Julie Harrison Studio. In 2008, architect Susan Appleton, AIA, LEED AP, was honored with an AIA Dallas Merit Award for her design of this pilates studio. From the home’s garage, she was able to create an elegant and simple space on a very tight budget. The original garage door wall was replaced with a very cool steel framing system. And insulated glass was inserted into this frame to brighten the studio and maximize the natural northern light while at the same time avoiding the harsh Texas sun during its peak hours. And then a shed roof tops it all. A new carport was constructed next to the space using a steel framing system and 5-foot-by-10-foot cement board. The framing apertures measure 5 feet wide and were designed to hold these panels creating a sense of privacy. The carport’s roofing system is a combination of corrugated metal and a hog wire trellis on which greenery can grow adding even more protection and privacy.
This space is small, but with Susan’s design, it appears and feels very spacious and is more than adequate for all the exercise equipment that Julie requires and then some. A private session with Julie within such a space is, to say the least, inspirational, and each client leaves with a sense of well-being. For a little bit, perhaps an hour or two, one can feel that all is right in our world.
Please visit Julie’s website for more information on her pilates sessions and visit Susan Appleton’s website for more photos of this project.
