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The
Studio’s two design principals, Todd Pritchett and
Craig Dixon both studied architecture in Atlanta and learned
their trade in top-drawer Atlanta firms. Todd apprenticed with
one of the original, old-school firms, Norris & Lynch
and later helped form Ken Lynch & Associates, before
starting his own firm in 1994. Craig worked on large urban
projects at Thompson, Ventulett and Stainback and was
exposed to a wide array of theories, materials and technologies.
What brought them together: their collaboration on the
finely-detailed design in 2000 of Terra di Siena, a restaurant
nestled in the corner of Atlanta’s Fox Theater,
where they also found their aesthetic match. Together,
they now draw on over 30 years of design experience.
Architecture
is as much a passion of the heart, as it is a construct
of the mind. Just ask anyone who knows the pleasure of
an elegant, but comfortable home or gets inspired by the
subtleties of great design. For Todd and Craig, a look
at their backgrounds reveals what brought them to architecture
and what makes their approach unique.
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Todd’s
good fortune of designing numerous lake properties comes from his intimate understanding of these special places. He grew up
in Demorest in
northeast Georgia, spending summers on Lake Rabun and
Lake Burton. Fond summer memories became a useful guide
in the design of retreats that respect what the Lake is
really about: a relaxing reprieve from hectic city life,
with a low-key American charm that never copies city style, but
incorporates Appalachian elements and appropriate scale
to blend in with the Lake environment.
But,
while we respect the different needs of each client, type
of home and location, our work ethic shows an appropriateness
that holds true in all of our projects, both in the city
and in the country. And, by intentionally running our
studio as a small boutique firm, we are able to focus
on our work as an artform.
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The
artist’s eye also comes naturally to Craig: his late father
was an architect, as was his grandfather, Lawrence Murray Dixon.
The latter began his career working on New York’s
Waldorf-Astoria and went on to become the preeminent architect
of Miami’s South Beach Art Deco District in the 1930’s
and -40’s, designing more than 40 hotels such as the Raleigh,
the Victor and the Tides, as well as some 250 residences. |
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When
it comes to feeding the fires of inspiration, both Todd
and Craig travel regularly to Europe and across the U.S.
to study and review the basic fundamentals of design that
first attracted them to architecture and to keep up to date
on current trends and new approaches. Keeping travel sketchbooks
handy provides a way for them to appreciate the details
of great architecture around the world. |
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For
Todd and Craig, travel, study and years at the drafting
table have refined a preference for an appropriate approach
to design.
No matter the style, historic
or modern, our approach is the same: The functional flow
of space, inventive use of light and a pared-down use
of materials and color all play a key role in the way
we create that sense of home. In place of ostentation,
awkwardness, or faddish notions of style, we prefer good
taste, easy functionality, and timeless understated elegance.
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