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Restore
Cummings also recently served as
the architect for the Alexander Knight
House, a reproduction first-period home
that was built using the tools, materials,
and techniques of the era, 1625–1725. The
house, which was built with donated time
and efforts, is based on a 1657 Englishstyle timber framed house that was described in Ipswich town records, and will
be a permanent exhibit on the grounds
of the 1677 Whipple House. Cummings
says authentic features of the house
include a wooden chimney that's covered
inside with a mixture of clay and hay and
Good Bones
Many period houses
still retain original
features such as wood
paneled walls.
a thatched roof. "It took us many years
to build it because it was 100 percent
donated," Cummings says.
Although Cummings is obviously
passionate about historical work and
restoration, he says it accounts for only
about 15 percent of what his firm does.
He designs several new houses a year
and includes clients in the process. In
fact, Cummings says he draws designs
for clients right in front of them, showing them his ideas and getting their
feedback immediately.
It's evident he's not content with
anything generic. If a family asks for a fireplace in their home, Cummings doesn't
simply design a traditional fireplace that's
surrounded by brick and topped with a
white mantel. He asks the family how they
intend to use it: Do they want it to give off
heat? Do they want to cook in it?
"We're able to think outside the box,"
he says, and in that way, he designs homes
that are truly customized for clients.
"We don't have a design philosophy,"
says Cummings. "Architecture can change
people's lives. And if that's a philosophy,
then that's ours." cummingsarchitects.com
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