MRVA tours highlight modern design in Henrico

Two quite different Henrico buildings have starred in Modern Richmond tours this spring: one a busy public facility surrounded by the bustling and rapidly expanding community of Libbie Mill - Midtown, and the other a western Henrico residence set on a two-acre lot with scenic views of woods and pastures.

The April 18 tour of Libbie Mill Library kicked off Modern Richmond Week, and was accompanied by a keynote address by Roberto Venturo entitled "Modern Richmond Lost and Found."

In his lecture, the VCU Arts professor highlighted examples of iconic, modern-era Richmond buildings that have been lost to demolition, while also pointing out examples of mid-century design that have been preserved and repurposed for the 21st century.

Tours of the library were led by the building's design team from Quinn Evans: Shannon Wray, Chuck Wray, Andrea Quilici, and Erin Carver, who pointed out key environmentally-friendly features that led to the building's LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The spaceship and the cottage
On June 15, MRVA hosted a tour of the Lightfoot home at 912 South Gaskins Road, a striking combination of old and new nestled against a pastoral landscape once trod, conceivably, by a young Thomas Jefferson.

Billed as "Old meets new: A modernist transformation," the home of Maria and Mark Lightfoot was originally constructed as a horse barn in the early 19th century. While the upper levels of the structure were eventually dismantled due to age and instability, the ground floor remained intact, and bricks from the other floors were saved -- to be used later in the house built atop the barn remains.

After the Lightfoots bought the property, they worked with architect Dan Ensminger to design an addition that blended the gable-roofed traditional brick dwelling with a modern space dominated by floor-to-ceiling windows. (Or, as Ensminger jokingly described it, "crashing a spaceship into this little cottage.")

Maria, whose father was the Austrian architect Leopold Bruno Boeckl, grew up in modern mid-century houses that he had designed. A picture of four-year-old Maria and her family on the patio of one of those homes was prominently displayed at the tour – and used by Ensminger and builder Jim Dunkum as guide and inspiration as they took on the challenges of merging the two disparate styles.

After Ensminger and Dunkum took turns discussing some of those challenges – such as the practical considerations of older, historic brick elements meeting modern features like wall-to-wall glass – Mark Lightfoot elaborated on the history surrounding the area.

Fox and heron
"All this land," Lightfoot said, "was part of Tuckahoe Plantation, where Thomas Jefferson was raised."

To the east was the area once known as Lorraine, a 19th-century community named for the chief engineer of the James River and Kanawha Canal, Edward Lorraine. After use of the canal was discontinued and a railroad was built on the right-of-way, the community was called Lorraine Station, and became a fairly busy passenger station until shutting down in the mid-20th century.

As for the house itself, said Lightfoot, the original barn has historic significance as part of a thoroughbred racehorse farm. Owned by John Wickham, who represented Aaron Burr in his trial for treason, the farm produced a famous horse by the name of Boston.

Named after a popular card game of the time, two-year-old Boston was won by a friend of Wickham's in a card game, and went on to become one of the initial inductees into the national hall of fame for thoroughbreds. Boston won 40 races of the 45 he started, and "is the most famous resident of this house," said Lightfoot with a grin. "So far."

When it was Maria Lightfoot's turn to speak, she noted that other features of the design she loves are the sights and scenery the home overlooks. She was adamant that the house be constructed so that it did not disturb the picturesque views of meadow and pond -- "and not touch any of the trees!" she said with a laugh.

Preserving those views has resulted in an added pleasure, she continued: the chance to observe the abundant wildlife.

Most evenings, Maria said, if the family stays indoors, they will be visited by "10 to 20 deer" who tiptoe out of the meadow looking for tasty edibles (and forcing her to bring her plants in every night). She fondly recalls a litter of foxes who lived in a drainpipe in the meadow for awhile, and how she enjoyed seeing the baby foxes peering out from their shelter.

To her delight, Maria added, a blue heron is also a regular evening visitor -- and "comes to dine" on bluegill and catfish from the pond.

For details about future MRVA tours, visit modernrichmond.org.