by Ross Cann AIA RA | Apr 15, 2026 | Architectural Design, Articles, Professional
Multifamily Project (Designed by A4 Architecture) Rhode Island has earned a very unwelcome distinction: it is the worst state in the nation in terms of housing production per capita. Over the last decade, it has had the lowest rate of total housing permits issued per...
by Ross Cann AIA RA | Apr 8, 2026 | Architectural Design, Articles, Guide, Newport Spotlight, Professional
One of the biggest challenges for people who have not undertaken a renovation or new construction project before is figuring out how to get started. Some are tempted to skip the design process and just hire a contractor, but starting a construction project without a...
by Ross Cann AIA RA | Apr 1, 2026 | Architectural Design, Architectural Historian Spotlight, Articles, Newport Spotlight
Richard Morris Hunt (1827–1895) is one of the most noteworthy architects of the last half of the 19th Century. One of his important contributions was transforming American architecture from a simple stacking of plans into a more three-dimensional synthesis of...
by Ross Cann AIA RA | Mar 25, 2026 | Architectural Design, Articles, Guide, Newport Spotlight, Professional
When planning a building project, whether a new home, a commercial space, or a significant renovation, the temptation of an owner to skip the architect and go straight to a contractor is understandable. Architects cost money, and budgets are tight, but this logic is...
by Ross Cann AIA RA | Mar 18, 2026 | Architectural Design, Articles, Historical, Newport Spotlight
Seafair: Newport’s “Hurricane Hut” Located on the Ocean Drive in Newport, Rhode Island, Seafair, originally named Terre Mare, is a grand French château style mansion that has kept a quiet vigil over the Atlantic since its construction in 1935. This...
by Ross Cann AIA RA | Mar 10, 2026 | Architectural Design, Articles, Historical, Newport Architect Spotlight, Newport Spotlight
Edward Willing House (Richard Morris Hunt, 1865) / Sherwood Lodge (Hoppin & Ely, c.1906) Many of the mansions of Newport have undergone major renovations as the owners’ needs (and the styles of the times) have changed. Previous A4 Archi-TEXT articles have...
