John Beard and Dale Riser are pleased to have received a top award for a house renovation in Webster County — and especially pleased that the honor was given by fellow architects.
Their firm, Beard + Riser Architects, received an Honor Award — which they likened to a “best in show” prize — from the American Institute of Architects, Mississippi chapter, last weekend at the group’s annual convention.
Both Beard and Riser had worked for firms that had received awards before, but this was the first time they had submitted entries since starting their own firm. They submitted three altogether.
“One of the great things about this particular award is that it’s about your peers,” Beard said.
The work was done on a house that Beard once lived in, which is in the community of Spring Hill. When he moved to Greenwood, he sold it to Jack and Betty Harpole, who use it as a vacation home.
The jurors at the convention all came from large firms. Of the eight projects that won awards, Beard + Riser had the only residential one.
“The scale of the other projects that won versus this — I mean, they were all large-scale projects,” Riser said.
The original portion of the house was built about eight years ago on the site of an old house. Soon after the Harpoles bought it, they hired Beard + Riser to renovate it and do an addition. They estimated the work took between six and eight months.
Beard said they made creative use of inexpensive resources. Salvage materials from the old house were incorporated, including the tin from the roof, which was used for ceilings. They also used pine wood harvested from the property, and the next-door neighbor offered the services of his sawmill.
“This house was done on a really tight budget, and I think everybody involved is proud of that,” Beard said.
Riser said he thinks the environmental efficiency of the project resonated with the jurors.
“When they read some of the comments at the end, that was one of the things that stood out to me, was the use of salvaged and recycled materials in a unique way,” he said.
Beard said an important goal in the design was controlling the amount of sun and shade.
The front of the house faces south, and an overhang lets sun into the living area during winter and blocks direct sun in summer — which is important, given the amount of glass in the house.
The screened porch also helps maximize air circulation and limit the effects of summer heat.
Beard and Riser said they liked working with the Harpoles, who bought into their ideas and were interested in ensuring that the renovations and additions worked well with the existing structure.
“I really do believe that good design has everything to do with a good client. And they were really good clients,” Beard said. “And they were pushing the design as much as we were. They were wanting something interesting.”
Walking through the residence, you get the sense that it’s not just another house, Riser said: “It’s a special place.”
