Atlanta is building houses to beat the band. Our finest architects, designers, and builders are producing amazing work. But most are huge. I love them but I rarely fall in love with them.
But I get crushes on small'ish houses. Here are four though one is not so small.
1. I saw this Amy Landsberg design while poking around Decatur.
I slammed on the brakes and called Amy from the car. An artist / architect / lecturer designing a house is my kind of thing.
I believe you can have your cake and eat it too: You can fit in style-wise and scale-wise AND be "modern." Give me sloped roof lines, a hint of gables, a corrugated metal roof, divided light windows, narrow clapboard siding, and throw in the old chimney, and if the detailing are right, I'll probably fall in love. Throw in saw-tooth clerestory windows? I'm so there.
Look: no corner boards, skinny rafter tails, why doesn't the front door have a transom like the windows, details, details.
What are those bottoms up shade things in the windows? They ward off the blackout-windows look.
2. On to Reynoldstown, not an architectural destination for many yet it's a beloved spot for the Architecture Tourist.
This is
Christopher Leerssen's RTown Lane in Reynoldstown. Is there a more appropriate and fun infill development in Atlanta? Go see.
There are bigger units, smaller units, units that live-work, units with mother-in-law suites. There's an alley. The last two units are queued up for construction. Sold out in a hurry. Some sold before construction. More of these please.
3. The Cheshire Bridge O&I / Skin district really needs Manchester.
This is
Manchester by Hedgewood where the Habersham Gardens retails store used to be, next to Futo's on Cheshire Bridge.
"
Lew Oliver worked with us on the Manchester project and has designed much of our architecture over the past 30 years."
Detached harmony in human scale by Hedgewood.
4. There is a high end a design war in Ansley Park where there's no protection. Smallish lots put them close the curb so it's a spectator sport.
On Polo by
Bobby McAlpine. This is as close to the curb as you'll see a "Bobby." It's not small but it seems small'sh. It has 11 foot ceilings but the roof slope and through-the-eave dormers conceal the height so it fits in in size-wise. It's a spec house, it can be yours but it's not cheap. Call
The Getzinger Group.
I'll bet you have crushes too. I've love to see them?
