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Margolis Inc. LOOKING TO THE CLASSICS FOR MODERN IDEAS by Lori Sichtermann For nearly two decades, John P. Margolis’ boutique firm has been transforming Boston-area living spaces, both indoors and outdoors, into works of art. As Margolis explains, his firm, Margolis Incorporated, is unique in its ability to cultivate environments of serenity and respite. “In each of our projects, we create a place that transcends everyday chaos. We create seamless environments that integrate the inside and the outside in a unified way.” John P. Margolis never had a doubt about entering the field of design. “I’ve been interested in architecture since the second grade,” he says. “I really didn’t have a desire to be anything else but an architect.” Margolis Incorporated, founded in 1994, offers a full array of services, including interior design, architectural illustration and garden design. The firm’s past projects range from neoclassical influences to bungalow adaptations. Margolis’ passion for architecture provides an all-encompassing approach to his clients’ desires. “We may have gotten different stylistic requests from
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clients over the years, but we’ve been able to create the seamless environments for a broad range of budgets,” Margolis adds, “Some budgets are very modest, and some are very extravagant. What makes us unique is that we’re able to give clients exactly what they want by being creative and efficient.” While the breadth of the firm’s talents is vast, Margolis repeatedly finds inspiration in classical architecture. He believes that classical architecture’s historical precedence provides the foundation for efficient and elegant construction today. “Classical architecture and its applications are like grammar for writing,” he notes. “It’s a language to use when problem solving. No solutions are the same. Instead, they’re grounded in some larger, cultural basis that goes beyond the signature of the architect.” Every home in Margolis Incorporated’s portfolio receives individualized attention from the firm’s founder, but one home in particular received a special dose of loving care. In 1995, Margolis had the pleasure of designing and building his own home in Beverly Farms, Massachusetts. He took influence from some of the most renowned structures in classical architecture. “It was the
Margolis Incorporated is dedicated to the future of classic architecture. John Margolis has traveled the world to view inspiring works of art and has worked alongside legends in architecture. While his influences are far-reaching, classical architecture remains his passion. Today, he strives to make this profound period center stage for others in his profession. For more than a decade, Margolis has been a part of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (classicist.org) and the Boston Society of Architects (architects.org). Currently, he serves as President of the New England Chapter of the ICAA (classicist-ne.org). ICAA provides a resource for professors, students and other architects to learn about and discuss classical architecture. The organization is informative, inviting, and as Margolis reveals, its membership is growing. “I’m happy to report that our Chapter has grown 35 percent since I’ve been president,” he says. “We celebrate not just architects and interior designers and their talents, but landscape designers and their applications in the allied arts. Artists who make furniture, plaster work, ornamental metal work, figure drawings, paintings and mural paintings are all part of the design field. We’re finding that many of these artists also are passionate about classical architecture, which is wonderful for its resurgence.”
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