Reinterpreting a Greek Revival

The Cameron Foundation in Petersburg, Virginia, is a philanthropic non-profit organization which donates approximately $5,000,000 annually to other non-profits and special projects throughout the region. For its new headquarters, the Cameron Foundation chose to restore and re-use a circa 1840 Greek Revival home. The home had been gutted by fire and left abandoned for five years. Enteros Design is providing documents for the house restoration, as well as a new contemporary addition that doubles the size of the building. The addition is designed to be compatible with the existing architecture, while clearly expressing a contemporary vision. The joint between old and new is expressed as a metal clad vertical reveal separating the existing wood clapboard house from the transparent glass "hyphen" element. The proportion, scale, and hierarchical elements of the Greek Revival architecture are reinterpreted as an interplay of solids and voids in the addition. The roof form appears to "float" above the white concrete masonry perimeter walls. Windows are expressed as vertical openings extending to a clerestory window beneath the roof. The large areas of glass create transparency and spaces filled with natural light. The addition will house public meeting rooms and a large reception area. Landscaped terraces, site walls, and ramps will mediate the grade and define the entry and outdoor reception space. The project is in a historic district and was recently approved by the city's architectural review board.

Enteros Design, PC