Ticket sales start Monday, April 21 at 11 AM
Click here to purchase your tickets
Note: Only ticket holders will be admitted
The end house of a row of four speculative row houses built in 1909, 1601 Grove Avenue was in a state of neglect and uninhabitable when purchased in 2000. It had stood empty for 25 years, a neighborhood eyesore, enduring vandalism, roof leaks, structural and interior damage, lack of heating, original systems, and general long deferred maintenance. It needed a total and complete renovation. The new owners, major art collectors, wanted a very contemporary residence to showcase their extensive collection and provide a gracious venue for entertaining. They were excited by the spatial opportunities of the structure and, due to the extensive damage, felt unconstrained by the strictures of restoration of a period house so prevalent in this area.
The program called for a very open plan, unfettered by walls, to allow freedom of circulation and visual openness in what is actually a small space. The basement was dug out to capture additional living area. Being a typical row house, it is long and narrow but situated on a corner with windows along the east wall providing good natural light throughout. The structure was gutted and all non-structural material removed leaving a four-story shell.
The design challenge became how to provide an open plan with few walls, yet be able to display many pieces of art. The solution was to open a slot from basement to roof along the west party wall resulting in large expanse of continuous wall for art. The stairs were reconfigured, held off the wall and rise through this slot from back to front. The party wall became a four-story surface visible from all levels on which to hang the art and view it from many different vantage points. A new structure of steel was introduced to support the floors, the new steel stairs and an elevator, to provide a continuous element infusing and ordering each level and to tie the whole spatial volume together.
The exterior design: landscape, garage addition, walls and fence, is traditional in nature to maintain the look of the streetscape in this historic neighborhood. The house was restored to its original condition and detailing to preserve the visual continuity of the row, belying the moves on the inside…a veritable wolf in sheep's clothing.
Food sponsored by Mobelux
Ticket sales start Monday, April 21 at 11 AM
Click here to purchase your tickets
Note: Only ticket holders will be admitted
Modern Richmond does not own nor control the conditions of any venues for our events and cannot be held responsible for the safety of our participants or their property. While we would never host an event at a property that we believe is unsafe, you agree to attend and participate at your own risk.