, not a contrived sense of symmetry or balance.

This is an excerpt from a column called On the Corner, part of series by Chip Bohl published in Annapolis Home Vol. 2, No. 4. The rest of the article will appear in my next post.

The High Line & Digital Empathy

2011-06-20T12:41:00.000-07:00

If you are planning to visit Manhattan this summer, consider checking out The High Line. Section 2 is now open, so the aerial park extends from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to West 34th Street, between 10th & 11th Avenues.

There is also a rotating schedule of temporary artworks in and around The High Line. Digital Empathy is a sound installation by Julianne Swartz - voices reading poetry, singing love songs, or just reciting pragmatic information are transmitted through the park's bathroom sinks, water fountains and elevators.

Digital Empathy plays on the notion that, in our culture, we turn to technologies like online social networking, blogs, and instant messages to meet our basic human need for friendship and personal connection.

The Bordley Randall House, Annapolis, Maryland

2011-06-16T07:16:00.000-07:00

Maryland State Archives, photo by C. H. Hopkins

The house built by Stephen Bordley is the first five-part plan house in Annapolis. A five-part plan house has a large center section with two smaller building parts attached on both sides. All five parts are joined together in a line, the larger center section has the front entrance door, the two far end “wings” are smaller in size, and the two connecting “hyphens” are the smallest parts. The diminutive side pieces emphasize the importance of the domineering center section. Symmetry is used to monumentalize the front door and place the owner’s quarters in a commanding status. This floor plan concept was made famous by Andrea Palladio in 16th century Italy, and became a staple of 18th century English Georgian country house architecture. However, the five part plan concept is an architectural contrivance. There is little functional reason for the concept. The owners may have found uses for all the parts of the house, but functional needs did not drive the design. This house design has been used for centuries because it is one of the best architectural expressions for personal wealth, power and prestige.

The Paca House, James Brice House, and the Hammond-Harwood House are the only other five part plan houses in Annapolis. They were built in the short period of time of 1763 to 1775 by families that were all related by marriage.

The Sachse drawing was made 11 years before the start of the Civil War. Within 11 years after the Civil War, the open spaces around all of the great mansions would begin the rapid transformation into a densely built town. Today the Bordley-Randall House is largely obscured from all streets. Surrounded by houses and commercial buildings, only a glimpse of the house can be seen through its closed iron gate on State Circle. Its five-part plan imagery is also obscured by a 19th century addition.

A very important advancement in architecture was taken by later owners of the Bordley-Randall House. In 1878 Alexander Randall built a duplex home in front of his five-part plan home. This house at 86-88 State Circle is intellectually progressive, artistically modern, and the next subject of this series.

Brice House

Paca House

Hammond-Harwood House

This is an excerpt from an article on The Bordley-Randall House, part of series by Chip Bohl published in Annapolis Home Vol. 2, No. 3.

The Bordley-Randall House, Annapolis, Maryland

2011-06-15T06:37:00.000-07:00

Original owned by Maryland Historical Society

The Bordley-Randall House built in 1760 dominates the left quarter of the drawing and is the most fully depicted of all the buildings. It sits in the center of its own city block defined by State Circle, Maryland Avenue, Prince George Street, College Avenue and North Street. This position allows for private gardens to completely surround the house. Most other 18th century mansions in the city have gardens only in the rear of the house. Furthermore, it is the only mansion positioned on direct axis with the State House. These features made it the most commanding, monumental and socially prominent house in the City.

Thomas Bordley (1683-1726) immigrated to Maryland from a well established family in England at 11 years old. He became a lawyer, landowner and politician. At his death he owned 7500 acres, an extraordinary library of 100 law books, and an entire city block in Annapolis. His eldest son Stephen Bordley (1710-1764), was educated in London, one of the most prominent lawyers in Maryland and taught the law to Samuel Chase and William Paca in Annapolis. In 1759 Stephen sold 1340 acres in Anne Arundel County and built what is now known as the Bordley-Randall House in 1760. The house was conceived and used as Bordley’s social show place. He entertained with lavish food and drink, cementing business and political connections.

Photo at left of the Bordley Randall House from the State House dome, Maryland State Archives, 1860-1868, by C. H. Hopkins.

This is an excerpt from an article on The Bordley-Randall House, part of series by Chip Bohl published in Annapolis Home Vol. 2, No. 3.

View of Annapolis from the State House

2011-06-14T07:31:00.000-07:00

Original lithograph owned by Maryland Historical Society

This 1850 drawing from the State House dome by the E. Sachse Co. (circa 1855) is a fascinating portrait of Annapolis. Near the center of the drawing is East Street. To the right of East Street is a densely packed assembly of small buildings crammed toward the bustling activity of the harbor. To the left of East Street the scene is quite different. Large homes surrounded by gardens with massive yards fenced and gated. The Paca House (1763-65) and the James Brice House (1767-73) are identifiable by their towering chimneys. They share one large city block exclusively with the Hammond Harwood House (1774). The Judge John Brice House (1739) and the John Brice III House (1766-75) control a large swath of the block defined by East Street, Prince George Street (which they front), Maryland Avenue and State Circle. The Chase Lloyd House (1769-74) and Ogle Hall (1739-42) own the entire city block north of the Hammond Harwood House. In the upper left hand corner of the drawing is McDowell Hall (1744-46) of St. John’s College, originally conceived as the colonial governor’s house.

This is an excerpt from an article on The Bordley-Randall House, part of series by Chip Bohl published in Annapolis Home Vol. 2, No. 3.

Himalayan Architecture at the University of Texas El Paso

2011-05-31T12:01:00.000-07:00

One of us visited El Paso, Texas over Memorial Day weekend. El Paso is home to UTEP (University of Texas El Paso) which is notable for its Himalayan architecture. The story is that Kathleen Worrell, wife of the school’s first dean Stephen H. Worrell, had seen pictures of Bhutanese buildings in National Geographic. Noting the similarity of mountainous Bhutan (which is in the Himalayas) to the location of the campus, she suggested that the new buildings be in the style of Bhutanese dzongs (monastic fortresses), with massive sloping walls and overhanging roofs. Prominent El Paso architect Henry Trost designed the first four buildings in 1917. All buildings since then have followed this style, including a fifth by Trost in 1920, and three more by his firm in 1933-1937. While the early structures only copied the general appearance of a dzong, recent buildings incorporate internal elements of the dzong form as well.

UTEP College of Business & College of Engineering

Trongsa Dzong in Bhutan

U.S. Post Office - Annapolis Home Magazine Article

2011-04-05T07:28:00.000-07:00

One of the most beautiful buildings in Annapolis is on the corner of Church Circle and Northwest Street. The United States Post Office was designed in 1901 by the U. S. Treasury Department. James Knox Taylor was the Supervising Architect of the Treasury at the time, and made a deliberate effort to build federal buildings that would make lasting contributions to small towns. Clearly this building does more than simply provide basic shelter.

The architect skillfully blends classical design with architectural elements found specifically in Annapolis. The goal of this composition is architectural balance and harmony, while using materials and forms familiar to Annapolis. There is just enough monumentality in the design to let you know it is an important building. The monumentality never over-reaches to grandeur, mostly because of the use of brick, a building material strongly associated with Annapolis.

The brick used at the Post Office is laid in an alternating header bond pattern. That is, every other horizontal course shows the narrow end of the brick to the street. Superimposed on this is another pattern: the dark burnt brick ends that are laid in a chevron design. This causes a strong crisscross pattern that floats across the front of the brick wall. The use of burnt bricks in decorative wall design is a Maryland masonry tradition dating to the 1600’s. There is a fragment of burnt brick chevron design on the rear of the James Brice house, on the corner of Prince George and East Streets.

The three round arch windows are another familiar Annapolis architectural form. These can be seen right across the street at Saint Anne’s Church (1859). Flanking the three round arches are two blind arches with inset windows. Blind arches are arches with brick infill, as seen in the Church apse, facing the Governor’s house.

There are two other classical architectural forms used at the Post Office that are found throughout Annapolis: one is the use of quoins at the corner of the brick walls, and the other is the belt course. In the Post Office these are made of limestone. The corner quoins give the building a vertical element. The belt course at the bottom of the second floor window sills provides a subtle horizontal line. Corner quoins are used at St. John’s College McDowell Hall (1744). Brick belt courses can be found on brick buildings around the city, mostly on buildings of the late 1700s. One of the most interesting designs of the Post Office is where the belt course intersects the corner quoins. At this intersection the architect created a unique stone shape that has an inverted pan face. This piece allows the vertical corner quoins and the horizontal belt course to cross in a wonderfully harmonious way. The quoins and the belt course share the same space without conflict, achieving balance and harmony. Notice the way the brick wall patterns knit into the stone quoins. The visual effect is vibrant and complex, but the result is orderly and resolute.

The craft and workmanship of the Post office is outstanding. The tooling of the limestone base is very subtle. Around the three arched windows, the decorative limestone pieces are expertly carved. The two garlands that flank the second floor center window are a three dimensional stone carving extravaganza. They float on the wall with no visible means of support. The blue slate “damp course” where the grass meets the building is used to protect the soft limestone base from wicking up soil moisture. This protects the soft porous limestone from deterioration. Today the stone and brick are as fresh at the day they were built. The interior wood work and finishes are all beautifully executed, especially the staircase in the side vestibule.

When the Post Office was built two grand important Annapolis houses were demolished. Early photographic views show substantive homes, as one would expect to find in such a prominent location. Unfortunately, their demolition was just the start of the destruction of the entire area defined now by Northwest, Church Circle, Bladen, and Calvert Streets. This area included Bloomsbury Square, a feature of the original city plan designed by Sir Francis Nicholson in 1695, which included a number of homes of free African Americans.

The beauty of the Post Office was followed in short order by beastly bland pseudo-colonial state office buildings. Occupying what were previously many city blocks, these buildings have none of the architectural interest, none of the creativity, none of the craft of the Post Office. The most marked contrast between the Post Office and the state office buildings is the way they engage the sidewalk. The Post Office is warm, inviting and encourages participation. The state office buildings turn away from the sidewalk. The James Senate Office Building (1939) next door is the most noble of all of the state office buildings. Unfortunately it has just suffered an ignoble insult: the front entrance door on College Avenue has been locked to public access. The state office buildings continue their march toward an isolated insular campus.

The Post Office survives… for a while. The canopy over the front door sags; the columns of the cupola are split open, eviscerated by neglect, the garlands around the cupola are falling off. The Annapolis Post Office is looking for a new home, they just want a shelter this time…nothing fancy.

Chip Bohl has been an architect in Annapolis for 33 years, visit www.BohlArchitects.com to see his work.

Annapolis Home Magazine

2011-03-22T09:36:00.000-07:00

We added a new link - Annapolis Home Magazine. Check out the latest issue to see an article about Annapolis' Old Post Office building by our principal, Chip Bohl.

New Modern Home Design

2011-03-16T09:57:00.000-07:00

This is another rendering of a modern home we designed near Annapolis, Maryland. Construction is starting soon - follow our blog to see continuing updates on this exciting project.

Digging Up Energy Savings Right in Your Backyard

2011-03-10T06:10:00.000-08:00

Check out this article from Tuesday's Science Times about ground-source heat pumps-- Digging Up Energy Savings Right in Your Backyard by Lorraine Kreahling.

New Modern Home

2011-03-09T10:40:00.000-08:00

This rendering shows a new home we designed near Annapolis, Maryland. Construction is beginning this month-- follow our blog to see how this project progresses.

A Sculptural Home

2011-03-08T06:29:00.000-08:00

To see more about this recently completed project click here.

Drain Water Heat Recovery

2011-03-01T07:51:00.000-08:00

We have promoted solar domestic hot water systems for many years now as a cost effective way to save energy. There are many state and local tax credits available for these systems that help defray the cost of installation.

There is another type of system that is increasingly being used in residential and commercial buildings to lower the energy costs for water heating. Drain water heat recovery utilizes a heat exchanger to recover heat energy in waste water and pre-heats incoming cold fresh water. This type of system is relatively inexpensive - $200 to $500 - and requires little maintenance or upkeep. It can be used on its own, or in conjunction with a solar water heater.

For more information visit the U.S. Department of Energy website or www. RenewABILITY.com.

Starting Construction Soon

2011-02-23T13:52:00.000-08:00

This home near Annapolis will start construction this Spring. The home features planted roofs, geothermal heat, and expansive views of Whitehall Creek.

Recently published in Annapolis Home

2011-02-21T09:16:00.000-08:00

The Power of the O- A Sculptural Home on the South River

Annapolis Home, November/December 2010

download the article

New apartment building designed by Jean Nouvel

2010-03-15T07:39:00.001-07:00

Check out this article about Jean Nouvel's new apartment tower in Chelsea.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/15/arts/design/15nouvel.html?ref=arts

On The Boards... New Waterfront Home

2010-03-08T13:20:00.000-08:00

This video shows our design (in progress) for a new home on Whitehall Creek in Annapolis, Maryland. The project will feature many green design elements including a green (planted) roof. See more of our work at www.BohlArchitects.com.

High Line - Manhattan

2009-10-26T11:11:00.000-07:00

We visited the High Line in Manhattan a few weeks ago. Although it was about to rain any minute, the new park was still packed with people. The High Line was originally constructed in the 1930's as an elevated track for freight trains. It is now a public park, with landscaping designed by James Corner Field Operations in conjuntion with Diller Scofidio + Renfro Architects. The High Line runs from Gansevoort Street to 20th Street between 10th & 11th Avenues, and will eventually run all the way to 34th Street. It's a unique space with interesting views and naturalistic plantings - we definitely recommend a stroll in this park the next time you find yourself on the West Side of Manhattan. These photos show Frank Gehry's InterActiveCorp building as viewed from the High Line.

Last Post from Oxford - St. Antony's College

2009-08-02T03:55:00.000-07:00

We are leaving England today, but 0ur posts from Oxford would not be complete without a little mention of St. Antony's College (where we've been staying along with some American study-abroad students). St. Antony's College was established in 1950 as a graduate college of international studies, and is situated in North Oxford. Its buildings include the former Holy Trinity Convent, which has a beautiful Gothic Revival chapel designed by John Loughborough Pearson that now houses the College's library. The firm Howell, Killick, Partridge, and Amis added the Hilda Bess building in the late 1960's, which houses a dining hall and commons rooms. This concrete-framed building is a reinterpetation of the age-old communal collegiate building, and despite its rather brutalist exterior is quite nice inside with a large dining hall lit by hooded windows. The Architects Design Partnership added the Nissan Centre for Japanese Studies in 1993, a carefully detailed building influenced by Japanese architecture and Frank Lloyd Wright. Also interesting are the unrealized designs for this college by Oscar Niemeyer, which were abandoned because of the economic recession of the 1970's.

The Divinity School, Bodleian Library, Oxford University

2009-08-01T02:06:00.000-07:00

We are going back in time a couple of centuries from the previous post to talk about the Divinity School - the oldest lecture-room in Oxford. It took nearly 60 years to construct, and has been little altered since its completion in 1483. It served for 400 years as an examination room where candidates for the degrees of Bachelor and Doctor of Divinity demonstrated their knowledge orally in front of a "master", and only in the last 100 years has it ceased to be used for its original purpose. The interior is a showpiece of English Gothic architecture and masoncraft, with a complex vaulted ceiling decorated with intricately carved bosses. (You may also recognize it as the infirmary in the Harry Potter movies.)

The Sheldonian Theatre - The Age of Classicism Comes to Oxford, England

2009-08-01T01:22:00.000-07:00

We are still visiting Oxford, England, although unfortunately we are scheduled to leave in a few days. We managed to see the interior of the Sheldonian Theatre today, Christopher Wren's first major building commission completed in 1667. Wren based his design on Roman amphitheaters, and thus the Sheldonian was the first building in Oxford to be modeled directly from a structure dating from classical antiquity. He had to adapt this form to the use of a modern theatre where academic ceremonies would be conducted. One required deviation was that of a roof (Roman theatres were open to the sky), and Wren solved this problem with his typical mathematical expertise by creating trusses that spanned 70 ft. with no intermediate supports. These trusses were hidden from view by a ceiling that was painted by Robert Streater with allegorical scenes surrounding a central area of clouds and blue sky. The exterior of this building (although its main facade resembles illustrations found in Vetruvius) is thought not to be altogether successful. (This may have been partially a result of the tightening of funds as the building was completed.) What gives this building much of its interest, though, is that it is the earliest work of a man who would come to be known as England's greatest classical architect.

This view (above) is taken from the cupola of the Sheldonian Theatre. You can see why Oxford is often referred to at the "city of spires".

New College - Oxford University

2009-07-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

New College was founded in 1379 by Bishop William of Wykeham, about the time that Mob Quad at Merton College was being completed. It had a generous endowment from the start, and was the first college plan to be conceived all at one time as a coherent architectural whole. From the time it was built and to the present day, New College set the standard for collegiate architecture in Oxford. It has a wonderful cloister, completed in the late 14th century, and the original town wall dating from the early 1200's is still visible along the North edge of the campus.

Merton College - Oxford University

2009-07-24T09:28:00.000-07:00

We are still visiting Oxford, England and its many historic colleges. Merton College was founded in 1264 and is one of the oldest colleges at Oxford University. It has a beautiful chapel, which is thought to be the finest late 13th century building in Oxford. The plan of the college developed haphazardly over time, incorporating existing buildings dating before the college, but eventually Mob Quad evolved (one of the oldest collegiate quadrangles).

Compass and Rule - Architecture as Mathematical Practice in England

2009-07-22T01:28:00.000-07:00

We visited the Museum of the History of Science on Broad Street, and saw an interesting exhibit titled Compass and Rule - Architecture as Mathematical Practice in England, 1500-1750. This exhibit displayed drawings and instruments that show the transition of the practice of architecture from a craft to an intellectual pursuit. Some of the more interesting drawings were the first medieval maps drawn to scale and used for military purposes, and of course the drawings of Christopher Wren for the dome of London's St. Paul's Cathedral. Wren's drawings are one of the first recorded instances of an architectural form being developed during the design process (instead of during construction). Also of interest were the drawings of King George III from the 1700's. He was one of the first "gentleman-architects" and studied architecture with a tutor. His drawings preserve his first steps as a teenager to his sophisticated designs as a middle-aged man. As paper was precious, it was unusual to save a record of the basic beginning exercises. These drawings give us an idea of what an architectural education was like in the 18th century. This exhibit will be coming to the Yale Center for British Art in New Haven, Connecticut in February 2010.

Oxford an Architectural Guide

2009-07-22T01:11:00.000-07:00

We have been using a wonderful architectural guide book on this trip, and want to cite the author. Much of the information from these Oxford blog posts is referenced from Geoffrey Tyack's Oxford an Architectural Guide. It's hard to find in the U.S., but if you find yourself in Oxford, you can pick up a copy at Blackwell's bookstore on Broad Street.

University Museum, Oxford, England

2009-07-21T14:37:00.000-07:00

Just across the street from Keble College, we happened on a very interesting building. Oxford University Museum of Natural History, begun in 1855, still fulfills its function to exhibit "all the materials explanatory of the structure of the earth, and of the organic beings placed upon it." The design by Benjamin Woodward, junior partner in the Irish firm of Deane Woodward, was chosen from a design competition. Woodward was deeply influenced by the Oxford-educated John Ruskin and his books, The Seven Lamps of Architecture and The Stones of Venice. Ruskin believed that Gothic was more "natural" than classicism, allowing architectural ornament to be freed from rigid rules and orders. This idea is displayed in the carvings around the window jambs on the front of the museum - of monkeys, cats, dogs, rabbits, etc. These carvings were executed by Irish craftsmen brought to England by Woodward, which also put into practice Ruskin's belief that "all architectural ornamentation should be executed by the men who design it." The interior of the museum is really quite stunning, and its most spectacular feature is the glass roof supported by cast iron columns. This building and its exhibits were a favorite of our younger travel companions.

Keble College - Oxford University

2009-07-21T14:18:00.001-07:00

We are still visiting Oxford, England, and have managed to see another notable college. Keble College, built in 1868-82, was designed by William Butterfield. The design of this college was quite controversial, and Butterfield's individuality and disregard for convention has never been forgiven by some to this day. One of the major differences (from other Oxford collegiate architecture) displayed in the buildings of this college is the use of brick instead of stone. This allowed Butterfield to create colored patterns and stripes, and resulted in one of the most impressive buildings of the Gothic Revival.

Radcliffe Camera, Oxford, England

2009-07-17T00:29:00.000-07:00

We have more highlights from Oxford, England. The city of Oxford experienced much rebuilding during the 18th Century, which concluded with the creation of Radcliffe Square and the construction of the Radcliffe Library (now known as the Radcliffe Camera). The money for this library was donated by Sir John Radcliffe, a physician. There was much debate about exactly where the library should be situated, but it was finally decided that it should have a site in the middle of the new square. Nicholas Hawksmoor, the architect behind the design of the new square, and James Gibbs were invited to submit designs for the new library. Gibbs proposed a square library, and Hawksmoor designed a domed circular library alluding in its form and decoration to the mausolea of classical antiquity. Hawksmoor died before the site was fully purchased, so the design of the library fell to Gibbs. Although a square library would have been more practical, the Radcliffe's trustees persuaded Gibbs to conform to Hawksmoor's circular scheme, and thus give Radcliffe his monument. Gibbs created a lighter, more Baroque building, drawing on his training in Rome. Light enters both through outer windows and through the drum of the dome, and the resulting effect of light and space is enhanced by decorative plastorwork. It is thought to be the finest classical interior in Oxford, and one of a few in England.

Magdelen College, Oxford, England

2009-07-16T00:13:00.001-07:00

More highlights from our trip to Oxford, England... The great quadrangle at Magdelen College was constructed between 1474 and 1480. It is an excellent example of English Late Gothic architecture. Buttressed, pinnacled, and decorated, it proclaims the wealth and power of the college. Oriel windows light the interior rooms, and the gateway is embellished with vaulting ribs and carved bosses. The flying ribs around the main doorways are an unusual feature.

Christ Church College, Oxford, England

2009-07-15T00:53:00.000-07:00

We happen to be visiting Oxford, England this month. The city was founded in the late 9th Century, and the University emerged in the late 12th and early 13th Centuries. The idea of the collegiate quadrangle was developed in Oxford, and its colleges have served as models for collegiate architecture up to the present time.
This photo is of Tom Tower at Christ Church College, designed by Christopher Wren in 1681. This tower reflects the spread of classicism after the Civil War, and is considered a creative solution to completing an older, Gothic style building.

More Fireplaces

2009-07-07T10:11:00.000-07:00

This house features a double-height living space. The upper fireplace is in the master bedroom on the second floor, but it also has a glass back that faces into the living room. When a fire is lit in the bedroom, it can be seen from below in the living room as well. To see more photos from this project please visit http://www.bohlarchitects.com/bayridge/bayridge.htm.

Fireplaces and House Design

2009-07-03T06:09:00.000-07:00

This fireplace is part of an Arts & Crafts farmhouse in rural Pennsylvania. The masonry chimney seems to float between two sheets of glass, and the firebox is backed with a piece of fireproof (oven) glass. Here, we emphasize the contrast between solid masonry and transparent glass, and also bring nature into the home. Imagine sitting by the warm fire on a cold winters day and watching the snow fall. To see more about this project and our other work, please visit http://www.bohlarchitects.com/ac_kitchen/ac_kitchen.htm.

House Design and The Fireplace

2009-07-02T06:17:00.000-07:00

The fireplace is a symbolic part of a residence. The design of the fireplace expresses feelings, values, ideas and emotions: in the same way that the house design expresses these things- but the fireplace is a concentrated expression, it has greater intensity and more intimacy than the whole house.
The house in this photo replaced a small cottage with a big screened porch. Our client spent many summers there with her family, and most of their time seemed to be spent on that porch with its view of the water. When we designed a new house for the site, we started with the screened porch. At one corner of the porch we placed two fireplaces - one inside and one outside. Four large custom glass doors slide into a pocket between these two fireplaces, completely opening up the house to the porch on beautiful summer days. In this way, the whole house becomes part of the porch, and this idea is furthered through the design of the fireplaces.

Solar Energy for the Homeowner

2009-06-30T12:56:00.000-07:00

Solar Photovoltaic Panels

Solar Photovoltaic Panels supplement electrical power received from the local power authority. At times when the electricity generated from the panels exceeds the home's power consumption, the excess power is transferred back into the grid and the electric meter runs in reverse. Many states (including New York) have net metering laws that require power companies to purchase excess power back from their residential customers at the same market rate they charge for usage.

This type of system can further be augmented by adding a battery to store excess energy generated from the solar panels. This stored energy can then be used during power outages.

Solar Photovoltaic Panels are improving in quality and becoming more affordable every year. With the rising costs of energy we have seen in recent times, the cost benefit ratio is always improving for these systems.

Solar Domestic Hot Water Systems

Domestic hot water heating is the second-highest energy consumer in a typical household. Using solar energy to heat hot water can reduce this cost by 65% or more in the Northeastern U.S. This type of system includes two or three solar collectors which absorb the sun's energy by warming a heat transfer fluid (propylene glycol). This fluid is then used to preheat incoming cold water before it is brought to full temperature by a conventional water heating system.

Passive Solar Design

Passive solar design integrates building components to harness natural energy flows and provide solar heating and cooling. Our designs have incorporated this simple, low-cost method to increase energy efficiency for many years. Passive solar design elements include day lighting strategies to limit the use of electricity, heat control techniques such as exterior sun screens, proper solar orientation, appropriate ventilation and window placement, and passive solar heating strategies.

Please visit www.BohlArchitects.com or contact us at Chip@BohlArchitects.com for more information. Bohl Architects has assisted many clients on both large and small projects make energy efficient choices for their homes.

Wind Power

2009-06-19T08:19:00.000-07:00

The owners of a rural property have added this wind turbine which they expect to generate much of their electricity. As wind power is still an emerging technology, they plan to monitor their energy production in an effort to contribute to the understanding of this technology. Although the payback may be years away, their investment in this green power source will help advance the market and accessibility of wind power for future consumers. Also, any power generated by green sources (ie: wind, solar, etc.) reduces the amount of coal burned by power plants and creates less air pollution for all. To see more information about this project, please visit http://www.bohlarchitects.com.

Urban Rooftop Farming

2009-06-18T06:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's New York Times featured an article on urban rooftop farming. This could mean anything from putting some planters on the roof of your building and planting a few herbs or vegetables, to large-scale farming operations on the roofs of warehouses. Schools are setting up rooftop vegetable gardens to supply fresh produce to their cafeterias, and high-end restaurants are growing ingredients for their dishes. This great idea isn't only for the city - think of the benefits for suburban schools or offices buildings. To see the full article go to http://www.nytimes.com/pages/dining/index.html.

A Little Place on The Water

2009-06-16T06:45:00.001-07:00

This custom home designed by Bohl Architects is featured in the current issue of Chesapeake Home magazine. To see the article and more photos please visit http://www.chesapeakehome.com/2009/06/03/a-little-place-on-the-water/.

The Chesapeake Life House

2009-06-11T11:32:00.000-07:00

The Chesapeake Life House is a series of "green" homes designed by Bohl Architects. The deteriorating health of the Chesapeake Bay waters is directly related to the removal of woodland areas in the watershed. Agricultural uses, roads, yards, and building roofs all destroy the woodland areas. These fast runoff surfaces allow the immediate introduction of pollutants into the waters. The Chesapeake Life House can incorporate planted roofs that hold and filter rain water. The lot landscaping design encourages the restoration of woodlands, and the creation of indigenous wildlife habitat. The small footprint of the house and the minimal amount of hard surfaces on the lot help restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay.

The house easily integrates many low carbon features: solar hot water system, photovoltaic panels, geothermal heating/cooling, super insulation, and/or organic construction materials. These and more may be included as the budget allows, or added in the future.

If you are interested in building a Chesapeake Life House please contact us at Chip@BohlArchitects.com.

The Chesapeake Life House

2009-06-09T11:44:00.000-07:00

The Chesapeake Life House is a series of sustainable homes designed by Bohl Architects. The square footprint provides an excellent ratio of floor area to exterior wall and roof area. The exterior wall and roof areas of a home are the parts of the house that lose heat in the winter and gain heat in the summer. As we minimize the exterior wall, we reduce the energy required for heating and cooling. A 2,500 square foot home with an "L" shaped floor plan has 25% more exterior wall area than a 2,500 square foot home with a square floor plan. A 2,500 square foot house that is one story has twice the roof area than a 2,500 square foot house that is two stories. Using these simple floor plan configuration concepts reduces energy and material consumption. The daily energy operation costs of the house are reduced by the low ratio of exterior wall to interior space. It turns out that a small house footprint is a small carbon footprint.
Please visit http://www.bohlarchitects.com/ for more information.

The Chesapeake Life House

2009-06-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

The Cheseapeake Life House is a series of homes designed by Bohl Architects specifically for the Cheseapeake Bay Watershed.
The interior arrangement of rooms is as natural and traditional as the way the home sits in the landscape. The rooms have the classic proportions that can adjust to the various and changing needs of family life. The Chesapeake Life House is designed to last for many generations. The most sustainable feature of any home is the longevity of use. The design of the home must have the flexibility to accommodate a history of demands.

Each primary room of the Chesapeake Life House has windows on two sides of each room. This allows for natural ventilation and illumination, and a generous connection to the natureal landscape.

For more information please visit http://www.BohlArchitects.com.

The Chesapeake Life House

2009-06-05T09:59:00.000-07:00

The Chesapeake Life House is a series of houses designed specifically for the Cheseapeake Bay Watershed. The floor plans range from 2000 to 4000 square feet. The house designs have great flexibility so that the living spaces can easily be modified for view, solar, and wind orientation, and to take the greatest advantage of natural topography and existing vegetation.

The Chesapeake Life House is inspired by the American Foursquare of the early 20th century. This design is a multi-story home with a square footprint.

Next weeks' blog posts will have more information on the Chesapeake Life House, or visit http://www.bohlarchitects.com/ for more information.

The Historic Architecture of Annapolis - Part 5 - McDowell Hall

2009-05-22T08:11:00.000-07:00

Mc Dowell Hall was designed in 1742 as the Colonial Governor's Mansion. Known as "Bladen's Folly," the incomplete structure was left to deteriorate. Thomas Jefferson in 1766 observed that in Annapolis "they have no public building worth mentioning except a Governor's House, the hull of which after being nearly finished, they have suffered to go to ruin." In 1784 St. John's College acquired the building and completed construction for use as the classroom, dormitory, and administrative college building. McDowell Hall was restored after a fire partially gutted it in 1909.
The building was agained restored in 1989, with Bohl Architects acting as the restoration architects. This six-story brick building includes 23,000 square feet of space for classrooms, assembly, and student union with a small food service facility. All interior woodwork and plaster cove moldings were restored. All necessary "modern" fixtures such as smoke detectors, sprinkler heads and lighting have been seamlessly integrated into the historic building.
Exhaustive research was conducted through files in the Maryland State Archives, college records, and on-site observations during the demolition phase of the renovations to determine the 1744 floor plan. The result was recognized by the 1991 Preservation Award of the Maryland Historical Trust, and the 1990 Award for Excellence in Architecture from the American Institute of Architects.

For more information on the restoration of McDowell Hall please visit http://bohlarchitects.com/McDowell_H/mcdowell.htm.

The Historic Architecture of Annapolis - Part 4 - Vitality of Retail Storefronts

2009-05-21T06:35:00.000-07:00

Annapolis store fronts have a distinctive scale. The display windows are wide and allow visual penetration deep into the store. The doors are recessed from the sidewalk edge, coaxing passersby to step off the sidewalk for a closer look at additional display windows. The store fronts also have small roofs above the display windows, frequently with clerestory windows above. These roofs hold awnings and larger store signs that are visible from across the street.
Apart from the similar function of the display windows, the store fronts exhibit a great deal of variety due to modifications by retailers over time. There is also a great variety at the vertical plane of the property line. Most buildings are placed directly at the property line, and many store fronts project into the sidewalk right of way. This increases display area and visibility into the store.
Variety continues at the upper levels. There is a wide range of cornice heights on Main Street - from 14 to 38 feet above the sidewalk. The former building at 184-186 Main Street had a cornice height of 38 feet. Some cornices are heavily bracketed Italianate, while others are very plain with slightly recessed panels.

One interesting example of Annapolis retail architecture is the unique variation of depth in the wall plane at 203 - 207 Main Street (see photo above). Here the design takes a grand swing at referencing the Basilica (see photo at left), Palladio's masterpiece at Vicenza, Italy. The facade at 203 - 207 has it all (most): repetitive arches, symmetrically flanking oculus openings and grand gesture balustrade; however, the facade is flattened down to the point where the second floor colonnade has become a shallow perch and, rather than Carrara marble blocks, it is built of two wood frame walls. Still a clear expression of living above the shop, and the messy vitality of retail.

The Historic Architecture of Annapolis - Part 3 - Main Street Streetscape

2009-05-20T06:33:00.000-07:00

Main Street in Annapolis is a horizontal composition from the top at Church Circle, down the hill to the City dock. The vertical spire of St. Anne's terminates the horizontal line at the top; at City Dock, the diagonal turns to a perfectly horizontal line, racing across the Bay to the Eastern Shore. The outward flare of the street at the bottom accentuates both the spike of church steeple, and the broad horizon on the other side of the Chesapeake Bay.

The flared horizontal composition made from many individual vertical elements, a great vertical spike on one end, endless horizon at the other, all bent to a natural topography, creates a dramatic play of optic chicanery achieved only occasionally in the best of eighteenth-century French garden design. The great secret of Annapolis: is this a studied exercise in esoteric sophisticated design, or is Main Street just the cart path from harbor to farm, with a Church on top of the hill?

The Historic Architecture of Annapolis, Maryland - Part 2 - State Circle

2009-05-19T06:21:00.000-07:00

Annapolis State Circle is a unique streetscape that is also a microcosm of Annapolis. The street announces grand aspirations with the size of the circle (approximately 3.2 acres), but it is not a pure geometric circle or oval. The ‘circle’ is an irregular egg that follows the natural topography. The fact that there was no attempt to manipulate the topography into a more monumental base for the State House (see photo) is as significant as the fact that the State House dome does not define any actual center of the Circle. The State House dome is not precisely in the center of any of the radiating streets. The views up East Street, or Francis, or Maryland Avenue, will find the dome slightly off axis. This "near miss" is a fundamental characteristic of the built environment of Annapolis.

The near-miss exists at all levels in the city: urban plan, individual building, and building detail. The Nicholson urban plan of circles with radiating streets overlaying a 90 degree street grid leads to the idiosyncratic buildings at acute and obtuse intersections, such as the Maryland Inn, Farmers National Bank, buildings at the intersections of Fleet with Cornhill, Northwest with College Avenue, and Prince George with East. The construction of buildings over a long time causes the idiosyncratic juxtaposition of grand and modest. The startlingly abrupt contrast of the twentieth century buildings between the Paca House and the James Brice house with those two older and grander buildings; and the way Cumberland Court slices out the Hammond Harwood House side garden are just two of many examples. Everywhere there are “near-misses” in building details: the way the round headed second floor window trim of the James Brice house collides with the bracket roof cornice, the way the same cornice terminates at each side with a haphazard brick corbel in place of the forgotten pilasters; and at the garden side of the James Brice House there is the start of a black brick header chevron pattern that is started, then abandoned before the second floor. All of these “near-misses” are attempts at grand gestures that get derailed in the practical ride of complex daily urban life. This is the great charm of Annapolis. It is grand, formal, monumental, and simultaneously modest, haphazard, and unceremonial.

The Historic Architecture of Annapolis, Maryland - Part 1 - The Doric Order

2009-05-18T07:32:00.000-07:00

Classical architecture has always been used in ways that are distinct to Annapolis -- certainly adjusted for the Mid-Atlantic Tidewater climate and resources, but more importantly, always filtered through the lenses of the city's extraordinary architects: Joseph Clark, William Buckland, T. Henry Randall, Henry Powell Hopkins, and James Wood Burch. The golden period of Annapolis Georgian architecture favored the Ionic Order, especially for door surrounds and important woodwork detailing. But the Doric Order (Greek or Renaissance) seems to prevail consistently over time. The Ridout house back porch, McDowell Hall, the giant pilasters on the rear of the Hammond Harwood house, the Franklin Law Office at 17 State Circle, and the Franklin General Store at 206 Main Street (see photo) are Doric in proportion. The proportion of the town is more stout than the slender Ionic, possibly due to the nature of brick bearing wall construction.

State and Local Incentives for Energy Efficiency

2009-05-15T06:08:00.000-07:00

To find out about incentive programs in your state visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency at http://www.dsireusa.org/.

Also, more information about energy efficient home improvements is available at http://www.energystar.gov/ and http://www.epa.gov/greenbuilding/index.htm.

New York State Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency

2009-05-14T06:06:00.000-07:00

In addition to the Federal Tax Credits for energy efficient home improvements listed in yesterday's post, there are additional credits available to homeowners at the local level. Following are some of the credits available to homeowners in New York State:

Solar and Fuel Cell Tax Credit - Tax Credit of 25% of the cost for Solar-Electric (PV) and Solar-Thermal Systems up to a maximum of $5,000. Tax Credit of 20% of the cost for Fuel Cells up to a maximum of $1,500.

Energy Conservation Improvements Property Tax Exemption - Qualifying energy-conservation improvements to homes (such as Solar Water Heat, Photovoltaics and Geothermal Heat Pumps) are exempt from real property taxation to the extent the addition would increase the value of the home.

Solar Sales Tax Exemption - The sale and installation of residential solar-energy systems are exempt from the State’s sales and compensation use taxes.

Long Island Power Authority - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program - LIPA offers incentives for its residential customers to increase the energy efficiency of their homes. The Cool Homes Program offers rebates of $250 - $600 per unit for energy-efficient central air conditioning systems and air-source heat pumps. The Geothermal Energy Wise Program provides rebates from $200 - $1,000 per unit for new and replacement geothermal heat pumps. Additional rebates are available for certain lighting fixtures, clothes washers, refrigerators, and dehumidifiers.

Long Island Power Authority - Solar Rebate Program - LIPA’s solar program offers rebates that are approximately 50% of the costs for a PV system. Also with LIPA’s Net Metering Policy, excess energy is bought back from the customer at the same retail rate charged for usage.

For more information please visit http://www.BohlArchitects.com/green.htm.

Green Your Home and Take Advantage of Obama's Stimulus Bill

2009-05-13T06:09:00.000-07:00

Now is a great time to make energy efficient improvements to your home. Not only has the cost of construction reached an all time low, but the new Federal Stimulus Bill has increased energy efficiency or “green” tax credits for homeowners. If you have been thinking of renovating or constructing an addition to your home, you should also consider taking advantage of some of these programs. Not only will you save money on purchase and installation, you will continue to reap the energy cost saving benefits year after year.

The following Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency are part of the Obama Stimulus Bill.

Homeowners who make energy efficient home improvements (to existing homes) including energy efficient windows and doors, insulation, roofs, HVAC, water heaters (non-solar), and biomass stoves are eligible for a Tax Credit of 30% of the cost, up to a maximum of $1,500 for 2009 & 2010.
Homeowners who install geothermal heat pumps, solar panels, solar water heaters, small wind energy systems, and fuel cells (in new or existing homes) are eligible for a Tax Credit of 30% of the cost with no upper limit through 2016.

For more information on sustainable design visit our website at http://www.BohlArchitects.com/green.htm.

Declining Construction Costs

2009-05-12T05:50:00.000-07:00

Construction costs are at an all time low. The cost of structural steel is 50% lower than its peak in July of last year. Copper and aluminum prices are similarly off their peak. Construction grade lumber prices have declined heavily. General Contractors are short of work, and skilled craftsmen and laborers are immediately available. This oversupply of labor and materials will not last forever. As the US and world economy recovers, these surplus supplies will shrink, and production pipelines will inevitably lag behind demand. Prices will increase, and even modest inflation will make today’s prices look like a steal.

If you are considering a construction project big or small, now is an excellent time to plan it. We have been providing architectural services for over 30 years, and we have never seen this steep a decline in demand. The decline will not last, and neither will this opportunity to build at such a great discount.

In the project pictured above we lifted the roof in order to add a new second floor. By maintaining and reusing the existing first floor, foundation and roof (with the now unattainable Buckingham slate roofing), we reduced landfill contribution, reduced consumption of new wood products, and hastened completion time. Visit http://www.BohlArchitects.com for more information.

Welcome to the Bohl Architects blog

2009-05-11T10:52:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Bohl Architects blog. In this blog we plan to discuss issues related to residential design and and construction. We'll also post updates on our projects and completed work.
The project shown here was recently featured in Chesapeake Life magazine. For more information please visit http://www.bohlarchitects.com/.

Bohl Architects

The First Modern House in Annapolis

The First Modern House in Annapolis

The High Line & Digital Empathy

The Bordley Randall House, Annapolis, Maryland

The Bordley-Randall House, Annapolis, Maryland

View of Annapolis from the State House

Himalayan Architecture at the University of Texas El Paso

U.S. Post Office - Annapolis Home Magazine Article

Annapolis Home Magazine

New Modern Home Design

Digging Up Energy Savings Right in Your Backyard

New Modern Home

A Sculptural Home

Drain Water Heat Recovery

Starting Construction Soon

Recently published in Annapolis Home

New apartment building designed by Jean Nouvel

On The Boards... New Waterfront Home

High Line - Manhattan

Last Post from Oxford - St. Antony's College

The Divinity School, Bodleian Library, Oxford University

The Sheldonian Theatre - The Age of Classicism Comes to Oxford, England

New College - Oxford University

Merton College - Oxford University

Compass and Rule - Architecture as Mathematical Practice in England

Oxford an Architectural Guide

University Museum, Oxford, England

Keble College - Oxford University

More posts from Oxford - Blenheim Palace

Radcliffe Camera, Oxford, England

Magdelen College, Oxford, England

Christ Church College, Oxford, England

More Fireplaces

Fireplaces and House Design

House Design and The Fireplace

Solar Energy for the Homeowner

Wind Power

Urban Rooftop Farming

A Little Place on The Water

The Chesapeake Life House

The Chesapeake Life House

The Chesapeake Life House

The Chesapeake Life House

The Historic Architecture of Annapolis - Part 5 - McDowell Hall

The Historic Architecture of Annapolis - Part 4 - Vitality of Retail Storefronts

The Historic Architecture of Annapolis - Part 3 - Main Street Streetscape

The Historic Architecture of Annapolis, Maryland - Part 2 - State Circle

The Historic Architecture of Annapolis, Maryland - Part 1 - The Doric Order

State and Local Incentives for Energy Efficiency

New York State Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency

Green Your Home and Take Advantage of Obama's Stimulus Bill

Declining Construction Costs

Welcome to the Bohl Architects blog