TMS Architects

6,000 Years of History on Display at the Discover Portsmouth Center

2012-05-17T14:49:24Z

The Isles of Shoals are a small group of islands, approximately 6 miles off the coast of New England, straddling the borders of New Hampshire and Maine. Smuttynose, the 3rd largest of these islands, has a colorful history. Known as the site for Blackbeard’s honeymoon and a shipwreck of the Spanish ship Sagunto in 1813, it is most famous for the 1873 murders of two young women; the subject of Anita Shreve’s 1997 novel, The Weight of Water.

The Discover Portsmouth Center, an ongoing TMS Architects renovation project, is currently hosting a fascinating new exhibit , Under the Isles of Shoals. Six thousand years of Smuttynose history are revealed based on 250,000 artifacts unearthed in recent years by archaeologist Nathan Hamilton of Southern Maine University and his students.

“If you think you know the Isles of Shoals, think again, says Maryellen Burke, executive director of Discover Portsmouth. While legend claimed, for example, that Native Americans did not visit the Isles of Shoals..Hamilton’s researchers discovered six prehistoric occupations dating as far back as 6,000 years ago. Diggers also found evidence of an ancient tavern littered with thousands of clay pipe fragments dating to the 1620′s. Archaeologists also turned up the remains of a “great cod” that once weighed 120 pounds.”

In addition to the historic artifacts such as rare coins, early glassware and Native American stone tools, visitors can also view some large reconstructed objects including a dugout, birch bark canoe and a replica of the porch of 1846 Mid-Ocean House of Entertainment that once stood on Smuttynose Island. Historian J. Dennis Robinson has also written a companion book about this historic “dig” called Under the Isles of Shoals: Archaeology and Discovery of Smuttynose Island that will be available in the Discover Portsmouth Center gift shop. The book is published by the Portsmouth Marine Society and features over 180 photographs and illustrations. For more information about the exhibit and Discover Portsmouth Center, please visit www.portsmouthhistory.org

Turning Architecture Upside Down

2012-05-16T13:03:14Z

When we see some fun crazy architecture we feel compelled to share it! This upside down house was designed by Polish architects Irek Glowacki and Marek Rozanski in the Austrian town of Terfens. The home was just opened to the public early this month. The house is designed simply to be a fun curiosity and a tourist attraction.

The home literally looks like it fell from the sky much like Dorothy’s home in the Wizard of Oz. The home appears to be precariously perched on a pile of rocks. The upside down effect does not stop at the home’s exterior. In fact, the entire home from bathrooms to the garage is upside down. Visitors get to experience of a world turned on its head – a drastic change in perception.

The Upside Down House looks like a fun family destination and will surely be a hit with the kids! It just might be the antidote to a European vacation filled with trips to museums and cathedrals.

This story was found on inhabitat – you can see more photos here.

Threads – A New Exhibit at Strawbery Banke Museum

2012-05-15T20:00:38Z

As TMS Architects has such an interest in historic preservation , we were particularly interested in learning about a new feature exhibition at Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, NH which opened May 1 and will run through October 31, 2012. Entitled Threads: Stories of Fashion at Strawbery Banke, 1740-2012, the exhibit provides a rare glimpse into the lives of Portsmouth citizens over the past 300 years; how they lived, worked and presented themselves to the world in the historic buildings that form the Strawbery Banke Museum.

The exhibition extends across the 10-acre campus of Strawbery Banke and displays costumes and textiles picked from the Museum’s collection and placed in appropriate authentic period Museum homes. Portsmouth was the fourth largest port in America for a time and its citizens kept up with fashions imported from Europe. Some of the items included in this exhibition are as diverse as embroidered 18th century shoes from London, an 1844 wedding dress worn by Susan Osgood Jones when she married into the prominent Wentworth family of Portsmouth, two 1925 bathing costumes and a pink satin prom dress from the 1950′s.

As an interesting counterpoint to the historical displays are new fashion designs that have been inspired by the Museum’s Collection. This contemporary collection includes pieces by notable designers such as Philip Treacy of London, Katerina Lankova (New York and Aspen) along with many local New Hampshire designers. To showcase this special contemporary collection, there will be a Passion for Fashion gala on the grounds of the Museum on Saturday, June 30th to benefit the Museum. Lifetime’s TV Austin Scarlett will host a celebrity designers’ runway show, followed by a champagne reception and VIP dinner. Strawbery Banke.org can provide further details about the gala and the exhibit. The whole family can participate as hands-on family activities are also being planned including dress-up stations for children in four of the historic homes.

The Music Hall Loft Named 2012 “Best of New England” by Yankee Magazine

2012-05-10T19:07:46Z

Kudos to our friends at the Portsmouth Music Hall Loft. The Loft has been names the Best Performing Arts Venue in New England according to Yankee Magazine. The small theater was just opened a year ago, but has already become a local favorite. Here is what Yankee Magazine had to say about The Loft:

BEST PERFORMING-ARTS VENUE
The Music Hall Loft, Portsmouth
Tucked around the corner from The Music Hall’s historic theater, the Loft offers similar programming (theater, cabaret, music, dance, poetry) in a more intimate setting. Even better, you can sample gourmet food and cocktails here. 28 Chestnut St. 603-436-2400; themusichall.org

TMS Architects is proud to be part of the team that renovated both the Historic Music Hall and The Loft. It is rewarding to be part of team that helped to create a venue that it an exciting part of Portsmouth’s cultural scene.

Tempted to see what all the fuss is about? Visit the Music Hall’s website to see upcoming performances and plan an evening out.

Yankee Magazine’s May/June 2012 Travel Guide, can be found on newsstands now. The issue is a great resource for people planning to travel throughout New England this summer. The issue features the “Best of New England — Editors’ Choice” selections, including the region’s best dining and lodging venues, attractions, adventures and well kept local secrets.

A Very Special Table!

2012-05-10T15:00:40Z

Re-purposed table made from antique oak at Demeters Steakhouse. Image Deb Cram/dcram@seacoastonline.com

Our friends at Regeneration Park have done it again…found another way to re-purpose a building material with spectacular results! This time, a 160 year old live oak that had been stored in a Massachusetts pond was fashioned into a massive round table for Demeters Steakhouse.

The craftsman-sculptor-artist, Les Haskell of Eliot, Maine, and his table were the subjects in an article by David Ramsay that appeared in the Portsmouth Herald . The artist explained that he had been asked to build the 800-pound table by the owner of Regeneration Park, John Bobbett, and really loved the challenge of the project. He found the lumber in an antique lumber company in Massachusetts where it was being stored in a pond for the purpose of repairing Constitution-class ships. In the article, Haskell said that:

”he crafted the table with nautical design elements…The iron base is a little bit indicative of a ship’s wheel..on all of those old ships, everything was captured with iron – just massive things. That was the feeling I wanted on it.”

Mr. Haskell was able to bring all facets of his training into this piece, from eight years of boating building, ten years spent doing architectural woodworking and time at the University of Washington studying steel and bronze casting. For more information about his work, Mr. Haskell can be reached at le-haskell@yahoo.com and you can see the table in place at Demeters Steakhouse.

Treat Mom to a Special Day Visiting Historic Homes in New England

2012-05-09T17:58:36Z

Hamilton House

You know your mom doesn’t need any more “things” so why don’t you treat her to a special outing for Mother’s Day? We recommend spending the day visiting one of Historic New England’s homes.

Historic New England was founded over 100 years ago with the intent of preserving the cultural and architectural heritage of New England. It is now the oldest and most comprehensive regional heritage organization in the nation. The organization has preserved and maintained homes, farms and landscapes throughout region. They also have an extensive collection of artifacts that have preserved New England decorative arts and household furnishings.

This map shows the various locations of the different historic sites. Many of the homes and farms are located in beautiful towns along the water. So pack a picnic and make a fun day of it with a favorite mom in your life.

Click the photo for more information

Do you have an historic home you would like to restore? TMS Architects has extensive experience renovating and preserving historic hoes through out New England. Please contact us to schedule a consultation to discuss your historic home renovation.

House & Home at The National Building Museum

2012-05-03T20:04:59Z

The new exhibit at The National Building Museum titled House & Home has garnered rave reviews. The extensive exhibit consists of seven rooms which work together to tell the history of the American home. The multi-media exhibit includes films, models of homes, artifacts, photography and art which all help to answer the fundamental question - What is home?

Here is a brief description of the exhibit from the museum’s website:

The National Building Museum presents House & Home, a kaleidoscopic array of photographs, objects, models, and films that takes us on a tour of houses both familiar and surprising, through past and present, challenging our ideas about what it means to be at home in America. Remarkable transformations in technology, laws, and consumer culture have brought about enormous change in American domestic life. The breathtaking variety of stories about the American home will surprise, teach, and entertain.

You don’t have to rush out to see this exhibit it will be at the National Building Museum now through May 1, 2017. This certainly looks like a good excuse to visit Washington, DC!

Taking a Look at Our Portsmouth Office

2012-05-04T12:27:00Z

It is hard to imagine that this fresh and light filled office space was once an ice house and subsequently an auto parts warehouse! This great building just happens to be the home of TMS Architects Portsmouth, NH office. Initially drawn to the buildings raw industrial character, we worked to keep the elements we loved but also craft an efficient work space. The space’s high ceilings, large windows and exposed brick are still intact. The new design features dramatic lighting, curved walls, extensive storage and functional work space. The space was specifically configured to encourage interaction so employees can easily converse and collaborate.

The centerpiece of the design is a large circular staircase with greets visitors to the office with a bit of drama – we are architects after all …

Another benefit of this office space is we have great outdoor space complete with BBQ, picnic table and overhead planters. The team has enjoyed many a BBQ on a sunny day.

Does your office space encourage interaction and creativity like ours does? Is it filled with energizing natural light? If it is time for you to reconsider your office space please give TMS Architects a call. We would love to speak with you about creating an office space that truly enhances the work you do.

Box City

2012-05-03T18:18:41Z

TMS Architects volunteers, Retta Fitch, Gillian Baresich, Jason Bailey, Tim Giguere and Nicole Martineau, have spent recent after-school afternoons at a local elementary school assisting students with a nationally-recognized program called “Box City”. In this innovative curriculum, students learn how to plan and build a city – using donated boxes. With the help of skilled volunteers, they learn about zoning, scale, design guidelines, the planning process, deadlines and group-decision making.

A specific area in Portsmouth was mapped out and with the assistance of city planners, lots were developed and students designed and built specific buildings for each lot. In the end, they had created an aviary, a greenhouse, McDonalds , City Hall, a library and a recycling center among other buildings.

This innovative program is an ideal way to start students on the process of learning about their community and help them gain three-dimensional knowledge about executing a two-dimensional plan. The TMS volunteers were able to help brainstorm solutions with the students, inspire their creativity and encourage quality work. At the end of the seven session program, the students were able to display and explain this year’s “Box City” to fellow students, teachers and parents. The Center for Understanding the Built Enviornment (CUBE) has more information about the program and how it is used nationwide.

The city takes shape

One of Portsmouth's bridges in the foreground

A greenhouse in the Box City

A student working on his construction

Seriously Repurposed Materials!

2012-05-02T17:54:45Z

Every once in a while, something comes to our attention that really resonates. TMS Architects just received a newsletter from a firm called “repurposedMATERIALS “, located in Denver, Co. that prompted further investigation.

According to their website, “repurposed MATERIALS is a unique business in the sustainability industry. While many green businesses focus on the recycling side of operations, we are more concentrated on re-use, or in our case, repurposing. Both repurposing and recycling keep materials from going to landfill but unique unto itself, a repurposed product does not need extra manufacturing, energy or processing – it has value “as is”. This creates both an economically friendly solution for the consumer and an environmentally friendly solution for our waster stream.”

The founder, Damon Carson, used to be involved with America’s waste stream as well when he owned a garbage company that serviced various Colorado ski resorts but now he is actually saving the very materials that he used to see tossed away into landfills. The company has an amazing inventory of items available to be repurposed including synthetic turf, billboard vinyls that can be used as waterproof material to cover hay, boats, or as pond and ditch liners or weed barriers, log chain, large flight cases for storage, mineral buckets and beautiful wine barrels among many others.

They were featured on their local NBC station recently in conjunction with Earth Day. You can watch the two live segments on their YouTube channel – www.youtube.com/repurposedTV.

Standard Napa Valley oak barrels can easily be cut to transform into a variety of container types. Image courtesy repurposedmaterialsinc.com

These plastic flight cases make great storage containers as they are lightweight, dent resistant, waterproof and lockable. Image courtesy repurposedmaterialsinc.com