THE DREAM JOB-- On Time, Under Budget, Great Design

* Schedule  *  Budget * Design *  

...pick two, the industry has taught us....

Yet as two architects, specialized in high end residential renovations and additions, with over 60 years of combined experience between us and over 450 built projects, we believe we are in control!  And, like our clients, we are determined to beat the odds and  have it all! 

We are living in our house while construction is taking place, and our trusted and experienced contractor will not give us a schedule other than "Don't worry...I will go fast."  While we would never recommend this approach to our clients, and scoff at the idea of no schedule, because of our ten-year history of working with this contractor, we know he is very fast, as well as a man of his word. 

In an effort to keep our lives as normal as possible, the contractor has not had us pack up the kitchen yet. We offered to do a partial clearing of the back area right away, as there was a way to put up a temporary partition that would have given him more room to work and still leave us with a usable kitchen. He insisted it was not necessary and he would let us know when.

This contractor moves fast.  His experience, based on our collegial working relationship and our attentiveness to our clients' needs, is that we are responsive and that we move fast, too. 

Tuesday morning the contractor flagged us down as we were leaving for work in the morning. The day  ahead for Marvin and me was scheduled full of meetings and commitments. Then I heard the words "tomorrow...it needs to be emptied out by tomorrow." 

Now, slightly overwhelmed with a task we had not scheduled for that day, Marvin and I told each other it would be fine. I offered to skip a board meeting but Marvin reminded me that a commitment is a commitment and we would divide and conquer --- a bottle of wine at the ready and the task before us beginning when I returned from the board meeting after 10 pm. 

Total boxes filled that night including Utility closet in Powder room...21

Together we took turns stepping up on the chair and handing down each finding. From the kids' elementary school pottery projects, to Grandma's cream and sugar set, to the wedding gifts created by artist friends. The bulletin board with the stacked certificates, graduation tassels and tickets as  memorabilia, friends' well-crafted party invitations and baby announcements we couldn't bear to part with...it has all been taken down.

The memories from 20 years of living in our first house have been sweet.  Sharing wine, memories and laughter as we patted each other on the back for what we have built together and what we are building now, we paused... and joked.... and reminded each other that our life has never been...

 on our schedule, 

our budget 

or completely by our design!

And we reflected on how it's all worked out beautifully.

Clawson Architects awarded Gold medal for design excellence by peers at 22nd annual architectural awards

Clawson Architects awarded Gold medal  

for design excellence by peers 

at 22nd annual architectural awards 
September 15, 2017

Michael Graves School of Public Architecture, Kean University, Elizabeth, NJ – Clawson Architects, LLC, of Maplewood, New Jersey, received a Gold medal for design achievements from the American Institute of Architects regional chapter. The Newark Suburban Chapter awarded the Maplewood-based firm the award this year for outstanding residential architectural design element.

In this regional competition, firms submitted multiple entries in five specific categories. The jury awarded medals in five design categories and unlike many competitions, the jury reserved the right to not present any awards if the entries to did not meet strict criteria. The Gold medal project from Clawson Architects was awarded in the “Residential Interior or Feature Element” category.

The AIA chapters presented the Gold medal award for the Clawson firm’s design of the “Hill Top Barn in Summit, NJ” The jury noted that Clawson Architects, “consistently turns out beautiful work.”

Marvin Clawson, AIA, NCARB, ASID, CID together with Michael DiGeronimo, AIA, AICP, PP, were the designers on the award-winning project. While the Clawson Team points out that the entire estate was a pleasure to design, they made the conscious decision to submit only the barn, noting the unique design challenge of having to address this necessary and utilitarian structure that was not only visible from the stately main house but very close in proximity as well. The solution was to make it an element within the landscape that anchors the property with a subtle presence.

Marvin E. Clawson

Michael DiGeronimo

“So often, it is the over the top, remote houses set into a majestic landscape that take the prize and while they are certainly something to behold, it is rewarding to have peer recognition that recognizes the skill to create something that is humble and blends into the surroundings.” Said Clawson Firm Principal Architect and co-founder M. Rene Clawson, AIA, LEED AP, CID.

M. Rene Clawson

The Newark Suburban chapter of the AIA presented the awards on September 14, 2017 at a special evening awards dinner at the Michael Graves School of Architecture at Kean University. It was the organization’s 22^nd annual awards event. AIA members, sponsors and guests were able to view project boards from the competition, while enjoying refreshments and camaraderie. Sponsors of the event included: Trukmann’s Reprographics, Pella Windows, Structural Workshop, LLC, Andersen Windows and Doors, Benjamin Moore Paints, Clawson Cabinets and KSI Engineers.

The jurors for the event included:

David Mohney FAIA, Dean of the Michael Graves College School of Public Architecture; 

Dean P. Marchetto FAIA, PP, Founding Principal of Marchetto Higgins Stieve

Pamela Lucas Rew, FAIA, Partner KSS Architects

Clawson Architects is known for taking on challenging residential design projects and developing creative, smart solutions that delight clients.  Elegant, period-specific details and contemporary amenities meld in a space that transcends far beyond “a box on the back of your house” to become architecture for the ages. The enthusiastic Clawson Architects team collaborates with you in a design process you’ll never forget.  Clawson Architects, LLC is a full-service architecture and interior design firm. Principals at the firm are Marvin Clawson, AIA, NCARB, ASID, CID and Mary Rene´ Clawson, AIA, LEED, AP, CID.

Old Habits, Muscle Memory, Solid Foundations and Strong Relationships

The back porch came off.  You can see it is gone, and the sun shines directly into the living room now with no porch roof to shield the direct southern light.  That, however, has not stopped me from walking to the back door with dinner for the grill.  Old habits die hard—lucky for me, there is a neon board and yellow CAUTION tape to remind me.   

The demo was quick and was followed by the digger breaking ground. 

It really is hard to fathom just how much dirt gets excavated.  There were two dumpsters in the driveway: one for building materials and the other for dirt.  They hauled off two dumpsters of dirt and then the part came where we needed to save some for the backfill.  There was a well thought out plan to fill yet another dumpster and work to preserve as much of the lawn as possible.  The Contractor is very aware that he is working in “Marvin’s Garden” and yet he was forced to choose.  In an effort to preserve a weeping redbud tree –a unique specimen -- the contractor had to pile the dirt on the lawn.  He was unable to maneuver between the hole he was digging and the tree we are saving.   I am not certain any tears were shed, however, I am certain that Marvin the gardener was working hard to stay composed.

Discovery:  Our 90-something-year-old home has no footings....but great muscle memory...it is still standing…and really never showed any signs of forgetting how to stand.  For all the homes we have worked on, you can typically observe some cracking or sagging that would indicate that the area was not supported correctly, and we anticipate the need for some additional structure.  Not here.  It came as a bit of a surprise.

Our experience and solid relationships with our consultants had us verifying the condition with our structural engineer as soon as it was exposed.  He dropped by and created a sketch for the contractor for underpinning the existing structure, and we have moved forward with corrective measures. 

End of first week –   footing inspection called for and the beginning of one of the many hurry up and wait scenarios was upon us.  The inspection times are typically within 72 hours of the call, and the inspectors will come between 10 am and 1:30 pm.

Success: They came (at 10:30 am), they observed, we passed! Now the big wait. It was Friday. Not knowing if we would be closer to the 10 am inspection slot or the 1:30 pm inspection slot and if there would be something the inspector observed that also needed to be addressed and with the holiday weekend approaching, there was no time to order cement and the workers were gone.

Forecast for the weekend…you guessed it rain….

So, like most of our clients….this first week we are getting to see what it would be like if our dream had been a swimming pool in our back yard.

While the workers were digging and underpinning and tying re-bar this past week, we signed off on the window order and door order and a big comfy couch for the family room. I had a moment ….second guessing all the finishes I have selected for the bathrooms and then there was all the middle of the night tossing and turning as I worried if the foundation would really remain standing.

Gratitude: So from Pete at KSI who ran out and did the foundation underpinning sketch, to Frank at DirectMillwork, LLC who went line by line confirming the order -- painted or stained, color of the hardware, screens, drip edges and jamb liners -- on something like 30 new windows, to Ali Como from Alexandria Como Designs for specifying and ordering the perfect couch in the perfect fabric and giving me encouragement and her nod of approval on the kitchen tile and colors I was leaning toward, to Adrienne at Short Hills Marble and Tile for her patience and professional guidance in helping me find the perfect tiles, colors and patterns for my bathrooms and kitchen back splash....THANK YOU.  

It really does not matter how many times you hold someone else’s hand in this process....when it’s your house, it’s personal….and while I have known that, being exposed to so many beautiful ideas and finishes, it is really difficult to choose. We are truly even more empathetic now.

The strong, trusted relationships we have cultivated over the years with contractors, engineers, designers, subcontractors, craftsmen, suppliers -- each with their expertise -- make all the difference …be it our house or yours.