Annex

Annex

Williston, Vermont

Architect

Birdseye

Artist

Richard Erdman

Builder

Red House Building

Interior

Brooke Michelsen Design

Photography

Michael Moran

Completed

2022

Type

Artist studio

Recognition

2024 AIA New England Merit Award
2023 AIA VT Honor Award | Commercial/Institutional/Multi-Family/Mixed Use
2023 Best of Year Finalist | Domestic Museum/Art Gallery
2023 Architizer A+Awards – Popular Choice Winner – Cultural – Gallery & Exhibition Spaces

2024 Monocle on Design Podcast​
2023 Architizer: The World's Best Architecture
2023 Aspire
2023 World-Architects
2023 Floornature
2023 Åvontuura
2023 World Architecture Community
2023 Archilovers
2023 Archello
2023 E-Architect
2023 Design Dekko
2023 Archiscene

The artist's studio of world-renowned sculptor Richard Erdman

Architecture

Architecture

A glass-walled rectangular gallery, capped with an expansive cantilevered shed roof, is abutted by a sinuous flat-roofed office space. Corten cladding and its location at the edge of the farmyard ground the structure in its agrarian setting.

A glass-walled rectangular gallery, capped with an expansive cantilevered shed roof, is abutted by a sinuous flat-roofed office space. Corten cladding and its location at the edge of the farmyard ground the structure in its agrarian setting.

Interiors

Interiors

The natural light-filled studio of black-painted steel, pine-tar finished wood, and polished concrete floors provides a quiet backdrop for the expressive Carrera marble sculptures.

The natural light-filled studio of black-painted steel, pine-tar finished wood, and polished concrete floors provides a quiet backdrop for the expressive Carrera marble sculptures.

Inspiration

Inspiration

Conceptually, the building is equally inspired by both the artist’s sculptural language and the agrarian context of the surrounding horse farm.

Conceptually, the building is equally inspired by both the artist’s sculptural language and the agrarian context of the surrounding horse farm.

The program includes a flexible space for floor and podium display of large sculptures, shelves for maquette models, an outdoor sculpture garden, and a gallerist office. A moveable worktable is used for crafting clay models. A hydraulic loading door and jib crane aid in the installation and removal of sculptures. The interior spaces are minimal and open. Structural steel members are exposed above the main studio. A monumental steel shelving display is integrated into the space and window composition.

AIA FRAMEWORK FOR DESIGN EXCELLENCE The project wholistically incorporates the framework for design excellence. Annex is designed to inspire the spatial experience in concert with the art experience. The design and construction teams collaborated throughout the project to enhance transparency and teamwork. Water capture and erosion control are mitigated through the permeable gravel plinth. Corrugated Corten siding and roofing panels use recycled steel content. No fossil fuels are used on site. Heating and cooling is provided by an electric heat pump. Ventilation is provided by large doors and operable windows. Natural plaster and Swedish pine tar finishes contribute to healthy indoor air quality. Waste management throughout the construction process was monitored by separating recycled content from landfill content. The project is structurally designed and built for resiliency in extreme weather events and power outages. The project includes a ground mounted PV array.

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3104 Huntington Road


Richmond, Vermont 05477

©2025

Birdseye

3104 Huntington Road


Richmond, Vermont 05477

©2025

Birdseye

3104 Huntington Road


Richmond, Vermont 05477

©2025

Birdseye