COMMENCEMENT HOUSE
2207 North Elm Street
Greensboro, North Carolina .. . is the product of twenty.three
students of interior design and housing at the Woman's College.
The program was created to demonstrate the aotual planning,
design, construction, and furnishing a horne. It is a unique projeot
. . . an educational first! It brings the practicing professional into
the classroom and aHows the student to work with experts in many
fields. Through such experiences the student gains a deeper appreciation
for architecture and a better understanding of design techniques.
She becomes acquainted with the field of horne planning
and building and is therefore a more capable and well informed
client. Specifically, the horne economics student gains practical
experience as a consumer and the art student becomes a designer.
She comes in contact with different manufacturers, numerous variations
of one produot, financial problems, price ranges, building
codes, safety requirements, etc. She learns what is available to her
and where to look for it. She develops a greater sensitivity toward
aesthetic principles, and she is able to coordimtte many fields of
knowledge through practical application.
The Commencement House program was co-sponsored by the
College art department of whidh Mr. Gregory D. Ivy is head; Mr.
Edward Loewenstein, a lecturer in the art department and a Greensboro
architect; and Mr. Eugene Gulledge, president of the Greensboro
Builders Association and the Superior Construction Company.
The class in Architectural Design began the project in September.
Committees within the class were formed, each to tackle the prob-
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Much of the publicity material about the Commencement
House was dispensed by the Duke Power Company of
Greensboro. This ALUMNAE NEWS article is a composite
of Duke Power's brochure and press releases. We
are grateful for their assistance.
lems of design, floor planning, wifing, plumbing, decorating, etc.
Two sets of restrictions were placed on the students. One, by Mr.
Loewenstein, the instructor, concerned such things as the fam ily
income, number of people to live in the house, and the like. The
other, imposed by Mr. Gulledge, the builder, and the more difficult
of the two, stipulated that the students must design a house which
he could sell in Greensboro. While the house should contain new
and pioneering ideas of layout and design, it should not be so
radical as to make it unmarketable.
The Reality
The house, which was formally opened on May 29 by Mrs. Luther
H. Hodges (Martha Blakeney ' 18), wife of the Governor of North
Carolina, is a triJlevel structure of cypress and used brick. In it are
contained approximately 2350 square feet of enclosed living area,
plus a 484 square feet double carport and 248 square feet storage
and heating room, balcony and terrace.
Each level is an activity center, zoned to accommodate specific
family needs. No room is a traffic lane. Both guest and family
entrances are on the north, and the gallery and stairs channel the
traffic to the desired level. On the lower level, traffic paths by-pass
the dining room furnishings and kitchen work areas, yet are incorporated
into these rooms. All bedrooms and baths are designed for
complete privacy and control. The master bedroom suite opens onto
the balcony, and provides speoific sleeping and dressing areas which
may be separated from the informal study. The children's bedrooms
(# 1 and # 2) and bath can be separated from the other levels, yet
are accessible from the master bedroom for parental supervision.
In addition to the quiet areas for sleeping and study, there are
carport "-.- r-heat
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23 Designing Women
and Their House
accommodations for group gatherings both indoors and outside that
lend themselves to different modes of entertaining. TIle 'living room
and b~lcony encourage a more formal style, while the family room
and terrace (with outdoor fireplace and grill) provide for family
enjoyment and informal gatherings. Lighting provisions and television
connections on the balcony and terrace made outside living
more enjoyable. Toilet facilities are provided on each level and are
sound controlled from the group areas.
Storage accommodations are available at the necessary locations
and are properly sized for complete utilization of space. A choice
of dining facilities is provided. Formal meals may be enjoyed in
the mood-setting dining room. Lighting is designed to create variety
in atmosphere by providing several colors of light and by the use
of dimmers which control intensity of 'light. Snacks and informal
meals may be served on the terrace and at the eating bar in the
family room. Effort has been made to save time and energy in
housekeeping. A laundry chute, which is accessible from the two
top floors, brings clothes to the sorting area beside the washer.
Gleaning closets are provided on lower and entrance levels to allow
storage of cleaning equipment at the point of use. Hard floor coverings,
counter tops, and other finishing materials have been picked
with thought as to ease of cleaning and upkeep. The kitchen
triangle saves time and steps. In the kitchen are included an electric
dishwasher, clothes washer, dryer, disposall unit, . and refrigerator.
The areas of expensive construotion in the house are compact, while
the inexpensive head and storage area and carport are large and
roomy and provide exciting possibilities that might include a playroom,
bedrooms, or an upper terrace.
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Through the use of exposed brick, wood and glass, the interior
design is integrated with the structural elements and exterior finishes.
The free, spacious atmosphere is increased by a basic soft
grey-green throughout the house. Accent colors lend vitality and
interest, as do accessories and textures ... grass cloth, fabrics, wood,
glass, plastic, cement, brick, etc.
The interiors are planned to create the largest space possible
within the budget and to take care of living requirements with a
minimum of visible dividers. Fam~ly needs for privacy are handled
without the loss of open areas required for general living purposes
and entertainment. A parental retreat is provided in the study area
of the master bedroom, and the children's wing may be completely
closed off. Glass walls in the master bedroom and living room
overlook the garden and have a balcony as an important feature.
The dining and family areas also have glass walls that merge these
indoors Iliving spaces.
Furnishings are keyed to the basic simplicity expressed in the
structure of the house itself and are casual in both selection and
arrangement.
The Future
'~he twenty-three designing women truly waged a successful battle
with the realities of house construction. And now that they and the
College have made educational history, plans are already underway
for similar projects. One thing about the future is certain ... more
time will be allowed for the construction venture. Ten weeks before
the formal opening of the Commencement House, the lot on which
it stands was vacant.
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