A4 Architecture Blog
A4 Spotlight: 2021 Rhode Island Historic Preservation Conference
Rhode Island is a state where historic architecture is a natural resource that helps make the state more attractive to both residents and visitors alike. Tourism is one of the state's central economic drivers. Katherine Warren, the Newport socialite who helped found...
A4 Guide: Preserving Newport
As the Archi-TEXT column has pointed out many times, Newport is an extraordinary treasure trove of historic architecture, spanning from the early days of the Colonial settlement of New England and continuing right up until the present day. Newport is fortunate to be a...
Architectural Firm Spotlight: Peabody and Stearns
The Shingle Style, which was described in a previous Archi-TEXT, was an architectural form that developed in the late 19th century in Newport, RI and other New England seaside resort communities. It is often associated with the preeminent firm of the era, McKim Mead...
A4 Project Spotlight: Vinland Estate
A4 Architecture is in the midst of helping fix McAuley Hall, which was originally designed by the noted Boston architectural firm of Peabody & Stearns in 1882 for Catherine Lorillard Wolfe as "The Vinland Estate." This is one of the "Crown Jewels" in Salve Regina...
A4 Guide: Archi-Tech – Architectural Animation
Over the last thirty years, there has been a revolution in the way architecture is developed and communicated, both to clients and to contractors. From the 16th century to about 1990, architecture was largely developed using hand drawn orthographic projections. These...
A4 Guide: The Enduring Power of New England’s Shingle Style
The Shingle Style, as it has come to be known, was originally a relatively short-lived offshoot of the Victorian Queen Anne Revival style during the late 19th century in the United States. This style has, over the last century, come to epitomize the leisure and...
A4 Project Spotlight: Barrington Ranch House
Design magazines like to show aspirational projects that were built on empty sites with large budgets and lots of time to design and build. There is nothing wrong with such projects, but they are the exception rather than the rule. These projects are the architectural...
A4 Guide: Finding the Right Builder
In previous Archi-TEXTs, there have been discussions on how to choose the right architect for your project and how to work with them to choose the right design for your new building or renovation. This article will address the different factors you should consider in...
A4 Guide: Construction Documents
In past Archi-TEXT articles, it has been discussed that one of the prime contributions an architect can make to a project and the key determinate of how successfully the construction project will go is the quality and completeness of the construction documentation....
A4 Guide: Phases of the Architectural Design Process
In previous Archi-TEXT articles it was discussed the value of an architect to help you navigate the various phases of the design of a new home or building or the renovation of an existing one, but what are the various phases of the architectural design process? The...
A4 Guide: How to Choose a Design
In a previous Archi-TEXT, it was discussed how to find the right architect for your project. But that is just the first step in your design journey. Now the fun part begins: how to choose a design and guide it. Your architect will be tasked with managing space and...
A4 Guide: How to Choose an Architect
Ross Cann, RA, AIA (A4 Architecture) Choosing an Architect In previous blogs, we have addressed the issues of whether you need an architect and what value an architect can bring to your project. This article will address how to evaluate and select an architect. There...