2023 Palladio Award
WHAT AN HONOR to have our New Stone Country House receive a 2023 Palladio Award for Interior Architectural Design. We collaborated with Thomas Jayne for interiors and Deborah Nevins for landscape on this new house in the Hudson Valley, which was designed to echo the classical formality of England’s grand 18th and 19th-century Palladian country houses through its highly articulated detailing and Grecian-infused moldings, fireplace mantels, and plaster ceiling rosettes. To read more about the Awards, please click here >
As is evident in the photo-covered walls of the GPSA conference room, seen here, Gil has been hard at work on his new book, Home At Last: Enduring Design for the New American House, which is being published by Rizzoli in Spring 2024. Stay tuned for the book cover reveal, sneak peeks, and more information on events.
Recent Media
WE ARE THRILLED to have our work featured in some recent magazine and newspaper stories, including a Wall Street Journal piece on lacquered outdoor furniture, which includes a new residence we designed in Southern Georgia; a library we designed in a family apartment on Fifth Avenue, which was featured in the winter issue of Galerie; and an expansive feature on Gil and his houses in the Hudson Valley and Maine in Kinfolk magazine’s summer issue, which explores his personal evolution as an architect and how he lives at home. Additionally, the July/August issue of Veranda magazine features a newly completed Newport Beach project that we worked on in collaboration with design legend Suzanne Rheinstein on interiors and the talented Kathryn Herman on landscape design. To read these pieces and see other recent media clips, visit our Press and Online Media Sections >
A Farewell to Mickey Benson
This past spring, we said goodbye to our longtime Principal and Studio Director, Mickey Benson, who made the decision to leave the practice to relocate to New Hampshire. It has long been a dream of Mickey’s to live and work in rural New England, and we are happy for him that he is finally realizing this long-held goal. In his seventeen years with GPSA, Mickey has been integral to our work, having been involved in over 120 of our projects. His deft leadership in both design and project management, as well as working closely with clients and with GPSA partners Gil and Lou in making critical firm decisions over the years, has been key to our growth and evolution as a company. It’s no surprise that Mickey has been beloved by both staff and clients alike. We wish him well in this next chapter of his life and career and remain profoundly grateful for all that he brought to our work and the culture of the firm.
WE ARE HAPPY TO welcome a talented group of summer interns to our office for the season. (Left to Right) Vladimir Reed, a student at Bowdoin College; Emily Fuchs, a student at the University of Notre Dame; and Kayla Rembold and Isabella Zayas, from the University of Miami, are all joining the Architecture team as interns. Anika Sanchez-Piotrowski (far left), from the University of Virginia, is interning with our Decorating department.
Our annual staff trip out to the ballpark, crackerjacks included, was on June 1st and we had a great time at Citifield watching the Mets take on the Phillies for a win! Go Mets!
Two gorgeous, newly-published books feature our work: Making a House a Home by Susanna Salk, which was published by Rizzoli in March, and Charm School: The Schumacher Guide to Traditional Decorating for Today, which was published by Monacelli, also in March. To see more of these books and others that include our projects, please visit our Additional Books page >
We are thrilled to announce
that Buccellato Design
will join forces with
G. P. Schafer Architect to become
Schafer Buccellato Architects
in September of 2023.
New Promotions at GPSA in 2023
Please join us in congratulating the following GPSA staff members on their new promotions: Michael Callaway has been promoted to Project Manager; Paige Melinis and Rachel Reilly are now Senior Job Captains; Sarah Gumenick and Jack Calvert have been promoted to Job Captain; and Austin Prohl and Benjamin Shelton have been each promoted to Senior Draftsman. [Photo credit: Sarah MacWright]
G.P. Schafer Architect 20th Anniversary
2022 marks the 20th anniversary of GPSA, and we celebrated the occasion with a cocktail reception on November 16th on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Over 250 people attended the festive evening including current staff and their spouses, clients, collaborators-including decorators, landscape designers, contractors, vendors, and craftspeople-as well as members of the design press and alums from the firm’s staff over the last 20 years. At his toast of thanks to those gathered at the event, Gil remarked, “20 years ago when I opened my office out of a tiny one-room shoebox of a space on Spring and Lafayette Streets, I don’t know that I would have believed I would get the opportunity to work with so many amazing collaborators over the next two decades. But here we are all these years later, and it is truly thanks to all of you for being part of that incredible creative adventure together that we have been able to do the work we have. I raise my glass to each of you!”
Top Row, Left to Right: Candice Bergen, Gil, landscape designer Debby Nevins; GPSA Staff; Bottom Right: GPSA staffers Matt Enquist, James Reilly, Rachel Reilly, Chris Taylor, principal Mickey Benson. Third Row, Left to Right: Gil, journalist Pilar Vilades, editor and podcast host Michael Boodro; Town & Country editor-in-chief Stellene Volandes, Bunny Williams; Erin Burke, Ariana Whelan, Chris Whelan, Austin Proehl, Sarah Gumenick. Fourth Row, Left to Right: GPSA staffer John Hanlon, interior designer Courtnay Daniels, Lisette Taylor, GPSA partner Lou Taylor, videographer Daniel Cohen; Jack Calvert, Philip Spence, Matt Leonard, Samuel Methvin; former GPSA staffers Tessa Gearity, Daniela Cascio, Holly Johnson; architect Mark Ferguson, Studio Designer CEO Keith Granet, Gil, Wright & Co. Construction founder Ken Wright. Fifth Row, Left to Right: Aimee and Kevin Buccellato, GPSA’s earliest employees and founders of Buccellato Design; architect and former GPSA staffer Whitley Esteban, Gil, Tessa Gearity; AD Global Interiors & Garden editor Alison Levasseur, RH Media chief editorial officer Margaret Russell, interior designer Markham Roberts.
2022 McKim, Mead & White Awards
We are incredibly honored to receive a McKim, Mead, and White Award from the New York chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art for this new stone country house, set on a dramatic, sloping 60-acre piece of property in New York’s northern Dutchess County. Designed in collaboration with Deborah Nevins for landscape and Thomas Jayne for interior decoration, the house was inspired by the Georgian and early Regency houses of the English countryside while creating an intentional interplay between architecture and landscape. [Photo by Eric Piasecki]
What an honor to be once again included on Architectural Digest’s AD100 list for 2023. Our work wouldn’t be possible without our inspiring clients, talented collaborators, and hardworking team at GPSA, and we are thrilled to share this recognition with them. [Photos by Eric Piasecki]
We’re thrilled to have a few of our projects included in Waterworks’ new book, The Ultimate Bath, which was published by Rizzoli in late October. To see more, please visit our Additional Books page >
New Press
It’s always a pleasure to see our work featured in the media and over the last few months, we’ve had our work included in Frederic magazine and have been named to Ocean Home’s Top 50 Coastal Architects and Traditional Building’s list of Who’s Who in Contemporary Classical Architecture. To see these and other recent media clips visit our Press Section > and Online Media Section >.
Taken on location in Maine while shooting with our longtime collaborator Eric Piasecki this summer, this photo is just one moment from many recent photoshoots that we’ll be sharing in our next book, coming from Rizzoli in the Spring of 2024! Stay tuned for more book news soon.
The July/August issue of Veranda features a special project we recently completed on Block Island alongside interior design firm Redd | Kahoi and landscape architect Deborah Nevins. Located on the 16-acre site of a former farm, this family compound is comprised of three structures, including an elegant main house, a guesthouse and garage, and an old barn, which we reconstructed and reimagined as a pool house and entertaining pavilion. Designed so that each structure has generous spaces for entertaining and relaxing, as well as taking in the spectacular natural surroundings, we took our aesthetic cues from the shingle-style architecture of early 1900s New England. Our design for the new main house and carriage house incorporates local stone and captures panoramic views of the Sound to the North and a large salt pond and nature-filled wetlands to the South. [Photo by Eric Piasecki]
To see more of this project and to read the full article in Veranda, please visit our Press page >
The Julia Morgan Awards
What an honor to win the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art Northern California’s chapter Julia Morgan Award for our extensive renovation of a historic Beaux-Arts and Georgian-style residence in San Francisco. Originally built in 1908, the house, although well-maintained, was in need of a complete overhaul, including a major interior reconfiguration, an update to all of the building systems, the incorporation of significant seismic and structural upgrades, the addition of an elevator, and the creation of a new addition. Along with our talented collaborators — local architect Jones | Haydu, Bunny Williams Interior Design, and our elegant clients — we maintained the home’s aesthetic integrity by ensuring that the new and reconfigured spaces suit modern life yet feel harmonious with the original bones of the house. Pictured above is GPSA Associate and Senior Project Manager Matt Enquist and firm Principal Mickey Benson accepting the award with our dynamic client. [Interior photo by Trevor Tondro]
We are thrilled to announce two new staff promotions. Please join us in congratulating Benjamin Moore, who is a new Project Manager, and Olivia Kramer, who is now a Job Captain. We also welcomed four interns who will be working with the firm this summer. Amy Agne, Hope Kenny, and Caroline Zorc are all first-time interns at GPSA and join Andrey Nash, who is returning after a successful internship with us last year. [Photo by Sarah MacWright]
On the left: Benjamin Moore and Olivia Kramer. On the right: Amy Agne, Caroline Zorc, Hope Kenny, Andrey Nash.
GPSA has a few projects included in the new book Illusion in Design: New Trends in Architecture and Interiors by Paul Gunther and Gay Giordano. Published by Rizzoli this spring, the book features bathrooms from houses in the Hudson Valley and Charleston, as well as a trompe l’oeil entry we designed for a San Francisco residence alongside Redd|Kahoi. To see these projects and to learn more about the book, please visit our Additional Books page >
Out and About in New York
Spring is always a busy season both in and out of the office. In May, a number of our team members enjoyed an evening with the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art at the annual Arthur Ross Awards, held at the University Club. On June 1st, our staff got to play hooky for an afternoon Mets game. Not only did the Mets win, but we also got to meet both Mr. and Mrs. Met!
We are happy to welcome three new, full-time draftspeople to the firm. Before starting with us in July, Andrew Almeida graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Miami School of Architecture; Maggie Jones received a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from Benedictine College and a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture; and Julie Pesola received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture. [Photo by Sarah MacWright]
From left to right: Maggie Jones, Julia Pesola, and Andrew Almeida.
We are happy to announce that GPSA is now on LinkedIn! Please visit our profile and follow the firm here >
2022’s ad100 list
We are thrilled that Architectural Digest has named us to their 2022 AD100 list, an honor we’ve been fortunate to receive for the last ten years in a row. We are incredibly grateful to our talented collaborators, inspiring and trusting clients, and the dedicated, passionate team at GPSA — without whom, our work, and this honor, wouldn’t be possible.
What an honor to receive a Veranda Outdoor Living Award for 2022 for the summer cottage we designed in Coastal Maine. The small compound and landscape, which we created in collaboration with Mohr & Seredin, was designed to have the feel of old Maine farm buildings and includes a vacation house, gardener’s workshop, garage, and bicycle shed all anchored around a courtyard with old apple trees and a cutting garden. The main house is built into a hill and each living space opens onto gardens or the courtyard. A number of custom-designed water features, including the long granite trough reflecting pool that anchors the courtyard’s center, were inspired by both English and Japanese gardens.
The awards ceremony for the 2020 Bulfinch Awards, hosted by the New England chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art, was held in October 2021 at the Boston Harvard Club after being postponed due to the pandemic. GPSA architect Paige Melinis attended the gala and accepted the award on behalf of the firm in the category of “New Residential Construction” for our design of a summer cottage in Maine.
To see more of this project, please click here
Please join us in welcoming a number of new hires to the firm, including Jack Calvert and Ben Shelton as Draftspeople, and Natasha Rivera, who has joined our interior design department. We are also pleased to announce that Frank Noska has been promoted to Digital Imaging Manager at the firm.
To learn more about the firm, please see our profile page
After missing our annual staff retreat in both 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19, we were happy to reinstate the practice with an educational trip to Miami, Hobe Sound and Palm Beach in early March. The retreat included four site visits — two finished projects and two houses currently underway — during which Gil and other members of the staff gave presentations and led tours. Being in Florida was fodder for the longstanding, jovial rivalry between the University of Miami and University of Notre Dame grads in the office, and on the 2nd day, staff member Christopher Whelan surprised everyone with Gator shirts he had designed for the occasion. The fun continued with self-guided tours of the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, a breathtaking 1916 waterfront estate and National Historic Landmark, before everyone returned to the office and the cold weather.
Recently Featured
In recent media news, The New York Times interviewed Gil for a story about the importance of and desire for personal libraries. We are honored to have the firm named as one of Ocean Home’s “Top Coastal Architects of 2021,” as featured in the magazine’s October/November 2021 issue, and were also happy to see our Mill Valley project included in the October issue of Country Living.
To see these and other recent stories, please visit our Press Page.
Congratulations to new GPSA staff member Ben Shelton on winning the 2022 CNU Student Charter Award for his Notre Dame thesis project on West Chester Market Station in Philadelphia. His complex plan and drawings, which include a number of classically-inspired buildings, were praised by the judges for their sophistication and high level of detail. To see more of Ben’s project, please click here.
We are honored to have our New Residence in Southern Georgia, for which we designed both the architecture and interior decoration, receive a 2021 Palladio Award for New Design & Construction. Set on a 6,000-acre agricultural and hunting preserve, our design reflects the regional Greek Revival architecture of the 1840s and Colonial Revival architecture of the 1920s. To see more of the project, click here >. To read more about the awards or see the cover story in Traditional Building’s August issue, click here > [Project photos by Eric Piasecki]
As social distancing continues, we have been excited to see events coming back in fresh ways. Gil was the keynote speaker at the New Canaan Nature Center’s annual spring luncheon, which was broadcast live from Gil’s office to multiple groups—both indoors and outdoors at the Country Club of New Canaan and to others viewing from home. As he noted in his talk, home has never been more important than during this past year, making his lecture, “Creating Places to Call Home,” particularly timely and meaningful.
Gil, a board member of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello, was honored to write about Jefferson’s visionary adaption of Palladian architecture, the realities of building Monticello, and his evolution as an architect in the new book Thomas Jefferson at Monticello. A gorgeous compendium of the ongoing influence and historical significance of Monticello in the fields of art, architecture, culture, landscape design, books, food and wine, the book features photos by Miguel Flores-Vianna. Other contributors include Annette Gordon-Reed, Carla Hayden, Jay McInerney, Jon Meacham, Xavier Salomon, Alice Waters, Thomas Woltz, and co-editors Charlotte Moss and Leslie Greene Bowman. To learn more or order a copy, please click here >
It’s always exciting to see our work featured in the media and is especially thrilling to have projects in two of our favorite magazines this summer. The July/August issue of Architectural Digest features a new house we designed on Lake Champlain in Vermont and the July/August issue of Veranda features new residence we designed on the coast of Maine. We’ve also enjoyed seeing stories on the firm and our work in the international press, including a recent profile of Gil and GPSA’s work over the years that ran in House Beautiful Turkey and a feature on Gil’s home in Maine that ran in the summer issue of Chantinr Living, a Thai lifestyle journal. To see these stories and other recent media coverage, please visit our Press Page >
We are pleased to welcome a number of talented new staff to the firm. Andrey Nash, a student at the University of Miami, was our summer intern, working with both the architectural and decor teams. Erin Burke joined us in April as a Junior Interior Designer. Philip Spence and Thomas Assed are new Draftsmen, and Sean Blackwell is a new Senior Project Manager. Additionally, Sarah MacWright, the Arts Department Chair and Gallery Director at Millbrook School, who is taking a sabbatical this fall to explore the field of architecture, has joined GPSA as our seasonal intern. [L to R: Andrey Nash, Erin Burke, Philip Spence, Sarah MacWright, Thomas Assad, Sean Blackwell]
What a pleasure to flip through Simon Upton’s new book New York Interiors, published by Vendome Press in September. The pre-war Park Avenue apartment that we renovated with Will Kopleman, which Simon originally shot for AD, is included alongside many other beautiful projects by colleagues and friends. The book is a must buy for any design lover. To learn more, click here >. Avenue magazine also covered Will Kopelman’s home in an interview with him about art and life on the Upper East Side, in their September/October issue, which you can read here >
What an honor to receive a Stanford White Award from the New York Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art for the New Residence and Family Compound we designed for a stylish young family in the Hamptons. In lieu of a traditional awards ceremony, this year the honorees were recognized in a video presentation. To watch the video and learn more about the Awards, please click here > [Project photo by Eric Piasecki]
New Promotions at GPSA
GPSA is pleased to announce several, well-deserved staff promotions as of January 2021, including clockwise from upper left: Matt Enquist to the role of Associate, Chris Taylor to the role of Associate, Rachel Staud and Matt Hayes to the role of Job Captain.
2021’s AD100 List
We are thrilled to once again be named to Architectural Digest’s AD100 list for 2021, and are incredibly grateful to our talented collaborators, stylish and trusting clients, and dedicated, passionate staff—without whom, our work, and this honor, wouldn’t be possible.
On November 12, three members of our interior decoration team—Jahlay Rae, Daniela Cascio, and Lyndsey Segond—presented a series of our projects to a group of design students at Miami University of Ohio. The guest lecture included a behind-the-scenes look at a number of our recent projects, including a new house we designed in Jupiter Island, Florida, and a lakefront family compound in Vermont, and was followed by a live Q&A. [Photos by Eric Piasecki]
We are delighted to be named to Luxe Interiors + Design’s “Gold List” for 2021, as featured in the January/February issue, and to Ocean Home’s “Top 50 Coastal Architects” for 2020, as seen in their November/December issue. Gil was also interviewed by Luxe for a story on the New Historic Home in their November issue and was pleased to have his own house in Maine featured in the Winter 2021 issue of New Old House. To see these and other recent coverage, including a paint story featuring our historic Charleston Carriage House kitchen in the latest issue of Schumacher’s The Bulletin, please visit our Press Page here >
Our most-recent featured project offers a tour of a new summer cottage on the coast of Maine that we designed for a discerning, peripatetic couple. Designed to have the sensibility of a New England estate farm compound, we created a series of barn buildings anchored around a courtyard centered on a long granite trough reflecting pool surrounded by fruiting apple trees. For a full tour of the property and to see inside the cottage residence, with interiors inspired by Maine’s rustic barn vernacular, click here > [Photos by Eric Piasecki]
Our newly virtual world has brought with it opportunities to connect in different ways, and Gil has enjoyed doing a number of different video interviews and chats over the last 6 months. For House Beautiful’s new Design School series, Gil spoke about how history, context, and memory inform every project and help the firm to create an indelible sense of place. For Schumacher’s “Deep Dive with Dara” series, Gil had the chance to chat with longtime friend and Schumacher creative director Dara Caponigro about how to bring character to a new house, and he answered a number of questions from video audience as well. To watch these and other video interviews, click here >
Featured in These Fall Books
We are delighted to have our work included in some of fall’s most anticipated new books, including Architectural Digest’s The Most Beautiful Rooms in the World, Rattan: A World of Elegance & Charm by Lulu Lytle, S is for Style: The Schumacher Book of Decoration by Dara Caponigro, de Gournay: Hand-Painted Interiors by Claud Gurney and Travel by Design by the Design Leadership Network. To see more of these books and others that feature our work, please click here >
What a thrill to see our work featured in a number of publications over the last few months! The November issue of Elle Decor features the renovation of a classic New York City apartment we collaborated on with Tom Scheerer, and Gil’s own house in Maine is featured on the cover of the November issue of Maine Home + Design. Departures interviewed Gil and included Middlefield, his own Greek Revival style house in the Hudson Valley for a fall story on the ongoing Greek Revival ‘Revival’ residential architectural trend, and Architectural Digest recently featured the latest design evolution of Gil’s own Greenwich Village apartment, a place he had called home for nearly 20 years before putting it on the market this fall. The guest cottage we recently designed in coastal Maine, which you can see in our Featured Project section here, was the cover of Traditional Building’s August issue and in House Beautiful’s September “Design School” issue. In that same issue, Gil discussed the aesthetics of Farmhouse design. Additionally, Country Living’s November issue focused on spaces we’ve designed that are as comfortable as they are stylish, while their September issue showed how plaid can punch-up a powder room. To read these stories and see other recent media coverage, including an interview with Gil in UK Country & Town House on how to design twin bedrooms, visit our Press section >
2020 Palladio Award Winner for New Design & Construction
We are honored to receive a 2020 Palladio Award for New Design & Construction for the new summer cottage we designed in coastal Maine for a sophisticated “empty-nester” couple. Designed to have the feel of a cluster of farm buildings with three separate structures—the barn cottage, a yoga and meditation studio, and a garage and bicycle shed—anchored around an apple-tree lined courtyard, the property also includes a number of garden features inspired by our well-traveled clients’ passion for Japanese design.
In their summer issue, House Beautiful goes inside the cottage, which is built into a hill like a bank barn so that each of the main living spaces and bedrooms open onto garden spaces. We designed the interiors to reflect the rustic character of Maine, with old barn siding and hand-hewn trusses throughout, paired with the elegance of antiques and meaningful pieces that suit the aesthetic of our peripatetic clients. To read the feature, please click here > [Photos by Eric Piasecki]
We are happy to share a sneak peek into some of our current and newest projects underway, including a new house on Lake Champlain; the restoration of a historic boathouse in Maine; a family compound on Block Island; a new stone house set on 200 acres of rolling hills in Middle Tennessee; and a new house on the Florida coast; among others. To view these and other ongoing projects, please visit our Project Underway section here >
Along with the entire world, GPSA has adapted to working from home. Gil was able to share what he loves most about his own home, and working from there, in a “Love Letter to My Home” interview with Galerie and a story with Veranda that featured his “new” dining room office. He also talked to Architectural Digest about some of the things he was enjoying during quarantine. To view these and other stories, visit our Online Media section here >
What fun to have the Quintessence “At Home in the Country” video tour of Middlefield, Gil’s own Greek Revival house in the Hudson Valley, hit over 300,000 views on YouTube! It was a perfect summer day when Stacey Bewkes and Susanna Salk of Quintessence stopped by for a personal tour and the casual video is a fun tour of all the details injected with their usual joie de vivre! To see the full tour, visit our videos page here >
Our latest Featured Project provides an in-depth look at the creation of a new south Georgia residence for which we did both the architecture and interior design, set on 6,000 acres of woodland property and inspired by Georgia’s historic 1920s and 30s hunting plantations. We are honored that the project has won a number of awards, including a Stanford White Award from the New York Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art and two Shutze Awards — for both architecture and interior decoration — from the Southeast Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art. To see the full project, click here > [Photos by Eric Piasecki]
It’s always a treat when Schumacher’s The Bulletin lands in our mailbox and we loved seeing the master bathroom of our Mill Valley project, a collaboration with Rita Konig, featured in their Spring 2020 story on painted floors. To see this piece and peruse additional recent media coverage, including a interview with Gil on the popular design site Remodelista and a roundup of Architectural Digest‘s favorite kitchens including GPSA’s recent Park Avenue project, please visit our Press section here >
Our new project map, featuring the locations of both in-progress and completed projects around the country, is the perfect way to get a sense of where you will find our work. To view the full map, click here >
Matt Leonard and Chris Taylor from our ace Admin Team hard at work readying additional laptops to get us set up for working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic. As of March 17, GPSA has been fully operational on a remote basis.
It is an incredible honor to once again be included on Architectural Digest’s AD100 list for 2020, among such an esteemed group of peers and collaborators. We are indebted to the many talented interior designers, landscape designers, contractors, craftspeople, stylists and photographers that we are so fortunate to work with, and are endlessly grateful to our gracious, stylish clients for inviting us into their lives and homes. For more about the AD100 list click here >
As big fans of Waterworks, we are thrilled to be included in their gorgeous new book The Perfect Kitchen. Like their earlier tome, The Perfect Bath, this is sure to be a must-have for design lovers and kitchen aficionados everywhere! For more information about the book click here > or purchase a copy here >
We are honored that the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art’s Florida chapter has honored this new house in Jupiter Island that we designed for longtime clients with an Addison Mizner Award for residential architecture. The award ceremony was held on February 8, 2020 at the Colony Hotel in Palm Beach.
Luxe magazine featured the house in their March issue, sharing the story behind the design, which was inspired by the casual elegance of Anglo-Caribbean architecture, with a sense of understatement, family tradition, and the clients’ vibrant color sense. To read the piece and learn more about the project, please click here >
We are always grateful to have our projects included in the media and it’s been thrilling to see some of the beautifully-designed stories featuring our work that have been published in the last few months, including: Elle Decor’s feature of a chic uptown apartment with a downtown vibe that we designed with decorator David Netto; an Architectural Digest feature of a yoga and meditation studio we designed for a sophisticated couple in Maine in their March issue; British magazine Tatler’s story on new townhouse interior we designed in Manhattan; two stories on how to carve out nooks in This Old House and House Beautiful; and recent international magazine pieces in UK House & Garden and arquitectura y diseño that feature Gil’s own house in Maine. For these and other recent stories about our work, please visit our Press section >
Gil was honored to be this year’s featured speaker for the 19th Annual McKim Lecture, held at The University Club on March 4, 2020, with the theme of “Unlocking the Mysteries of Place: How Context, Tradition, and Memory Give Shape and Meaning to a New House.” The Annual McKim Lecture is a collaboration between the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art and the One West 54th Street Foundation, the not-for-profit organization established to preserve the architectural integrity and design of the University Club. For more information visit the ICAA’s website here >
Featured on AD’s New Podcast “AD Aesthete”
Gil had a chance to chat about the marriage of architecture and landscape recently when he and longtime collaborator, landscape designer Debby Nevins, were interviewed by Mitchell Owens on AD’s new podcast “AD Aesthete.” Almost like a dinner table conversation about process and some of their favorite collaborations, they discussed everything from the way a view gets revealed to the sculptural role of trees, and why their clients have made all the difference in their work together. To listen, click here > or download wherever you get your podcasts.
We always love seeing GPSA alums in the news! A huge congratulations to Whitley Esteban on being included in House Beautiful’s 2020 “Ones to Watch,” and to Brendan McNee for the charming Wall Street Journal story about his creative commute. How do architects get to work? By planes, trains, automobiles…and electric skateboards, of course!
Vogue‘s September issue is always hotly anticipated, so it was particularly exciting to us that the magazine featured the Hamptons home of the ever-chic and charming Lauren Santo-Domingo in this year’s issue—a project we were fortunate to collaborate on with Miranda Brooks for the landscape design and Virginia Tukper for the interior design. The November/December holiday issue of Veranda was another much-anticipated issue in the office. We were delighted to see their feature of our recent Vermont entertaining barn, a well-appointed gathering space inspired by the Norwegian heritage of our lovely clients as well as the rustic architecture of the area. Gil was also delighted to be interviewed by the New York Times for a feature on kitchen design, talking about how small details, like different countertops and finishes, can make all the difference.
Craftsmanship is a keystone of our practice and we always appreciate the opportunity to visit our collaborators in their studios. On July 19, the wonderful team at architectural hardware favorite P.E. Guerin was kind enough to open their doors to our staff for a personal, behind-the-scenes tour and demonstrations of how they make their distinctive, custom hardware.
One of our favorite days of the year is our summer staff field trip—a day when we visit in-progress and beloved projects (and just generally have some fun together). This year we visited two projects, stopping first to at our historic restoration of a summer cottage residence and carriage house on a bucolic property on Long Island, and then visiting the restoration and expansion of a landmarked 18th century house and new barn we recently completed in East Hampton as a comfortable weekend retreat for a New York City couple and their family.
Classicism truly is an international language and it’s been a thrill to see our work in a number of recent international publications, including Architectural Digest Russia and Germany’s Klassisch Wohnen magazine.
Our newest Featured Project is an in-depth look at our collaboration with the stylish, talented Will Kopelman on the renovation of his classic Park Avenue pre-war duplex. For the full tour, click here > [Photos by Simon Upton]
As design book lovers and AD fans, it’s an honor to be included in the magazine’s gorgeous new monograph AD at 100, a visual feast of some of their most alluring homes and garden features from around the world. For more information about this and other books that feature our work, please visit our “Additional Books” section here >
Our firm continues to attract talented new architects, and we are delighted to welcome Sarah Gumenick, a recent University of Notre Dame Master of Architecture graduate, and Olivia Kramer, a recent graduate from the University of Miami, to our team.
[L: Olivia Kramer; R: Sarah Gumenick]
Summer and early fall are always ideal times for photo shoots and this season was no different. Gil and the team traveled with photographer Eric Piasecki from Florida to Maine—and a few places in between!—to capture some recently completed projects, which we’ll be sharing in publications and on the website soon. Visit our Portfolio and Featured Projects sections to see our newest work.
The GPSA Halloween costume tradition continued this year with some particularly clever and surprising ensembles from our heavily-disguised team!
This year, GPSA’s annual staff retreat was held in September at The Mohonk Mountain House, an idyllic historic Victorian resort in the Hudson Valley. Two days of team building and project collaboration—not to mention archery, bonfires and cocktails—left us invigorated and inspired for what promises to be a busy, productive year ahead.
GSPA is incredibly honored to have our firm’s work recognized with the 2019 Arthur Ross Award for Architecture. The Institute of Classical Architecture & Art has kept the classical tradition alive, thriving, and relevant for more than 30 years, and because of it our practice has been constantly enriched by its programs and publications. Receiving news of the award, Gil, as founding principal, remarked, “Classicism is a language that endures from generation to generation, constantly reinvented yet continually relevant, both noble and humble, beautiful and useful, divine yet human. It is a great joy for GPSA to be part of this continuum. We are endlessly grateful to the many individuals and firms who have contributed to the substance and quality of our work through our collaborations: interior designers, landscape designers, builders, craftspeople and artisans, and, of course, our clients who continually challenge and inspire us. We are truly honored to share this award with them!”
[Left: Gil Schafer and Russell Windham; photo courtesy of Sylvain Gaboury/PMC; Right: The GPSA Leadership Team at the Awards Gala; L to R: Carl Carfi, Laura Welsh, Mickey Benson, Gil Schafer, Brad Devendorf, Lou Taylor; photo courtesy of Jared Siskin/PMC]
We have a talented group of interns working at the firm over the next few months as part of our robust summer internship program. Pictured here, from left to right, are: Christopher D’Amico, Josh Kleinberg, Jheanelle Miller, Lily Niewald, and Liam Walsh.
Architectural Digest toured our new, residentially-inspired Union Square office in early February. To read their full story and see more of the office, which they call “a thoughtfully arranged space fitted with the kinds of classical details and fine decoration for which the firm is known,” click here > [Photo by Eric Piasecki]
Gil is delighted to be speaking at two different events in Maine this August. Join him for a talk and book signing on August 14 at the Northeast Harbor Library on Mount Desert Island. The following evening, he will be speaking and signing at the Strand Theater in Rockland, at a special event hosted by The General Henry Knox Museum. For tickets and other details on these events, click here > [Photo by Eric Piasecki]
Our latest Featured Project is a tour of an elegant 1907 San Francisco mansion that we restored and reimagined in collaboration with interior decorator Miles Redd for a young family that craved a fresh twist on tradition. For the full tour, click here > [Photos by Trevor Tondro, courtesy of Architectural Digest]
It was a pleasure for GPSA to work with the stylish, talented art adviser Will Kopelman on the renovation of his classic Park Avenue pre-war duplex. We reconfigured portions of the apartment into expansive, open spaces, much better suited to family life centered around a big kitchen and cozy family room. Will’s unique passion for interior design and his nose for great art are evident everywhere in the apartment. For more photos from the February issue of Architectural Digest, click here > [Photos by Simon Upton, courtesy of AD]
Now in it’s 4th year running, GPSA’s own Skee-Ball team—very appropriately named “Skeematic Design”—competes against other architecture firms and groups from around New York City in a winter recreational league organized through NYC Social. Ten members of our firm participate and they currently boast an undefeated record (let’s hear it for the architects!). Pictured here are Parker Hansen and Rachel Staud. Ali Buersmeyer, Michael Callaway, Matt Hayes, Tyler Many, Paige Melinis, Chris Moran, Chris Taylor and Laura Welsh are also on the team.
GPSA draftsperson Rachel Staud has received a second award for her semester-long project on the work of American Renaissance architect Charles Platt. The New England chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art honored Rachel with a 2019 Bulfinch Award in the “Student Portfolio” category. (Gil, who was thrilled to be one of this year’s Bulfinch jurors, recused himself from judging this category having immediately recognized the work of his talented staff member.) Rachel will also be a panelist at an upcoming event on women in the field of architecture, happening on May 7 at the Boston Design Center, hosted by the New England chapter of the ICAA.
We are incredibly grateful to once again be included in Architectural Digest’s prestigious AD100 list of the world’s top architects, interior decorators and landscape designers. See the entire AD100 list in the magazine’s January issue or online here >
Winner of a 2018 Stanford White Award
What an honor it is to receive a 2018 Stanford White Award from the New York Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art for the Interior Design of a New Southern Plantation Residence for which we also designed the architecture. Inspired by the historic hunting preserves in the region, the new house has an old world charm brought to life by antiques and sporting art collected by GPSA’s decorating team for the project. [Photos by Eric Piasecki]
SCENOGRAPHIA!
In early November, GPSA architect Michael Geller and two GPSA alums, Brendan McNee and Whitley Esteban, participated in the first ever SCENOGRAPHIA, an event dedicated to raising the awareness of the importance of traditional hand drawing, held at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. Their trio, “The Acanthus Underground,” was one of three drafting teams that spent two full days live-drawing a large, detailed 9′ x 12′ architectural mural. You can watch their entire process and see the impressive final mural in a one-minute time-lapse video created by event co-sponsor Hyde Park Mouldings here > [Photos courtesy of The Acanthus Underground]
We are delighted that our New Country Residence, a Dutch Colonial-inspired house situated on a large knoll overlooking the scenic Navesink river, won a 2018 Design Award from the AIA New Jersey chapter for residential design. For more about the awards click here > and to see more of the house click here > [Photo by Eric Piasecki]
Continuing a favorite staff tradition, in November we gathered food donations and raised money for City Harvest’s “Feed Our Kids” food drive, an important fundraiser that helps feed children across the City.
Gil is thrilled to be returning to the Antiques and Garden Show of Nashville on February 1-3, 2019, once more serving as the Honorary Chair of Show. This year’s theme, “A Passion for Home,” seems perfectly suited to what is a world-class gathering of dealers, tours, and speakers, all of which benefit two beloved local charities. For tickets and more information, click here >
The last few months have seen a number of GPSA projects showcased in the media, including a feature on Gil’s house in Maine in the fall issue of Milieu magazine, and rooms from our Mill Valley project in the September issue of UK House & Garden and November issue of Country Living. To read these and see other media highlights, please visit our Press section >
We are proud to announce that one of our newest staff members, draftsperson Rachel Staud, won a 2018 Acanthus Award from the Chicago-Midwest chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art in the category of “Student Work – Recently Graduated,” for her semester-long project on the work of American Renaissance architect Charles Platt. Congratulations to Rachel! For more information on the Awards click here >
In the midst of a number of fall installations and the start of some exciting new projects, we found time for an October staff outing to see the New York Jets play the Indianapolis Colts. It’s a toss-up on whether the tailgating before the game or the chance to go down onto the field at the end was the best part of the day.
Proving that architects’ creativity goes far beyond house design, our staff celebrated Halloween by sporting some clever (and hilarious) costumes to the office.
We were honored to receive a 2018 Julia Morgan Award for Architecture from the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art’s Northern California Chapter, along with our collaborators Chambers + Chambers Architects, for our Mill Valley project. The Award Ceremony was a festive evening held on May 21 in San Francisco. [Photos by Eric Piasecki]
The New York School of Interior Design, one of the top interior design programs in the United States, awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts to Gil at their 2018 commencement ceremony, held on May 24 at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performance Arts.
[Libby Cameron, NYSID trustee, introduced Gil, and NYSID President, David Sprouls, awarded the hood and diploma. Photo by Jason Gardner.]
We are thrilled to have our Mill Valley project featured in Nathan Turner’s charming new book I Love California, which is a must-read for design and food lovers. To learn more about the book, click here > or order your copy here >
After a busy start to the year with events from Palm Beach to Nashville, Charleston to Los Angeles, Gil’s book tour for A Place to Call Home continues into the summer and fall with stops in Nantucket, Maine and Grosse Point, Michigan. Please visit the full tour schedule for more information here > Gil spoke at Flower magazine’s “Houston Design Center in Bloom” event on April 10.
[Pictured here from left to right, all of the event’s speakers: Remco van Vliet, India Hicks, Charlotte Moss, Gil Schafer, and Flower magazine editor in chief Margot Shaw.]
The launch of our new website showcases a number of new, recently completed and in-progress projects, including a personal home tour and inside look at the design of Gil’s own Maine house, shot with Gil on location by Eric Piasecki.
At the Horticultural Society of New York’s annual Flower Show Dinner Dance, held this year on April 24 at The Pierre, Gil was honored with The Award of Excellence and praised for the way his work achieves a balance of looking outward into the landscape and bringing nature indoors. The evening is a beautiful celebration of floral arts and benefits supports important horticultural programs around the city.
Winner of a 2018 Shutze Award
On March 3, a few of our staff members traveled to Atlanta, where we were honored to receive the Southeast Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art’s Shutze Award for a new plantation residence we designed set on a 6,000 acres of woodland property, inspired by Georgia’s historic 1920s and 1930s hunting plantations. [Photos by Eric Piasecki]
GPSA was thrilled to win a 2018 Bulfinch Award in the Interior Design category for the interiors of Gil’s house renovation in Brooklin, Maine. Bestowed by the New England Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, this year’s Bulfinch Awards ceremony gala was held on April 27 at the Harvard Club of Boston.
[ Left: photo by Simon Upton | Right: photo by Eric Piasecki]
[Gil Schafer accepting the Bulfinch Award on April 28, 2018]
Winner of a 2018 Palladio Award
The new corporate offices of a venture capital firm in the Hudson Valley that we designed in collaboration with Voith & MacTavish Architects, received a 2018 Palladio Award for New Design and Construction an honor that recognizes outstanding traditional design. To take a visual tour and learn more about the property, which was also the winner of a Stanford White Award, click here >
[Photos by Jeffrey Totaro]
Many thanks to some of our favorite publications for featuring GPSA’s work in recent issues, including the March/April 2018 issue of Veranda, the April issue of Town & Country, and the March issue of Country Living. To see these and other stories, please visit our Press section >
GPSA is pleased to welcome four talented new staff members to the firm. Parker Hansen, Matt Hayes, Rachel Staud are working as draftspersons, and Matthew Leonard joined the team in the role of accounting and administrative coordinator. It’s also been a pleasure to have a wonderful group of summer interns this year, including Cecilia McCammon, MaryGrace Lewis and Nicholas Meury, who joined us for his 2nd consecutive summer.
[Left: L to R: Parker Hansen, Matt Hayes, Rachel Staud, Matthew Leonard | Right: L to R: Cecilia McCammon, Nicholas Meury, MaryGrace Lewis]
Winner of a Stanford White Award
We were honored to receive a 2017 Stanford White Award from the New York Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art for this River Front Residence, a new, Dutch colonial-inspired house overlooking the Navesink River. [Left: photo by Eric Piasecki | Right: The 2018 Stanford White Award winners from all categories; photo Sylvain Gaboury / Patrick McMullan.]
Gil’s book tour for A Place To Call Home continues through the summer with upcoming stops in Palm Beach, Lyford Cay, Nashville, Charleston, Houston, Nantucket, Winston-Salem and New York, among others. Please visit the full tour schedule for more details.
GPSA Named to the 2018 AD100
What an honor for us to once again be included on Architectural Digest’s AD100 for 2018, among so many extraordinary decorators, architects, landscape designers and friends.
It’s always an honor to have our work featured in the media. To see the most recent coverage, including this cover story in UK House & Garden and feature in the New York Times, both on Gil’s own house in Maine, please visit our Press & Online Media section.
It was a whirlwind fall for Gil’s A Place to Call Home book tour, with events in New York, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Seattle, and Delaware. The book is now in multiple printings and we are so grateful to all of our clients, friends, colleagues, and collaborators who have supported us. Thank you!
[Gil speaking and signing books at the San Francisco Fall Art & Antiques Show]
GPSA’s annual summer field trip, a favorite for staffers to visit projects and sites together, was in late July this year and took the team to a number of houses in the Hudson Valley and Connecticut, where we were also fortunate to enjoy the company of some beloved clients.
In August, GPSA hosted the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art’s emerging professionals group for a “Drink & Draw” event at our new office. Attendees had a chance to draw a still life while enjoying drinks and the good company of colleagues.
[Drawing from the event by Elaine Rose]
AFTER 15 WONDERFUL YEARS IN SOHO, we moved into our new office, located on a lovely, tree-lined street on Union Square, on May 26th. Our new address is: 19 Union Square West, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10003.
GIL WAS HONORED TO SERVE AS CO-CHAIR of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art’s prestigious Arthur Ross Awards, along with friends and colleagues Suzanne Tucker and Bunny Williams (pictured here together at the Awards Ceremony in May).
WHEN CITY HARVEST SENT OUT the call for food donations for their annual “Feed Our Kids” food drive, our staff rose to challenge and collected food and money to help this incredible organization in their effort to feed our City’s children over the summer when access to school meals is limited.
PLEASE JOIN US IN WELCOMING several new staff members to the firm. Amanda Holenstein, a 2017 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, and Tyler Many, a 2017 graduate of the University of Miami, recently started at GPSA in the role of draftsperson. We’ve also enjoyed having Olivia Kramer, Matthew Leonard, Nicholas Meury and Rachel Staud, be part of the team during our summer internship program.
[Left image: L to R, Amanda Holenstein, Tyler Many; Right image: L to R, Rachel Staud, Nicholas Meury, Olivia Kramer, Matt Leonard]
GIL HAD A WONDERFUL TIME SPEAKING about architecture and interiors on a panel at Masterpiece London, one of the world’s leading international art fairs, with friends and colleagues Rita Konig and Ben Pentreath, on July 4th.
WE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT RIZZOLI WILL PUBLISH GIL’S NEW BOOK, A Place To Call Home: Tradition, Style and Memory in the New American House on September 26, 2017. A follow-up to his bestseller The Great American House, A Place to Call Home pulls back the curtain on the firm’s distinctive approach, sharing our process (complete with unexpected, accessible ideas readers can work into their own projects) and taking readers on a detailed tour of 7 beautifully realized houses in a range of styles located around the country—each in a unique place, and each with a character all its own. 250 lush, full color photographs of these houses and other never-before-seen projects, including exterior, interior, and landscape details, invite readers into our world of comfortable classicism. And the book is more than just a collection of beautiful homes. The first part, aptly titled “The Essentials,” outlines Gil’s architectural “toolkit”—both the concrete techniques he and the firm use for every project, and the more emotional and intuitive elements they take into consideration, the so called “lighting in a bottle” that fills their work with soul. To preorder a copy of this book click here >
We were honored to receive a 2016 Stanford White Award from the New York Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Arts, along with our collaborators Voith & MacTavish Architects, for new corporate offices we designed for a venture capital and investment business located in the center of a charming rural community in the Hudson Valley. The Awards Ceremony was held on a festive December evening at Manhattan’s Metropolitan Club—an especially fitting location for the occasion, as Stanford White designed the original Metropolitan Club in the late 1800s. [Photo courtesy of New York Social Diary]
We are honored
to receive a
2016 Stanford
White Award
GIL WAS HONORED TO CONTRIBUTE THE FOREWORD for architecture and design writer Marc Kristal’s new book, The New Old House: Historic & Modern Architecture Combined, which traces the ingenious ways architects have revitalized and re-envisioned 18 historic homes throughout North America and Europe for a new generation. In the foreword, Gil writes “Marc has a particular gift for ‘reading’ buildings and uncovering what it is they are trying to say…Roaming both sides of the Atlantic, he has sought out—and now shares with us—a delightfully diverse collection of examples of the intriguing dialogue that can happen between history and modernity, when the two are brought together in a skillful architectural intervention.” To learn more about the book, click here > or order a copy here >
Last fall, at an event hosted by the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, Gil sat down with esteemed architects and ICAA board members, Mark Ferguson and Russell Windham, to moderate a conversation about the trajectory of their careers in architecture, from their initial steps into the profession to their biggest influences. The event, officially titled, “Curiosity, Education and Influence: Two Careers in Architecture,” was held at the University Club in Manhattan. To see the entire conversation, view the video here >
THE FALL USHERS IN A SLEW OF MUST-HAVE BOOKS FOR THE DESIGN-OBSESSED AND GIL IS THRILLED TO BE INCLUDED IN TWO OF THEM.
Bunny Williams’s A House by the Sea, is a tribute to La Colina, the designer’s lush Caribbean retreat and features chapters on every facet of the property, including one written by Gil on the villa’s exquisite architecture.
For her new book The Perfect Bath, Waterworks co-founder Barbara Sallick interviewed Gil and a number of other top designers and architects about their work, and showcases photos of chic, polished baths to help homeowners create luxurious but practical dream bathrooms. In an interview she did in the October issue of Modern Luxury magazine, Barbara graciously mentions Gil as one of her inspirations and the piece features one of GPSA’s iconic baths.
To learn more about these books and others that feature GPSA, click here >
WE ARE HONORED TO AGAIN BE INCLUDED IN ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST’S AD100 list of the world’s top architects, interior designers and landscape architects. To see the entire 2017 AD100 list and to read Gil’s profile in the “Classicists” section, pick up a copy of the January issue or visit Architectural Digest’s website here >
This Spring, Gil chaired the jury for the Northern California Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art’s Julia Morgan Awards.
Interior designer Suzanne Rheinstein and architect Andrew Cogar served as the jury members. Established in 2014 and named for nationally renowned Bay Area architect and classicist, Julia Morgan, these Awards are given biennially to architects, designers, artists and artisans who have made major contributions to the classical tradition in architecture, interior design and decoration, landscape and garden design, and the allied arts. Gil and the jury selected winners in nine categories, all of whom were honored at a dinner and ceremony in mid-June. For the complete list of the winners and to learn more about the Awards, click here >
FOR THIS YEAR’S SUMMER FIELD TRIP, the GPSA team spent a gorgeous July day visiting three of our projects in the Hamptons. Our first stop was to tour a recently completed, fully restored turn-of-the-century 5,000 square foot main house and historic carriage house, which GPSA had reconfigured as a double-height studio and library for our clients. From there, we went to the site of our restoration of a landmarked 18th century timber frame residence, also in East Hampton. We stopped there for lunch, taking in the new garden and pool area that compliments the guest barn, before moving on to our third and final project—a large property in Southampton where we are designing a main house and several outbuildings for a cosmopolitan couple and their young children.
Gil is honored to serve as Honorary Chair for The Antiques and Garden Show of Nashville’s
upcoming 2017 Show
The longest running antiques and garden show in the country, now in it’s 27th year, The Antiques and Garden Show of Nashville brings together more than 150 fine antiques and horticultural dealers and presents an array of talented architects and designers from around the country for a weekend of lectures, exhibits, panels, and celebration. Gil will be honored at the Show’s Preview Party, the evening of February 2nd, and the Show runs February 3rd through 5th. This year’s beneficiaries are Cheekwood, Nashville’s beloved Botanical Garden and Museum of Art, and the Economic Club of Nashville (ECON), a nonprofit dedicated to raising funds for more than 20 family-focused charities in the area. To see the full schedule of events, purchase tickets, or to learn more about the show, click here >
WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO SHARE OUR WORK AND DESIGN ADVICE in the media and have had several opportunities to do so in the last few months. The June issue of Architectural Digest features Gil’s thoughts on what it means to be a traditionalist, and includes some recommendations for key pieces any traditionalist would love. To celebrate summer weather—and the gorgeous light that comes with—1st Dibs featured their favorite sun-drenched living rooms and included Boxwood’s loggia, with it’s restored 1915 French doors and cocoa-lacquered walls. Gil was also delighted to share a favorite decorating tip for transforming a desk into a dining table in the October issue of Redbook.
To see these stories and other recent press coverage, click here >
CONGRATULATIONS TO GPSA JUNIOR DESIGNER CHRISTOPHER WHELAN, who was awarded the inaugural Trumbauer Awards “Student Project Prize” by the Philadelphia chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art. Christopher won the Prize for his graduate thesis project, “America’s Most Historic Square Mile,” a master plan that re-envisions Independence Mall in Philadelphia and proposes a new museum, as well as other appropriately-scaled buildings, to suit the historic architectural fabric of the neighborhood. Christopher completed his thesis while at the University of Notre Dame, and graduated with his Master of Architecture in 2013. The Awards Ceremony, which honored a number of other contemporary architects for their innovation and dedication to the classical tradition, was held on November 9th at the Union League of Philadelphia. Learn more about the Trumbauer Awards here >
WE ARE DELIGHTED TO WELCOME FIVE NEW STAFF MEMBERS TO OUR TEAM.
Ryan White joined the staff last fall as a Project Manager after working, most recently, in a similar role at Robert A. M. Stern Architects. His past projects range from One World Trade Center to traditional residences in New York, Chicago and Charleston. Matt Enquist, also a new Project Manager, came to GPSA in February and has worked for over ten years at several prestigious, Manhattan-based residential firms on projects around the country. Alison Buersmeyer joined the firm as a Junior Designer in July after receiving her Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Notre Dame and internships with several of architecture and design firms. Michael Callaway is also a new Junior Designer as of July, having recently graduated from Auburn University where he received his Bachelor of Architecture and spent 7 semesters on the School of Architecture’s “Dean’s List.” Additionally, Manuel Ramirez, an economics student at New York University, is spending his second semester as a finance intern in our Administration Department.
THIS SUMMER TOOK GIL AND CELEBRATED ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIORS PHOTOGRAPHER, ERIC PIASECKI, around the country shooting projects for Gil’s upcoming book, which will be published by Rizzoli next fall. It’s always a pleasure to return to projects that have been recently completed, and especially fun when you are documenting details for a book. Now that most of the photography is complete, Gil and his book team are hard at work to finish this follow-up to The Great American House in time for a fall 2017 release. Stay tuned, we’ll have more information about the book — including the title and cover — in the coming months.
Elle Decor April 2016
We were thrilled to have our recently completed Mill Valley, California, project featured on the cover of Elle Décor’s April issue. A true passion project for us and for our clients, a young family relocating to the Bay Area from New York, we completely rebuilt and expanded a 19th century cottage to make it a comfortable, character-filled family home. Eric Piasecki’s luminous photographs capture the home’s quirky charm and Celia Barbour’s text offers detailed insight into the transformation, which was a close collaboration with London-based interior decorator Rita Konig, landscape designer Frederika Moller, and local architect Barbara Chambers of Chambers + Chambers in Mill Valley. Read article here >
GIL WAS FEATURED IN THE GARDEN CONSERVANCY’S APRIL “SOCIETY OF FELLOWS” NEWSLETTER as part of their “Fellow Focus” series, talking about the planning and evolution of his garden at Middlefield. He was also recently interviewed by Curbed for a story on reconfiguring historic homes, offering tips on how to honor a home’s past while still making it comfortable and functional for modern living. To read the stories, please visit The Garden Conservancy’s website here > and Curbed here >
THE NEW BOOK PEDAGOGY AND PLACE: 100 YEARS OF ARCHITECTURE EDUCATION AT YALE by Robert A. M. Stern and Jimmy Stamp marks the centennial of the establishment of Yale’s School of Architecture and examines the impact of those who have taught and studied there. The tome also extends beyond Yale, exploring the history of the architectural profession in the 20th century. Gil, featured in “Chapter 8: Rappel à l’Ordre, 1985-1992,” was interviewed about his path to classicism and shares firsthand anecdotes about the nature of his architectural education and his involvement in the program during the mid-to-late 1980s. Photos and renderings from his work at Yale illustrate the chapter.
RECENTLY, THE LEADERS OF DESIGN COUNCIL HELD AN ALL-DAY WORKSHOP for architects, interior decorators and other design professionals looking to strengthen the leadership of their firms. Louis Taylor, GPSA’s Director of Finance & Administration, was one of three speakers and presented a talk on developing and growing staff talent. GPSA is proud of its dedication to ongoing education and training within the firm, and staff members are encouraged to learn and develop new skills that ultimately bring more value to each of our projects.
GPSA SELECTED FOR THE 2016 AD100
We are thrilled to once again be included in Architectural Digest’s prestigious AD100 list of the world’s top architects and designers for 2016. Pick up a copy of the January issue or visit archdigest.com for more details and to see the complete list.
OUR ANNUAL SUMMER FIELD TRIP WAS AN ALL-TIME FAVORITE FOR THE STAFF THIS YEAR. Taking advantage of the mild August weather, we took a day trip to New York’s Hudson Valley to tour some of the firm’s more significant completed and in-progress projects in the area. The morning started with a visit to Willow Grace Farm, an equestrian property with magnificent views of the valley and surrounding mountains, followed by a visit to West View, a new Greek Revival house situated on a dramatic hillside with western views toward the Catskills. We enjoyed a lunch break at Middlefield, Gil’s Greek Revival house in Amenia, before going on to see Longfield Farm, a new Colonial Revival stone farmhouse and outbuildings that won the 2012 Stanford White Award for New Residential Construction. Our final stop of the day was at a new stone country house and garden, a 4,500 square foot fieldstone-clad residence set in a rural landscape with lovely views, currently under construction and on schedule for completion in the Spring of 2016.
WE WERE DELIGHTED TO SEE THE THESIS PROJECT OF OUR JUNIOR DESIGNER DANNY SACCO, who joined the firm in 2014 after graduating from University of Notre Dame School of Architecture, published in The Classicist No. 12. A respected journal published annually by the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, The Classicist, is dedicated to a discussion of contemporary ideas and practices related to classical architecture and arts. Sacco’s thesis centers on the idea that adapting traditional building principles for a local scale—in this case a market center in a historic section of Panama City—can create organic, timeless environments suited for culture, socialization and economic growth. To learn more about The Classicist, click here >
IN SEPTEMBER, GPSA VENTURED TO CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA, FOR OUR 2015 ANNUAL STAFF RETREAT. We kicked off the weekend with the UVA vs. Notre Dame football game, where some of the most boisterous cheering in the stadium came from the Notre Dame alumni on our staff. We spent the following day in workshops and team discussions about the office and coming goals for the year, followed by dinner at C & O in downtown Charlottesville. On Monday, we had the opportunity to tour Monticello, where Gil is on the Board of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, and enjoyed lunch at Montalto before heading to Montpelier, James Madison’s residence, for another educational tour. That evening was spent with some special friends of the firm who invited us to enjoy cocktails and a candlelit barbecue on the lawn of their beautiful home, Whilton Farm. Our final morning, we were treated to an in-depth tour of Jefferson’s Lawn on the UVA campus by the ever-erudite Calder Loth, the former Senior Architectural Historian of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
IN JULY, THE INSTITUTE OF CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE & ART’S SUMMER STUDIO PROGRAM IN CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE VISITED GPSA to learn about the continuing relevance of classical and traditional design and architecture in contemporary settings. ICAA instructor and architect Michael Mesko brought 18 student to the office for a tour and to meet with Studio Directors Mickey Benson and Mark Pledger along with in-house Interior Decorator Lyndsey Morris, who answered questions about the firm’s work and design processes. To learn more about the ICAA Summer Studio Program and to read about the visit to GPSA click here >
GPSA (FINALLY!) JOINS INSTAGRAM
GIL AND THE STAFF AT GPSA ARE CONSTANTLY PHOTOGRAPHING THINGS—whether we are documenting the progress of a historic renovation or capturing a gorgeous sunset from the porch of a new property at the end of a day on site, photography is a big part of our process. So it made perfect sense for us to join Instagram as a way to share at least a few of the many pictures we take every week. Please join us there to see photos of places, people and beautiful things that inspire us, as well as scenes from site visits and snapshots of current projects underway. Click here to see our latest posts >
THE WINTER ISSUE OF MILIEU MAGAZINE FEATURES A 10-PAGE STORY ON A GREENWICH VILLAGE GREEK REVIVAL TOWNHOUSE that GPSA decorated for a young, newly-married couple eager to merge their love of traditional design and contemporary art. Architectural Digest Middle East included GPSA in their September/October issue. The magazine did a feature on style authority Lauren Santo Domingo, the co-founder and creative director of Mode Operandi and Contributing Editor at Vogue, and Gil is honored to be mentioned as a favorite architect of hers. We are also pleased to have the firm’s work included in architect Phillip J. Dodd’s new book An Ideal Collaboration: The Art of Classical Details II. The book focuses on the design process between architects, interior decorators, landscape designers, and artisans as seen through 25 timeless residences.
GPSA IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON
a number of new construction and renovation projects including the renovation of a historic 18th century house in East Hampton with new additions and the construction of an elegant new hunting lodge in the South. For updated photos of these projects and others under construction, please visit our recently updated Portfolio section >
