Project: Arts & Crafts Renovation
Location: Earlville, NY
Scope of Services: Architectural Design, Limited Structural Engineering & MEP design
Project Status: The project design began in 2016, and the final phases of construction completed in 2024.
Fun Fact:
The Client has added nearly 2000 sf of native perennial gardens around or next to the house to replace grass lawn. Gardens contain native trees, shrubs, brambles and flowers with high wildlife value for birds and native pollinators.
An approximately 2-acre field is adjacent to house and 2/3 of that field is being returned to a wild meadow state. Overgrown areas behind the barns have had invasive multiflora roses removed and is gradually being rewilded by wild brambles and owner-planted select native trees.
The goals of the project were for a complete master plan in which the owner could phase the work and complete parts of the project themself. The Architect was tasked with understanding the owner's overall long-term usage and ensuring the structure would last an additional hundred years beyond it's current hundred-year lifespan.
Initial requirements of the project were to provide minimum disturbance and waste of materials within the existing residence while accommodating necessary structural Improvements to improve the functionality of the existing rooms and maintain cohesive flow of spaces. The owner's goals included attaining net zero and reducing energy use by implementing compatible sustainable strategies among the building systems, including the building envelope, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing fixtures & systems.
On November 15th, 2024, SMSA Architects & the homeowner received an Award of Merit at the AIA Central New York Celebration of Architecture for the Arts & Crafts Renovation project. While the event celebrates & honors the achievements in design excellence by Architects in Central New York, an Award of Merit represents distinguished achievement by Architects, Consultants, & Clients who work together to create and enhance our building environments.
Completed
Design for Economy:
Reuse of as much of the existing structure as possible (windows, siding, Interior gypsum walls, etc.) consistent with what was being accomplished with a new floor layout and complete replacement of electrical and plumbing systems, and insulation. Evaluation of economy was based on a >25 year likely owner-occupation of the structure.
Design and improvements for long-term value and consistent with post-renovation ~100 year structure life, including 30-year shingles, high-quality Marvin replacement windows (where required only due to code requirements or floor plan changes/improvements), redundant air-barrier construction techniques, advanced air sealing and detailed insulation installation for heat loss of <11 BTU/ft2 at 0° F outdoor temperature, solar PV installation that supplies >100% of all on-site electricity consumption.
Whenever possible, gypsum walls and ceilings were left in place (about 40% of the gypsum wall/ceiling surfaces were retained, all on interior walls on second floor ceilings).
Before & After
