12/04/2004 - 9Ball Design published in "Old Barns - New Homes: A Showcase Of Architectural Conversions" *
Authored by E. Ashley Rooney and published by Schiffer Publishing (Atglen, Pa). 9Ball Design was responsible for the principle photography and print design of a 20 page portfolio for Dan Martell (Master Carpenter/Designer) of Downingtown, PA. The portfolio captured the beauty of antique design and integration into the restoration of a late 18th century farm house.
Beaver Valley Mills - Dan Martell
I fell upon this abandoned 1850?s tenant house in Chester County, Pennsylvania. This tenant house, 1 of 7, was part of a mill complex that mainly made jeans and beaver cloth.
The history of the mill was jaded; three fires, creditor problems, and a sheriff sale had left it defunct by 1911. The house is simple.
The main portion (three floors) is 33? wide by 22? with 18? thick stonewalls. The substantial shed addition (1975) in rear is 31? by 16?. The majority of windows were in, no interior walls, and the roof was intact.
A sizeable double-sided chimney proved to be the biggest design challenge. Rupinder Singh, Architect, served as a mentor for the renovations. He would perform all as built CAD work. His calm demeanor ad steadfast simplicity encouraged a responsible path for idea creation.
Photography
The photography of this rejuvenated farm house was aimed at conveying the emotional response a casual visitor of this home experiences. The beauty of antique home design and restoration is in the details...
The great room, for the most part clad in glass completely engulfs the rear of the stone building. The great wall standing 13 ½" high on the second floor served as a partition that delineates the juxtaposition of old to new construction.
Portfolio Design
Detail + Whitespace = Designer's Best Friend. The portfolio was submitted to E. Ashley Rooney (Author) by Rupinder Singh (Architect, Boston, MA). Below are samples of the portfolio design created by 9Ball Design for Dan Martell. The resulting book can be seen by clicking on the link in the footer of this page.
