Artist’s House and Studio

28. January 2013

This urban infill project in Fayetteville is a house and studio for a painter who is also a professor at the University of Arkansas. The house is situated on the south to take advantage of the sun, and the studio is on the north for that side's ever-important indirect light; a carport sits between both pieces. Architect and contractor 3GD Inc have played with traditional local forms, creating suprises like the "super gutter" over the carport. Principal Edward Richardson Brya answered some questions about the project.

Southeast corner

How does the completed building compare to the project as designed? Were there any dramatic changes between the two and/or lessons learned during construction?

We are both the architect and the builder, so the built project is usually as designed. When we do make changes during construction, they are done in the same spirit as the original design.

South elevation

How does the building compare to other projects in your office, be it the same or other building types?

This particular house uses more of the traditional vernacular house forms than most of work, but is very similar to many of our other projects in our careful attention to view, solar access and other site macro and micro issues. Additionally, the plan strategies we employ are essentially modern, open, and flexible.

Northwest corner

How does the building relate to contemporary architectural trends, be it sustainability, technology, etc.?

This project is in line with current trends for sustainability and efficiency, but not because of the trends. We have always worked to site our projects to take advantage of the sun. Quality glazing and properly sized overhangs control seasonal solar gain. We have always tried to reduce waste (we built this project, start to finish, without filling one 15-cubic-meter waste bin). Perhaps the most "sustainable" aspect is that it is located on an infill lot, in an already established neighborhood located in the center of town. It demands no new infrastructure, instead replacing a missing piece of the existing fabric.

Main level plan

Are there any new/upcoming projects in your office that this building’s design and construction has influenced?

Each project is designed with the knowledge gained from the experience preceding it.

Upper level plan

How would you describe the architecture of Arkansas, and how does the building relate to it?

This project is in the NW corner of Arkansas, in the Ozarks. This is a region currently undergoing rapid growth; agrarian landscapes and small towns are giving way to large-scale development. Some of that is characterized by increasing density in urban areas, and other as urban sprawl. At the macro level, we believe that this project demonstrates the more responsible option, urban infill. At the building scale, the project alludes to the vernacular forms of the past, without copying them.

Email interview conducted by John Hill.