A4 Architecture Blog
Newport Casino: The American Temple to Tennis
Bellevue Avenue Facade of the Newport Casino Next week the eyes of the tennis world will be on Newport as many of the players from Wimbledon will be competing in the Infosys Hall of Fame Open. This is the only ATP men’s tournament played on grass in North...
A4 Architecture Spotlight: The Pell
The Pell Lobby In 1756, the poet Robert Burns allegedly wrote the poem “To a Mouse” on the spot for a mouse whose burrow he had disturbed while plowing his field. It included the famous line “The best laid schemes of Mice and Men/oft go awry.” When A4 Architecture,...
A4 Spotlight: Fairbourne and Thomas Alexander Tefft
Fairbourne House, previously known as "Quatrel" Over its long history, from its founding in 1639 to the present day, Newport has been a destination for some of the most noteworthy architects in America. Some like Richard Morris Hunt and McKim, Mead, &...
The US Pro Singles at the National Tennis Club located at the Newport Casino
Camden Riviere Serving Hidden at the back of the International Tennis Hall of Fame located at the Newport Casino (194 Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island) is one of the rare existing examples of an eight-hundred-year-old sport called Real Tennis, which is...
A4 Spotlight: The Grand Tour
Historically “The Grand Tour” of Europe was a cultural and educational journey undertaken by well-to-do young Englishmen from the 17th to the 19th centuries. It was considered an essential part of their education, particularly for those aspiring to become architects....
A4 Spotlight: Rose Island Lighthouse License Plate
License Plate Design - Final Part of being an architect is helping support the community. Over the years Ross Cann, RA, AIA, the founding principle of A4 Architecture has served on more than two dozen Newport of Rhode Island boards, committees, or commissions....
The A4 Architectural Words of Wisdom
The A4 Architectural Words of Wisdom After being a licensed architect for thirty years (which is even more amazing considering how long it takes to become licensed), I am taking the liberty of sharing some thoughts and quotations that I have developed over that time....
LEED-ing the Way
LEED-ing the Way - Cover Page The first step in making buildings more sustainable is to establish and then encourage best practices. In 1993 the U.S. Green Building Council, spearheaded by Natural Resource Defense Council scientist Robert K Watson, established...
The A4 Architecture Project Guide
The A4 Architecture Project Guide For people beginning their first design and construction project there is often a sense of fear and ignorance. They know that the process is going to be challenging and they may have heard stories of schedule delays and budget...
Newport Architecture Spotlight: The Old Brick Market
Brick Market Front Façade - Newport, RI At the center of historic Newport, Rhode Island sits the Brick Market. This structure is an important historic building and was designed by the renowned architect Peter Harrison in 1762. Peter Harrison (1716-1775) was an...
A4 Spotlight: Transportation Oriented Development
A4 Architecture Gateway Design in Newport, RI -Transportation Oriented Development Transportation Oriented Development (TOD) is an urban planning and design concept that emphasizes the integration of land use and transportation to create walkable, mixed-use...
A4 Architecture Spotlight: The History and Urban Importance of Newport’s Long Wharf
Painting of Washington Square and Long Wharf - 1818 One of Newport, Rhode Island’s oldest and most important landmarks is not a building, but a road called “Long Wharf.” When Newport was first founded in 1639 it was settled based on two critical...