The Joseph Rowand Residence will be on public tour for the first time.
July 5, 2010 (CHAPEL HILL, NC) – “Fairmount,” a 4500-square-foot house designed by Chapel Hill architect Phil Szostak, FAIA, for Somerhill Gallery owner Joseph Rowand, will be open for public touring on Saturday, July 24, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. The tour is part of Triangle Modernist Houses on-going tours of significant architecture.
Designed as a “country home without yielding to literal historicism,” according to the architect, Fairmount is a sleek yet simply proportioned residence sited on a hilltop between Chapel Hill and Hillsborough, NC. The 22.5-acre estate includes a separate guest quarters, a salt-water swimming pool, a trellised garden and storage shed. The interior features Rowand’s extensive collection of fine art. 
“Naturally, Joe’s beautiful home is a reflection of his gallery with volumes of exceptional paintings, sculpture, fine art glass, and other works by nationally recognized artists and craftspeople,” said TMH founder and director George Smart. “The quality of the art alone is worth a visit.” Photography is allowed both inside and outside the house.
Fairmount also features landscape design by master landscape architect Richard C. Bell, FASLA. Punctuated by Rowand’s collection of outdoor sculpture, the landscape is integrated into the house’s interior through an abundance of windows that frame vistas of the surroundings. Szostak was also careful to site to house to take advantage of passive solar heat gain in winter and natural lighting and ventilation.
The house was built by Chuck Lewis Construction and completed in 2000. The pool addition was completed in 2003. 
Phil Szostak will be on site during the tour to talk about the design of the house, which is currently for sale. Listing agent Susan Peak will also be on hand to take questions.
For more information on the Rowand residence and to reserve advance tickets ($5.95), go to www.trianglemodernisthouses.com/register.htm. For more information on Triangle Modernist Houses, visit www.trianglemodernisthouses.com.
About Triangle Modernist Houses
Triangle Modernist Houses (TMH) is a 501C3 nonprofit established in 2007 to restore and grow modernist architecture in the Triangle. The award-winning website, now the largest educational and historical archive for modernist residential design in America, continues to catalog, preserve, and advocate for North Carolina modernism. TMH also hosts popular modernist house tours several times a year, giving the public access to the Triangle’s most exciting residential architecture, past and present. These tours raise awareness and help preserve these “works of art” for future generations. Visit the website at www.trianglemodernisthouses.com. TMH also has an active community on Facebook.
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