C+G Newsletter
Clark and Green began in 1988 as a two-person practice with a few projects and a whole lot of hope for the future. Change being inevitable, the past three decades have brought unique and often unexpected highs and lows. Throughout, our priorities have remained constant for all our projects, big or small: the highest level of design, integrated with best practices keeping in mind the environment, health and durability.
Our relationships with you have formed the bedrock of our work and always act as an important gauge to the success of our projects.
It strikes me as both natural and important to communicate with you as this particular year draws to a close. I am excited to share with you what we have been up to and what lies ahead. Reading on you’ll be introduced to our expanding staff, to my changing role, and to a few of our newer projects. I hope you will find this interesting and informative. Please be in touch. I’d love to catch up with you.
Kind regards and best wishes for a deservedly great 2022 –Stephan
IN THE NEWS: STEPHAN LEADS THE CHARGE
Even for Baby Boomers, convinced that growing old was for other people, time has come to start looking at generational shift. Stephan is excited by the prospect of leading C&G into and through those waters.
It’s an adventure involving both evolution and transformation. We’re expanding our workforce, stretching our capabilities, adopting innovation while maintaining our commitment to excellence. Stephan says he is aiming to attain the rank of Eminence Grise: a seasoned advisor who operates largely behind the scenes. Stay tuned!
GROWING THE FIRM
2021 has been a successful year for C&G professionally, with all of us working mostly from home. We are back in the office and looking ahead to an even busier 2022. We’ve reorganized the team to maximize everyone’s contribution to our growth and development.
Glenn Goble has been working closely with Stephan since 2000. Glenn has now stepped up to become Head of Design. He will be an important resource for each Project Manager, helping to ensure we maintain our focus on transformational and enduring design.
Nick Greene and Norman Anton, both of whom have been with the firm for several years, are each taking on the responsibility of Project Manager/Designer. Nick is taking on a vital additional role in Business Development.
Tobias Bernecker joined us in September 2021. He is primarily working on our Municipal projects. Tobias studied in Germany and the UK before receiving a master’s degree from UMass Amherst. Previously, Tobias has worked in Architecture in the Pioneer Valley and in Germany. He lives with his family in Northampton.
We are pleased to announce that Roxanne Goble joined us in October as Business Manager. Roxanne spent most of her career in Corporate America managing teams and business for HBO and Citigroup. She has retired from that exciting but crazy world and has joined our equally exciting and much more fun C&G team. Roxanne is managing marketing, financials, technology, and Human Resources. She is keeping the team organized and on task! Roxanne works closely with Ginger Nielsen-Reid who continues in her role of Bookkeeper and Jill of all trades. And, oh yes, Roxanne is married to our Glenn.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
We have been privileged to work on a wide variety of interesting and meaningful projects over the last couple of years. Here are just a few of the highlights.
Community Center for the Arts (CATA)
CATA - a new permanent home for Community Access for the Arts non-profit.
This building incorporates visual and performing arts studios as well as administrative offices. Catering to the talents of people with disabilities, the building was designed to be universally accessible for people of all ability levels. The visual arts studios double as exhibition halls and the performing arts studio can accommodate performances and lectures.
James Weldon Johnson Writing Cabin
We have been honored with the opportunity to participate in the preservation of James Weldon Johnson’s writing sanctuary right here in the Berkshires. Together with the James Weldon Johnson Foundation we are working on preserving this historically remarkable writing cabin with the goal of returning it to its original purpose: to serve as a place for artists to find quiet and inspiration.
A key figure of the Harlem Renaissance, James Weldon Johnson (June 17, 1871 – June 26, 1938) was one of the most prolific Americans of African descent of his time. He was an author, politician, diplomat, critic, journalist, poet, anthologist, educator, lawyer, songwriter, and early civil rights activist. Johnson is remembered best for his leadership within the NAACP, as well as for his writing, which includes novels, poems, and collections of folklore. Johnson wrote the lyrics for "Lift Every Voice and Sing", often referred to as the “Black National Anthem.” In his Berkshire retreat he wrote a collection of spiritual prose and sought peace and inspiration.
The preservation efforts will include a new roof, repair of damaged structural elements, replacement or repair of siding and the reconstruction of damaged or missing windows and other architectural elements.
Day-Night House, Monterey MA - under construction
Located on a wooded lot with partial sun, this energy efficient lake house is inspired by a Georges Braque lithograph "Le Canard". The house is divided functionally into a single story 'day' side with living spaces and a roof deck, and a 2 story 'night' side with bedrooms and private spaces. The two sides are connected by a stair tower containing an open interior stair rising toward a skylight. The house explores the power of transitions between spaces, moments in time, and states of mind; between earth and sky, woods and field, shore and lake, sun and shadow, arriving and being there, night and day.
Hillsdale, NY Net Zero Residence
This Net Zero house produces more energy than it uses. It is oriented toward the south to maximize energy from the sun. Roof overhangs and exterior shades prevent overheating. The walls, roof and slab are super insulated.
Windows are triple glazed and an air barrier allows the house to breathe without leaking conditioned air. All mechanical systems are electric so no fossil fuels are burned. Power comes to the house from the electrical grid but a relatively small solar array on the roof produces more electricity during sunny days than the house requires all year and the excess supplements the power grid.
Arrowhead
National Trust for Historic Preservation Registry
The barn was in existence when this historic photo was taken around 1870, which shows Melville’s son in the meadow above the house and outbuildings. There is a clearly visible downspout system for gutters in the photo, indicating that the barn originally had them. The barn appears to have had a light-colored lean-to addition at that time, although there is no confirmation other than this photo.
Because the barn was sided with rough-sawn pine boards and battens, very little original or old material remained of the siding. The oldest pieces were reused if in good condition, and the new were installed in comparable random widths using square-head nails, same as the oldest. Every effort has been made to ensure a faithful recreation of what the barn originally looked like. The wooden gutter system is based on similar systems on rural buildings of a comparable age.
The house at Arrowhead is where the “Great American Novel” was written: Moby Dick. As such, this location could be considered an American Stratford-Upon-Avon.
THE ICING ON OUR CAKE
We are thrilled to share that Clark + Green won the 2021 Rural Intelligence Readers’ Choice Award for Best Architecture firm.
Thank you for your votes and your support! Check out the full winners list online below:
Happy Holidays from all of us at Clark+Green!
Left to right: Glenn, Ginger, Steve, Norman, Stephan, Roxanne and Nick