Chesapeake Life, March/April 2007

The Viewmaster - Chip Bohl, Architect

“There’s always been a continuum between traditional and modern homes, and, in some ways, there’s no way that a home is purely modern,” explains Annapolis architect Chip Bohl. “Every home still has beams, columns, doors, walls. When we build today, we are building somewhere between the past and the future.”

A devotee of early modern architecture, the Ohio native has created everything from a Greenwich Village loft to a completely green residence in Hawaii. Although he focused his early career on restoration and preservation projects, his signature look has evolved into what he calls
“art houses,” innovative structures comprised of glass and natural materials that command respect for the way they bow to natural light and the surrounding landscape. “Much of the work that I do is about creating interior spaces that capture a view,” says Bohl, whose firm also provides interior design. “I create rooms that are as intimate as they are explosive. You can be in a space and feel comfortable, but, at the same time, it dramatically captures the view.”

For Bohl, the evolution within his craft is constant. “We’re doing a lot of sustainable building with geothermal heat sources, photovoltaic electric systems, and innovative insulation. From an ethical point of view, I feel a responsibility to building that sustains the earth and creates healthy houses for my clients.”

(410-263-2200. http://www.bohlarchitects.com)—K.B.