Heirloom Houses

The Architecture of Wade Weissmann

Steven Stolman

• Publisher: Gibbs Smith
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9781423649618
• eBook ISBN: 9781423649625
• Topic: Architecture
• Subtopic: Architecture Essays & Monographs

The houses designed by Wade Weissmann and his firm tell the stories of the homeowners. Like beautiful music, a Wade Weissmann house is composed of notes and expressions, rhythm and syncopation, moving forward in time and space toward a resolution that separates ordinary from extraordinary architecture: harmony. Known for their shingle-style homes, they also design ranch houses and equestrian estates, romantic cottages, contemporary penthouses, and lake homes.

There is nothing ordinary about a WWA house; custom wood work, architectural details, and the finest materials set these residences apart from all others. Also featured are a couple of striking commercial designs.

Beyond Houses

Urban Glamour

City Chic

Since the late 1930s, Hollywood has had a continuous love affair with the glamorous Art Deco penthouse. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers glided across the floors of streamlined rooms, while Joan Crawford and Rosalind Russell would get into gown-ripping catfights. No matter how traditional the story line or the characterizations, the vogue was to suggest that truly sophisticated, soigné folks lived in exquisite modern spaces that resembled ocean liners with dazzling city views.

The true beginnings of Art Deco stem from an even more finely detailed aesthetic that was presented at the International Exposition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris in 1925. Combining modernist styling with fine craftsmanship and rich materials, it suggested that social and technological progress should also inform luxury and glamour, creating something totally new and revolutionary.

Elements of that stylistic movement are evident in this dramatically detailed home in the clouds. Conceived not only as a luxuriously comfortable private residence but also a venue for large-scale charity events, the apartment features impressive water, sky and city views. Many of the custom architectural elements and finishes were created by the renowned Ateliers Saint-Jacques, a consortium of four workshops southwest of Paris (carpentry, ironwork, stonecutting and foundry) whose artisans have been expertly trained in the crafts necessary to reproduce heirloom-quality, mixed-media French Art Deco works. Inlay, marquetry and highly polished surfaces are everywhere, along with museum-quality modern art and period furnishings arranged in a progression of amply scaled rooms.

Cue lights and music, enter Mr. Astaire and Miss Rogers, and . . . action! Behold, a timeless residence that instantly transports all who enter back to the realm of white tie and tails, flowing, feather-trimmed gowns and, above all, ef...

Table of contents

• Preface
• The Architecture of Wade Weissmann
• Shingle Style On Geneva Lake
• Cabin Retreats
• Lodge By the Lake
• Midwest Lake House
• Garden Folly and Estate Renovation
• New-Fashioned Farmhouse
• Sprawling Shingle
• Shingle Summerhouse
• Contemporary Folk
• Cottage Romantic
• English Country Coastal
• House for All Seasons
• North Shore Classic
• French Country House
• House on the Prairie
• Beyond Houses