Spring House Journey 2005 -- 2007
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The end of the pond, 2005. |
For
years, one end of the pond looked like a dead end. We had planted
wax myrtles, blocking off the view of field, sycamores, pines
and climbing roses. Worse, the focal point became an olive green
tin fish feeder box. While lots of people, fish, dogs and raccoons
have loved that feeder, the end of Moore Pond deserved a make-over,
a fitting turn-around. This web page documents the 18 month project
and the many people who made the magical Spring House. |
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| We stretched our creative
muscles. Sinking venetian palazzos, rain rooms, soaring stainless
steel sculptures, oyster shacks, sculpted garden mounds, water
works - they all made the list. Suggestions flowed from a class
of Clemson design students. Swiss engineers, local landscape architects
and farm family add to the river of ideas. Out of this process
came the concept of a spring house, like the little houses on
old farms, that protected and distributed the well or spring water.
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Initial
design sketch for the spring house |
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To
build such a house, Moore Farms found John Paul Huguley and his
company Building Art of Charleston. |
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Construction
begins as Alton's Sawmill changed pines, hand picked and timbered
from the Williamson's farm in Darlington into timbers. . A team
of timber framers from Alabama finished all the lumber, added
mortise and joints on site. |
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The
raising of the spring house took place in October 2006 at the
same time as Fall garden open day. |
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As
a related project, next to the spring house, a fountain is created
inspired by shapes in nature. Clarity soon emerged helped by the
design mantra, "This is no dead end. Here hides the origin
of the pond, a spring, a cool place to rest and play". Springs
are oasis, mysterious, healing, refreshing, origins of the earth's
divine unseen power.
From here, water and life spiral into the garden. |
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Don't forget the Roof! |
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First,
US Custom's certified pest free, reed and straw, for the thatched
roof arrives from Europe.
Then two English master thatchers take it from there, spending
a week at the farm in March 2007. |
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A
chandelier for the interior, was sketched in the dirt, cut and
crafted on-site by 3am Ironworks.
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View
of the finished fountain from inside the spring house |
The
end of the pond, March 2007 |
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