One of Randall-Paulson Architects’ most challenging design projects was the build-out of our offices in the historic Roswell Mill in Roswell, Georgia. We were attracted to the century old building because of its hardwood floors, massive timber-framing and soaring twenty-four foot ceilings. Ten foot high windows flood the space with light and offer views of Vickery Creek and the adjacent national park.
The design is a blend of old and new, and a compromise between beauty and function. Curving, asymmetrical walls expose the massive timbers. Ceilings step up and down, carving out dramatic spaces for the offices, conference rooms and studio. Galvanized metal and smooth birch accentuate the rough-hewn columns and worn plank floors. Warm, neutral shades of carpet and textured paint soften the edges of the new construction linking surfaces together to form a cohesive and dynamic series of spaces. New walls intentionally stop short of the ceiling to expose the roof’s century-old timber structure.
While functional requirements for acoustics and HVAC dictated a ceiling over the conference room, we still desired the open roof structure to be visible. An irregularly shaped, twelve foot deep soffit reveals the building’s framework over the main conference table. A similar soffit is used in the entrance lobby. A massive, curving wall is the main focus of the lobby.
