Whittemore-Robbins Estate Arlington, MA
Built in 1799, the Whittemore-Robbins Estate exhibits the scale, proportion, dignity, and decoration of the highest Federal-style architecture, one of Arlington’s few intact 19th-century estates. Today the Whittemore-Robbins House is used on weekends for events, such as weddings, with the accompanying Carriage House contributing to its appeal. The property’s two structures are together listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Arlington Center Historic District.
SSV, alongside associated principal Andrew J. Cannata, AIA, were selected to provide design services to the greater Whittemore-Robbins Estate after SSV carried out restoration and renovation of this handsome carriage house in 2017. This project consisted of historically-sensitive repairs to the severely deteriorated building envelope, including restoration of the roof, selective replacement of wood cladding and substrates, and installation of custom-fabricated replacement doors and dovecote cupola. Historic integrity was maintained (and in some cases, restored) throughout the design process by referencing antique photographs of the structure from 1908.