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The Art Of Renovation By Clifford M. Scholz

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The Art Of Renovation

By Clifford M. Scholz

At CMSA our projects have always had about 30% of our workload in renovations. I love having the opportunity to bring back a neglected or worn out structure to it’s original pride and glory, or even beyond that. There is also the sustainable aspect of renovation that just seems to be the right thing to do these days. Our office’s LEED training has taught us that this is the reality today. All projects are not candidates, but many  are good candidates. My family lives in a 1923 Dutch Colonial that we seem to be continually renovating in some fashion. It is the curse of an architect, especially when your wife is an interior decorator (Susan Hritz Interiors)! We have the “ double whammy”.
 
There are many different types of renovations, from Historical to whimsical, and it is always quickly evident whether the renovation was a success or not. Unfortunately they are not always successes. How many times have you looked at a building and could tell exactly where it had been renovated or added on to? This is very disturbing- especially to an architect with a trained eye. When I encounter one of these oddities it is particularly disturbing to me because I know that it could have been avoided. It is apparent that the “designer” of these misplaced structures did not understand the “Art of Renovation”.
 
Buildings – commercial, institutional, industrial, and especially residential all have “bones”. They can be very similar to a human as they can be big bones, small bones, good bones, bad bones, or irregular bones. Short of production homes or a “Walgreens” type structure, every building has it’s own individual characteristics that make it distinctive from other structures. Understanding those structural bones and working in concert with that structure is one facet of the “Art of Renovation”. I have seen and actually designed some renovations that have completely changed the makeup of the building to the point that you cannot recognize the  former bones, and have created a totally new structure. I would compare this to a total face makeover – actually changing the identity of the building.

The part of renovation that I find so rewarding is being able to take a structure that has good bones, but has been neglected or is in disarray, and bring about it’s natural beauty and even improving it beyond it’s original glamour. At our firm, one of our unwritten laws in any renovation, is no matter how minor or how extensive , when the dust has settled, there can be no evidence that the building was renovated. It must always appear that the structure has just been “updated”. The neighbors will know as they have lived through the construction, but no one else will have a clue.
 
There are also many structural, mechanical  and electrical considerations that play a very important role in a successful renovation. There are limitations as to where and how expansions and renovations can take place due to these disciplines. Being aware of those prior to pricing and the commencement of construction is critical to achieving that successful renovation.
 
The “Art” part of the successful renovation is the ability to visualize the finished design before any work has started and to know what the limitations are. There needs to be some redeeming value to the original “bones” and there also needs to be an end result that is architecturally pleasing. The entire program for the client must be detailed from start to finish. When all of these criteria are successfully addressed, then you have found “The Art of Renovation”.

As founder of CMSA, Cliff has over 35 years of experience in architecture and construction. His sense of design and clear-cut goals has created a reputation for quality and excellence for his firm. As lead architect, he is responsible for the design of projects consisting of custom residential developments, office structures, commercial renovations, golf clubs and high-rise condominium buildings. He takes a proactive role in every project as the client contact, and directs his team of highly skilled professionals to keep every endeavor in balance.  Cliff received his Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Lawrence Institute of Technology in Southfield, Michigan, and a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. Cliff is also a Licensed General Contractor in the State of Florida and certified as a LEED AP. Cliff may be reached at 941-923-2400 or via email at cscholz@cmsa1.com [2].

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