New Classic American Houses

Book excerpt: Albert, Righter & Tittman Architects create finely crafted houses that pay homage to classic American house styles yet are adapted with skill, mastery and a good dose of irreverence to suit contemporary American life. At first glance, their Cambridge Cupola House loks like a typical mid-19th-century Greek Revival house, but on closer inspection, one realises that nothing is quite where it should be. The grand, cupola-topped rotunda entrance, for instance, is located not in the front, but on the side of the house! The reason? To increase the living space for the inhabitants. Richly illustrated with specially commissioned photographs, as well as with plans, drawings and watercolours, this sumptuous volume celebrates AR & Ts timeless, innovative designs and explores the historical styles on which they are based from Classical to Shingle, from Carpenter Gothic to Cape. Focusing on the superb craftsmanship and exquisite detailing of AR & Ts exteriors, interiors and outbuldiings, each chapter features one or more sidebars highlighting their inventive use of architectural elements, including columns, fireplaces, balustrades and moldings. It will be a trove of design ideas for professionals and homeowners alike.