News

RWA Architects has received the 1st Runner Up Unlimited Residential Award from ICF Builder Magazine. This national award, presented at the World of Concrete Expo in Las Vegas on February 3, 2016, recognizes innovative use of insulating concrete forms (ICF’s) in both residential and commercial construction throughout North America. ICF’s are a structural wall system consisting of two layers of foam insulation which serve as the formwork for poured in place reinforced concrete.  The insulating forms remain in place creating thick, durable exterior walls with exceptional thermal performance and sound reduction properties.

Out of 58 submissions from across the nation in 7 categories, RWA was recognized for a new, custom, single-family residence located in Cincinnati, Ohio.  The jurors were drawn to the beauty and sophistication of the design along with the creative use of ICF’s for not only the exterior walls, but the home theater enclosure, steam shower, and wine cellar.  The homeowners expressed a desire for an heirloom home with “good bones” that would last for generations. The durability and energy savings potential of ICF construction proved to be an excellent choice to satisfy that desire.  Additional sustainable measures include a sealed attic with spray foam insulation, LED lighting, and geothermal heating and cooling system.  

Inside the home, the attributes that only an ICF construction can provide include thick walls, accented paneled jambs or deep plaster window returns, and an unusually quiet interior environment enhance the sense of timeless quality. The home features outdoor rooms and roof terraces of stone paving on structural ICF slabs that overlook and access the swimming pool and recreational areas of the estate. Situated in a community of luxury estate homes, this ICF residence makes a statement that stick framing is not the only way to build a home of this magnitude.

RWA Architects is proud to announce that we were chosen to receive a Rehabilitation Award from the Cincinnati Preservation Association for our work on a historical residence on Delta Avenue. This year marks the 50th meeting of the Cincinnati Preservation Association and RWA is proud to be recognized by this organization.

Built in 1894, the Florence Weaver House is a hybrid neo-classical style house, which perches high on the hill overlooking Delta Avenue. In 2008 – 2009, this home underwent a less than sympathetic renovation. For reasons unknown, the house was put on the market unfinished. Prior to that, the site had sat empty for 25 years. Over time it had been proposed for demolition and repeatedly suggested as a site for a townhouse development, similar to others in the area. Fortunately, it was saved from demolition when the current Owner bought the house. It was in fair structural condition, has had several renovations, new utilities, lighting, and mechanical equipment added to the home. The current Owner wanted to increase the size, modernize the amenities and add a garage, while keeping the entire house as authentic to the existing style as possible.

It was important to the Owner that all new work fit seamlessly with the existing style of the home and the design team was tasked to stay true to the character of the original style. Extraneous decoration and utilities were to be removed or replaced with more appropriate designs. The Owners played a large part in the design and construction of the remodeling. Their drive to honor the existing style drove the design and construction team to meet their exacting standards.

Design for the renovation began in August, 2011, with construction starting in March of 2012. The project was completed in May, 2013. The entire roof of the third floor and attic was insulated with expanding spray foam insulation, as well as all walls in the areas that were added and/or remodeled. The existing roofing and flashing were completely replaced. Box gutters were repaired and leaky downspouts were replaced with new downspouts very similar to the existing. New insulated windows were installed throughout, but were designed to match the construction and details of the existing windows. All remaining existing wood exterior doors were removed, cleaned, and refinished. The fabulous 2 story columns and covered porches were restored to their original glory. The damaged siding was replaced and painted to match the existing. On the addition, all new soffit, dentil and trim details were painstakingly matched, to the point that the extent of the addition is often confused with the existing plan. Also, the house was completely rewired. Extraneous outlets and switches were removed or combined to minimize electric devices on the walls. Virtually all of the existing plumbing piping has been replaced, including the cast iron sewer pipe under the basement concrete slab. Plumbing fixtures have been chosen for appropriate style and finish for this home.

The third floor attic was converted into a Game Room and Guest Suite. A back staircase was added as well as a new Master Suite above the three-car garage addition. The modern Kitchen replaced the half complete renovation from the previous owners. The stone site walls were stabilized. Additionally, there was great effort to keep the existing mature red oak. One of the design goals was to open the living room and dining room views to the kitchen in order to eliminate the dark and narrow openings. The main stair and foyer were rehabilitated to return them to their original glory. The same was done for the original pine floors, which were completely refinished.

The current Owners’ efforts have enabled the home to move forward into a new future, while preserving it’s character, durability, and sustainability.

RWA was proud to design the first LEED platinum certified home in Cincinnati and very happy to have it featured in a recent Cincinnati Business Courier article.  The piece highlighted that while LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is typically synonymous with very modern, almost industrial aesthetic, it can also be associated with some very warm and traditional design concepts.  LEED certification can be obtained no matter what design style you prefer!

Article Dated 6/13/2014

RWA Architects was recognized at the 5th annual American Institute of Architects (AIA) Cincinnati Custom Residential Architects Network (CRAN) Awards Ceremony on Thursday May 2nd. The awards ceremony included a presentation by Juror Chair John Connell, AIA of the 2morrow Studio in Warren, Vermont and founder of the AIA’s CRAN program. This year RWA Architects received two awards; an Honor Award for a private estate located in the Midwest, in the New Custom Home category, and a Merit Award for a Historic Tudor Renovation located in the City of Cincinnati, in the Architectural Interior category. Of the Private Estate, jurors commented, “the design delivers a sophisticated and very nuanced use of a classical palette that is rarely attempted in an era of limited resources and micro-apartments. The result is a timeless estate plan that exhibits many of architecture’s essential virtues. Residential design of this caliber has, and will, stand the test of time.” Of the Historic Tudor residence, the kitchen in particular not only returned the essential space to a design appropriate to the vintage of the home, but it improved it’s livability and accommodates for current lifestyles. “Deft use of natural light and cabinet details raises the design solution above the rest,” said jurors. Since CRAN’s inception in 2009, RWA has received 17 design awards. RWA Architects considers it an honor and a privilege to be recognized among many unique and excellent submittals. These awards reaffirm our belief that the quality architecture and unmatched service you receive from RWA is among the best in Cincinnati and the surrounding area. Please be sure to look for RWA’s award winning projects in an upcoming issue of “Venue Magazine.”