O P E N
p r o j e c t 1810
H O U S E
Bermuda, Dallas
c l i e n t Charles
Dee Mitchell
a r c h i t e c t Ron
Wommack Architect
d e s i g n t e a m Ron
Wommack, FAIA; John Rice; Masha Slavnova
c o n t r a c t o r Lawrence
Wallace General Contractor
c o n s u l t a n t s Zinser-Grossman Structural (structural); David Rolston Landscape Architects (landscape);
Miller Service Company (mechanical); Cadwallader Design (interiors) p h o t o g r a p h e r Charles
Davis Smith, AIA
W
HEN DEE MITCHELL FIRST CONTACTED RON WOMMACK, FAIA, about the possibility of designing his new house, Mitchell said he intended to interview five architects and visit with each of them three times before deciding which one would get the commission. Later, when he called to tell Wommack he had the job, Mitchell offered that he so enjoyed visiting with him that he didn’t want the conversation to end. For Wommack, all of his work results from a dialogue – the discourse about art and architecture, craft and detail, light and space – between an enlightened patron and a talented practitioner. Located in the Lakewood neighborhood of Dallas, the site has its short side to the street and its long axis runs east-west, perfect for orienting a house to minimize solar gain. Architects love to design long, skinny buildings that allow light to flow uninterrupted into the various spaces, and this site presented just such an opportunity. The primary views are to the south, and in response this facade is almost totally glazed but shielded from the southern sun by a vine-covered trellis integrated into a long porch that also extends out to encompass the entry path and a screened porch. The house’s organization is based on a clear path of circulation that begins at the entry gate and then becomes a contiguous porch along the south facade. Entry to the house is off this porch, which leads into a hall that runs the length of the house and connects to a stair at each end (one interior, one exterior), effectively allowing the path to continue up and down through the house. On the lower level, the hall/circulation space connects the various rooms and allows them to flow together seamlessly. Upstairs, the hall is closed off from the bedrooms for privacy, which allows the hall to become a beautifully proportioned gallery space, an intimate space lovelier than those in many art museums. Characteristic of much of Wommack’s work, this house has a variety of rooms and spaces, each unique, but all appropriately sized and carefully proportioned. This house is above all an art gallery and natural light is as important to the experience as one’s movement through its interconnected spaces. Windows are carefully placed, with additional lighting placed where appropriate. The circulation pattern is organized in part to complement the presentation
3 / 4
2 0 1 1
T E X A S
A R C H I T E C T
27