Druid Hills House

 

 

This mid-century modern house occupies a lot in a typical 1950 suburb near downtown Atlanta and Emory University. Built in 1956, the house was custom designed for the owners by well-known Atlanta architect Kenneth Johnson. The well-proportioned, carefully-scaled and thoroughly mid-century home immediately draws attention in a neighborhood of indistinctive mixed-pedigree tract ranches.

 

Sixty percent of the house remains true to the architect’s vision. However, an unfortunately conceived master suite/home office renovation and addition as well as other unfortunate expediencies have obliterated much of Mr. Johnson’s concepts of spatial transitions and axial transparencies. Upon examination of Mr. Johnson’s original sketches and drawings, subsequent insensitive hardscape and landscape oddities have further corrupted the formal intent of the original design.

 

A recent purchaser of the house has now engaged us to restore the integrity of the original design, create a hardscape and landscape compatible with the original design and plan a working office totally disengaged from the house. We have created a master plan with three phases---house modifications, site improvements and new structures---progressing as (1) The demolition of the master suite/home office, construction of a sympathetic master suite and restoration of the exterior patio and fireplace; (2) Implementation of a front and rear yard hardscape and landscape plan; (3) Construction of a new home office positioned in the rear yard [to screen a neighbor’s pool] linked to the main house with a sequence of patios stepping down to the main floor level.

 

Realization of our plan will create a design that is sympathetic to Mr. Johnson’s aesthetic while improving limitations of the original design.