A nationally known painter, Melchers moved to a rural estate overlooking the Rappahannock River, where he built a Cotswoldian studio in 1924. Now administered by the University of Mary Washington, the historic site’s curatorial mission preserves Melchers’ art. QEA renovated and expanded the studio to give it a new sense of life by accommodating an enlarged gallery space, reception area, and curatorial spaces. Our design integrated the vernacular studio with a contemporary gallery space. The design provides a novel transition between the estate’s formal and pastoral elements.
