New York City–based Fiedler Marciano Architecture has designed two artists studios for the I-Park Foundation, a highly respected international artists-in-residence program. The 1,000-square-foot structures are sited on a bucolic 450-acre property just outside the town of East Haddam, Connecticut, and provide guests with a tranquil, distraction-free setting.

The design—which is a contemporary take on the traditional New England vernacular of pitched roofs and wood siding—is driven by I-Park's aim to provide a serene work environment for visiting artists, while also giving them the chance to intermingle in the community of creative residents.

In order to fully understand the property and community of I-Park from an artist's perspective, design partner Mark Fiedler conducted his own two-week residency at the facility. His time there led to the development of an overall master plan for the property, including the two new visual art studios, as well as future plans of a recording studio, workshop, residence hall, and performing arts venue.

"It was a surprisingly intense and wonderfully fruitful way to get to know and appreciate the physical surroundings, and even more importantly the residency culture that makes I-Park such a special place for both artists and art," he explains.

Both structures are defined by a large north-facing wall of windows, which provide an optimum light source, as well as striking views of the hills in the distance. A "front porch" has also been incorporated into each studio to create flexible indoor/outdoor space. It also gives easy access to a network of pathways and trails through the surrounding woods.

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From May through November, artists can come to the studios to live, work, and commune with colleagues for a month at a time.

The public can also visit I-Park, meet the artists, and experience their art first-hand during regularly scheduled "Open Studio" days at the end of each monthly session.

To learn more about the I-Park Foundation, Inc., click here.

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Fiedler Marciano Architecture

Builder/General Contractor: Block Design Build

Structural Engineer: Harold M. Shettles Structural Engineer LLC

Civil Engineer: Nemergut Consulting

Photography: Chris Cooper