Author: Jim

Winningham / Saffer Open House

On September 9, a2modern will host a tour of the David and Ann Saffer’s George Brigham-designed house.

This expansive single-level home nestled in the northeastern corner of a six acre property provides a maximum of privacy with spectacular views of gardens and forest. The present owners, David and Ann Saffer, enjoy “the long views” both inside the house and out across the lush and level grounds.

Mid-century Modern architect George Brigham designed this house for an elderly client who asked for two wings for bedrooms, an indoor conservatory, and a screened porch, identified in the plans as “the terrace.” The Saffers have enhanced the sensitivity of this house to its orientation in the natural setting by adding a trellis-covered patio onto the terrace, by enlarging the existing skylights and by adding a large skylight above the dining area. They have made the house a most beautiful platform for entertaining.

Arriving by car, one first sees the two-car garage and a covered walkway to two separate points of entry to the house: the main door by the master bedroom wing (west end) and farther down an access door to the kitchen. An axial corridor runs the full length of the house from master bedroom to kitchen/food preparation area along this side of the house. Entering the central core of the house there is one long and quite wide room, gently lit by clerestory windows along the north roofline. The wide floor to ceiling fireplace sets the scene of a large gathering space that is flanked by the dining area, the terrace and the open patio on the east. In the other direction expanses of glass invite one to saunter to the conservatory area (now a conversation spot) and the courtyard between the bedroom wings. The Saffers have placed in this outdoor courtyard a fountain that is audible from the master bedroom and the library.

This is not a simple ranch-style house. The generous interior dimensions of conservatory space, fireplace area, dining area, terrace area and patio area respond to the client’s needs for accommodating gatherings of many people. Equally, the views out onto the grounds and the forest create a sensation of being in nature. A highlight of the house are the eaves and the overhangs left open so as to mediate the sunlight without blocking it. These overhangs are created by the ceiling beams extending beyond the walls of the house, and while unobtrusive at first the effect is pleasure at a friendly presence.

There are many striking design features and designed-in amenities in this largely original Mid-century Modern house. A great new feature involves the tile floor covering from conservatory to the terrace. Its quiet sandstone and ochre colors unite the entire entertaining space in a single sweep and add to the feeling of openness, serenity and naturalness already induced by the design of a gifted architect.

Tickets can be purchased at a2modern.myevents.com.

Thornoaks Walking Tour

Sorry! This event is sold out.

On June 10th a2modern will be hosting a walking tour of the Thornoaks neighborhood. The tour will include several interior visits.  Thornoaks is an unusually intact group of 32 mid-century modern homes, recently designated as an historic district.  Docent led tours will start at 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. The entire tour is 0.6 miles long.

Tickets to the event can be purchased here.

A small enclave of 32 houses on Thornoaks Drive and Huron River Service Drive, it’s located off East Huron Drive just before the U.S. 23 underpass.  On April 18 the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners voted approval of a request by the residents to designate it as an historic district thus protecting it from demolition or unfortunate alterations.

Thornoaks was developed in 1957-1961 by architect James Livingston and builder E. E. Kurtz.  They carefully laid out the lots to take advantage of views of the Huron River, South Pond, or the woods.  As the parcels were sold, Livingston and Kurtz reviewed the site plans, as the incorporation document states, for “materials, harmony of external design with external structure… placement of walls or fences… and to the location with respect to topography.”

Livingston was a well- respected local architect (1922-1975).  Bob Chance, who worked with Livingston at the beginning of his career noted, “All of Livingston’s houses were contemporary, with lots of daylight.  He did nothing old-fashioned, he wouldn’t waste his time.”  Livingston is best known as the designer of Lurie Terrace.  Readers may remember the cave-like Kales Water Fall, later a Chinese restaurant, and now torn down, which Livingston designed.  Other work included the Bell Tower Hotel, Weber’s Restaurant and Hotel (where the idea of a pool inside an atrium with hotel rooms looking down on it may have been his invention), Lawton School, apartments including Maynard House and one on Pear Street, as well as many private homes.

Livingston’s residence – front

Livingston’s residence – rear

It is known that Livingston was responsible for at least seven Thornoaks houses, but he’s probably the architect of quite a few more, as there are many where the architect is unknown that look like his work.  When Livingston was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 1975, he immediately closed his office and went to Florida to spend his remaining time.  The architects working for him took plans for buildings they were involved in, but it is believed the rest of his files were destroyed.

Livingston’s residence – inside

Livingston’s residence – inside

Identified Livingston homes include one he built for himself at 4099 E Huron River Service Drive, now owned by Kristine Bolhuis, the president of the Thornoaks Neighborhood Association, and her husband John Holkeboer, which is where the tour will start.

Livingston was also the local agent for Techbuilt homes and there are several  homes  in the neighborhood that fit the description.  Techbuilts are considered among the best of the modular homes of that era.  Boston area architect Carl Koch noticed that in most homes the attic and basement were the least used, so developed a module home that was just that, a basement halfway out of the ground and an attic on top of it, so both floors were very usable.

Another modular house in Thornoaks is a Deck house developed by another Boston-area architect.  Other local modern architects designing homes in the neighborhood include Ted Smith and Donald Van Curler.

Botch / Aaron Open House

On the afternoon of January 13th the Aarons, who soon intend to sell the Metcalf home known as the Botch House, will be holding an open house for our a2modern friends. Tickets may be purchased here.

Architect Robert Metcalf’s 1958 presentation drawing lifted the Botch House on Chestnut Street just above the crest of the ridge. A rising walkway led to three steps up to the startling entrance portico, while a sweeping white retaining wall created an illusion of floating. It is an extraordinary drawing of an extraordinary house.

A visitor approaching from the street today would see a house gently nestled into the site, the entranceway firmly set on the ground, and rather than a retaining wall (which was not built) a berm landscaped so as to conceal the driveway area at the northwestern end of the house. It is a better solution altogether, and the landscaping and other work supervised by the present owner, an architect herself, won a Preservation Award from the Ann Arbor Historic District Commission in June 2017.

Vintage photos of the interior of the Botch House (see 1055 Chestnut/Old News) emphasized openness to light and the natural beauty of the setting. Sited along a northeast to southwest axis, the all-windows private side of the house facing a golf course receives indirect sunlight all day long. Attention to the sun also explains the elegant screen on the portico: it modulates the raking afternoon sunlight.

In its essence, a “modern” house must be designed specifically for the client. In this instance, Dr. Edmund Botch asked for a discreet area off the master bedroom where he could, when necessary, dress and quietly leave the house to see a patient or keep an appointment. The intricate living area that resulted, including the master bedroom and two large bedrooms, has to be experienced to be fully appreciated.

The present owners, Richard and Yuni Aaron, bought the house in 2006. A series of practical updatings took place in the following years, including replacing almost all of the windows, redesigning storage spaces in the kitchen to accommodate new appliances (without changing either dimensions or materials), replacing carpeted areas with light-toned hardwood flooring, and creating two bedrooms in the lower level area. On the other hand, the buff brown tile used on the portico floor, through the entranceway, and into dining area was left untouched.

When the new owners invited Robert Metcalf to Thanksgiving Dinner, he brought his little black book, in which he had noted, to the penny, the original cost of the house. Two of his trademark touches add romance to the simplicity of its modernist flat roof, continuous expanses of glass, warm tile floor, patio areas, and indirect lighting—an elegant wooden screen separates the dining area from the portico entrance; and on either side of the living room fireplace, niches of purple-rose stained glass complement the pink marble of hearth and over mantle.

It is a big, very proud house, now updated by an architect who thoroughly understands the legacy of a brilliant architect. Together, the Aarons have earned the right to the re-identification of this house as the Botch/Aaron House.

Written by: Jeffrey Welch