When Amanda Martocchio was 11 years of ages, and on a family outing to a museum, she started to sketch a work by Spanish Baroque painter Murillo when a crowd rapidly gathered to view her. “It was then that I understood that my creative capability was the source of all the attention, and I liked it,” she says.
By the time Martocchio got in college she had actually already picked her selected field, and went on to earn both a bachelor’s and academic degree in architecture. Early in her career she settled in New York City, where her slate of jobs consisted of a mix of massive cultural locations and industrial buildings.
She established her firm, Amanda Martocchio Architecture (AMA), in Connecticut, inspired by its local legacy of mid-century modern style. With sustainability at the forefront, Martocchio makes every effort to produce living environments that are not
only stunning however also promote a sense of health for the residents. One of Martocchio’s a lot of valued belongings is her well-worn sketchbook. She carried it everywhere when she visited the Greek Islands as a Cornell University student. When she glances at the pages now she remembers the vibrant optimism of those summer days.
Martocchio does not instantly turn to her smart phone to catch an idea. She prefers to put pen to paper rather. “I love index cards, they become part of my bedtime routine,” she notes. “I’ll write down an incomplete concept, which enables me to go back to sleep. When I awake in the early morning I am typically happy to see what I have produced.”
Today, Amanda Martocchio joins us for Friday Five!
1. Hawthorne Orchard When we first moved from New York City to CT, we planted an orchard of Hawthorne trees. Now, twenty years later on, the diagonal grid of trees and mown courses brings me enjoy all seasons: red berries in winter, white blossoms in spring, plentiful shade foliage in summer season, and delicate yellow leaves in fall. I am inspired by their generous present throughout the year and understanding that we nurtured them from small saplings.
2. My Jens Risom Stool I was honored to be a buddy and collaborator of Danish furniture designer, Jens Risom. Jens created the table for the dining room in among the homes I developed. He informed colorful stories of his early days: conference FLW, releasing the first line of furnishings for Knoll, and presenting enduring style worths of simplicity and workmanship. In gratitude of our friendship, he talented me his spinning preparing stool, a prized belongings, before he died at the age of 100.
3. Julia My Julia puts whatever into perspective. Born with medical and developmental obstacles, she keeps us chuckling with her silly sense of humor and makes sure that we don’t take life too seriously. Thanks to her teaching, our world is one of celebrating differences and empathizing with everyone’s challenges.
4. Painting by Joan Snyder I had actually never ever been fully astonished by a painting until getting in a gallery at the Harvard Art Museum and seeing Joan Snyder’s “Summer season Orange”. It actually took my breath away. The painting still hangs in the gallery, however I am lucky to have one of her more current works, “Summer season Ends Up Being a Space,” hanging on my wall, which inspires me every day.
5. Rockies Having grown up in the Rocky Mountain West, my childhood was focused around family hiking, campfires, snowboarding, and fly fishing. Our favorite hike was to the summit of the Maroon Bells, above the tree zone. Nature used experience and beauty. While large natural stretches and marvelous mountains are less common in my suburban Connecticut life, I pursue every chance I have, as an architect, to commemorate and protect the natural world and to bring it into our daily lives through architecture.
Works by Amanda Martocchio Architecture:
Picture: Michael Biondo
1. Greenwich Harbor House– Entry
Caption: Every material at our Greenwich Harbor Home was chosen for long-lasting toughness, thermal efficiency, and very little maintenance, from panelized cladding to triple-glazed windows and 4 inches of constant outside insulation. Deep overhangs manage solar direct exposure while louvers produce a trellis for creeping vines that soften the outside and filter light on the interior. A Zen garden of raked shells surrounds organic shapes filled with mounds of Irish moss and rocks from the website and a topiary tree.
Photo: Michael Moran 2. Sailor’s Retreat The massing method at Sailor’s Retreat in Newport follows the curve of the driveway’s approach and the waterline of the adjacent saltwater marsh. The home’s pinwheel type was created by the site. Floodplain guidelines pressed the living spaces well above grade, making the stone plinth both a structural and compositional anchor. Pre-weathered cedar, aluminum-clad windows, and bird-friendly glazing total a palette calibrated to the seaside context and the surrounding bird sanctuary.
Image: Michael Moran 3. Rye Waterfront– Interior+Stair At this Rye, NY, waterside home, the entry stair, with open risers cantilevered from the curved wall and suspended from floor-to-ceiling steel rods, results in the stair landing, which includes a glass guardrail overlooking a double-height volume on both sides. Upon entry, your eye is drawn straight through the home to the Long Island Noise. The restoration reconfigured the existing home’s layout to open it towards the water, pairing an energy-efficient thermal envelope with a tranquil, carefully curated interior palette, established by AMA and Gary Cruz, that effortlessly integrates with the architectural environment. The project got a Design Award Citation from the AIA of Westchester + Hudson Valley.
Photo: Michael Biondo 4. Coves End– Kitchen/Dining/Living Recovered wood beams, a dark cooking area island, and a white quartz counter hold their own versus the wall of French doors linking this kitchen to the waterside patio area at Coves End in Darien, CT. Moving the continuously active food prep to the center of the home was the organizing relocation of the restoration, unifying the living space and making the river views visible from nearly every angle. Interiors, consisting of custom furnishings, lighting, and modern art, were curated by AMA and Gray Cruz to boost the architectural vision.
Photo: Michael Biondo 5. White Oak Farm– Outside Exterior at Sunset Set atop a wooded hillside in Dutchess County, White Oak Farm is rooted in the customers’ long-lasting connection to this land, a 150-acre retired farm they pictured bring back ecologically. The 7,500 SF house sits at the forest edge, settled into the hill amongst fully grown oaks, its reclaimed stone and pre-weathered siding blending quietly into the landscape.
Picture: Michael Moran
6. Greenwich Modern– Front Façade
The street-facing exterior of Greenwich Modern checks out as a composition of contrasts: dark zinc-clad volumes set against light panel cladding, a cantilevered entry overhang, and a warm wood pivot door that signifies the crafted interior within. Clerestory glazing wraps the roofline, drawing daylight deep into the single-level strategy while keeping privacy from the street.
Anna Zappia is a New York City-based author and editor with an enthusiasm for textiles, and she can typically be found at a style display or searching for more books. Anna writes the Friday Five column, as well as business content.