Architect, residential architecture, Westchester County, NY, Fairfield County, Ct architect, architectural design East Coast Home + Designl

East Coast Home + Design magazine has asked again to profile Westchester residential architect Michael McCann AIA in an article of before and after pictures showcasing exteriors.
Michael chose to submit a project built in Pocantico Hills NY (Mt. Pleasant) for which he was both architect and builder. The Cotswold styled residence was originally the caretaker's cottage as part of a larger estate. The estate was broken up a number of years ago and the cottage became a free-standing property, still of substantial size. The cottage, large by most standards, lacked some modern amenities like a spacious master bedroom suite, family room and updated kitchen. The exterior of the residence had the stone and wood roof features reminiscent of Cotswold architecture found in the area of England of the same name. Michael included features such as eyebrow windows with bent wood shingles and detailed stone work in keeping with the original architecture of the residence. The goal was to present a finished product which looked seamless between the original structure and the substantial additions. The article in the July issue of East Coast Home + Design will feature this project, with before and after pictures (the pictures above are the "after" photos.) The owners, both writers, have enjoyed the secluded quiet of their home while being able to recreate at bit of Old England right in Westchester County.

Architect with Residential building experience

In attending seminars and meeting with other architects, I often discuss the fact that I have been both an architect and a builder, contrary to the experience of most architects. In addition, architects will assume that I have just supervised the building of a project. What really astounds them is that I have actually build many of my projects. Yes, I have wielded a hammer! In spending the beginning of my architectural career not only designing my work, but also physically building it, I got an intimate knowledge of construction methods and procedures. So often there is a disconnect between the the architect's design and the ability to actually get the project built. In addition, when you also build what you have designed, the architect must order every board and nail and has first hand experience with construction costs. As the builder you then understand that projects cannot be easily broken down by cost per square foot in generalized terms. Having to pay for the materials, the subcontractors and the attending overhead such as liability and workers comp insurance provides an invaluable education as to construction costs. The combined experience as both architect and builder has provided a unique prospective that most architects never understand.