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...
by Ross Cann AIA RA | Mar 4, 2026 | Architectural Design, Articles, Historical, Newport Architect Spotlight, Newport Spotlight
(Colorized) Breakers designed by Peobody & Stearns (1878) Even today Newport is filled with Gilded Age mansions. But many of the grand houses that once existed from that time have been lost over time and still others have been replaced with different mansions,...
by Ross Cann AIA RA | Feb 25, 2026 | Architectural Design, Articles, Climate Change, Sustainable Design
House with a Whole-House generator in a neighborhood with an outage This past week, many New England communities were struck by a winter Nor’easter, bringing record amounts of snow and electrical outages. We were among those affected, receiving a stark reminder of how...
by Ross Cann AIA RA | Feb 18, 2026 | Architectural Design, Articles, Climate Change, Sustainable Design
Banff National Park Wildlife Overpass, Canada (2006) Architecture has two components: the building and the setting. As responsible citizens, A4 Architecture and the Newport Architectural Forum are both strong supporters of initiatives that lead to greater...
