An 1890’s Victorian home, Spencer House has been renovated to accommodate Rural Studio as a living space for students and at times an office for faculty and staff. Many repairs have been made within the original spirit of the home. These include edits to the porch, exterior siding, and the roof. More significant additions were added to the back of the home and throughout some of the interior.
Home Renovations
The primary renovation is the kitchen, which is attached to the central hall of Spencer and continues its axis through the main dining space. The dining space has a large vaulted ceiling and can be looked down into by bathroom users on the second floor. On the exterior, the dining space is a simple gabled form with a contemporary tilted window wall serving as the primary light source for the space. The kitchen is constructed with a similar steel materiality to the window wall but is rectilinear, smaller in scale and creates an identifiably intimate room for cooking. The respectfulness by which Spencer House has been edited is evident in how the geometries of the additions relate with the original design. Additionally, the more avant-garde architectural choices are relegated to the back of the house.
