Taylor’s Island architects garner awards
The newly restored Smith-Taylor Cabin on Taylor’s Island has garnered two significant awards for Andre Tchelistcheff Architects.
The architects responsible for the rebuilding of the Smith-Taylor Cabin on Taylor’s Island have scored two awards for their work.Andre Tchelistcheff Architects of New York City will receive a Stanford White Award from the Institute for Classical Architecture and Art in Manhattan on Wednesday. They received an Archi Award from the Long Island Chapter of the American Institute of Architects in mid-October in Woodbury.
The Sanford White Award to be presented at the General Theological Seminary in the Chelsea section of New York City celebrates regional achievements in classical and traditional architecture and design.
The Archi Award was received for a historic restoration, with the firm also receiving an award for a residential restoration on Shelter Island for a Nostrand house and pool and a commendation for the restoration of Villa Maria in Water Mill.
Recipients of Archi Awards are selected on the basis of their success in developing designs that provided solutions to architectural challenges.
P.A.T. Hunt and Kathy Gooding of the Taylor’s Island Preservation & Management Committee will be on hand as Mr. Tchelistcheff and Mr. Hildebrandt accept the Stanford White Award Wednesday.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with this recognition for Andre and project engineer Eric Hildebrandt who are an absolute delight to work with,” Ms. Hunt said.
The Smith-Taylor Cabin, left to the town of Shelter Island by S. Gregory Taylor for “the use and enjoyment of the general public” came close to being demolished after years of neglect.
But the Taylor’s Island Preservation & Management Committee stepped into the breach and raised money — including a grant from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation — to get the project started back in 2011. They also enlisted a team of local volunteers to tackle some of the work.
“Working closely with the New York State Historic Preservation Office, forensic structural engineers and building conservation consultants, we developed a master plan for the restoration which entailed a careful survey of the entire structure,” Ms. Hunt said.
Major elements that required work were the roof, chimney and the tower’s wraparound balcony as well as the northeastern corner of the original log walls, she said.
While there is still some interior work to be completed on the cabin, the “lion’s share of the restoration” is complete, Ms. Hunt said.
