No.9 Appraising The Jewels of the House with Martin Grubman of P.E. Guerin

Who: Martin Grubman

What: P.E. Guerin - Custom Decorative Hardware

When: Since 1857

Where: Founded + Based in New York City

And Today Has Foundries + Showrooms Internationally

It's been said before that 'knowledge is power and convenience is costly.' A wise statement that holds true in everything from the food we eat to the car we buy; and where could this be more true than in the homes we live in? It's one thing to purchase the cheap products, materials or furniture we need to get us through the moment, but it's another to just get sucked into the cycle of purchasing more and more new throw-away's rather than saving, researching and educating ourselves on the best way to invest in the space we want to be in, that will last for the long run. Sure, change is inevitable, but truly thoughtful investments in the home are sure to not only enhance the personal experience of the space, but also it's monetary value. 

A P.E. Guerin Louis XIV hardware compilation.

We've spoken before about the assets of utilizing the truest of true Artisans when designing, drawing, decorating, and building a home/ building. What Artisans bring to the table in both the design process and the final product are both an enrichment in the literal value of a space, and the ability to enhance the artistic expression and personality in architecture and design. When it comes to the multifaceted world of artistic metalwork, it's been said many times that the decorative hardware is something of "the jewels of the house". And in no way could this be more tried and true than in the case of work made by P.E. Guerin, the oldest decorative hardware firm in the U.S. and last living and thriving traditional foundry in New York City.

Spanning 150+ years of existence and four generations, P.E. Guerin maintains every component of the traditional process of artisanal metalwork in decorative hardware, whose precedent example was set by its namesake and renowned talent, French immigrant Pierre Emmanuel Guerin, a pioneer in his craft. Many of Pierre Emmanuel's original work can still be found throughout New York City, and still in all it's luster and quality. So, despite the trends and culture of immediate gratification and now that rules so much of the consumer mindset today, this company has managed to stick to its guns in believing, to its core, that the production of something special that will last you for generations to come, should still be well thought out, intricately detailed and finished with expert precision.

A stellar example of Guerin's abilities, as seen in many top shelter publications today.

  "With the dumbing-down of society in this country, working standards and products become sub-par, and production is less formal;" says Martin Grubman, Vice President and Project Manager at P.E. Guerin, "maybe not by choice, but because we don't know any better anymore."  

Martin Grubman, who has been with P.E. Guerin for over 25 years now, has become a true advocate for the process and the product. 
Martin even noted that in common manufacturing of, say, bathroom hardware or faucetry today, there's been a mass decision somewhere along the line to attempt to alleviate skews and alter knob and lever creation (and their valves) so that each one goes a different direction. This is actually commonly practiced so as to have one less thing to do in production, saving manufacturers costs, but not necessarily creating a product that will last a lifetime. 

"We recently had a homeowner call us, who'd taken over an old family property in Pennsylvania, a house built in 1926, that had Guerin hardware in it," Martin notes, "They sent it to us to have us refinish the items and add a few new valves, then we sent it back to have it re-installed- it looked as incredible as ever. Actually, same thing also happened with an old hotel in San Francisco a few months back. It's all still immaculate."

It's impressive to say the least, and certainly no surprise Martin appreciated this moment in his work with Guerin. Having originally worked in the high-end building industry, Martin had seen a thing or two in the design + build process of high quality homes, and intimately understood the process when he met Andrew Ward, the fourth generation CEO and President of P.E. Guerin.    

A Louis XV Decorative Paumelle, gold-plated hinge

When he saw the difference in custom products versus mass produced products that were selected, ordered and installed in his work in building, he had come to know intimately that quality was far more important than quantity. When Andrew Ward mentioned he needed some help in his shop and studio, and Martin had gone in himself to see the process, he didn't hesitate to start working there part time, going in 3 days week. His work with Guerin quickly became of great interest, and not so long after he began working there full time, he felt right at home joining something of a family of artisans and craftspeople who had all also been with the company for multiple decades. 

Incredible detail on this tiny Lilypad + Dragonfly

"We'll take on someone new from time to time, and if they show aptitude in a certain part of the process, have them apprentice with one of our older artisans who's been with us a long time." Says Martin of the team. "But most of us have been here for decades." 

And P.E. Guerin, like many of the artisans we've spoken with, bring the process of design development and active collaboration to the table as they engage their designers, architects and homeowners in creating the perfect hardware for each and every project. But beyond being simply beautiful, nice 'things' used to decorate a space, they are both high-quality, functional assets, as much as they are a joy to look at, with products ranging from bathroom fittings and fixtures, to custom furniture and furniture hardware. And it's no wonder all of the products that come out of Guerin are meticulous and perfected, they are handled with care by highly trained, master craftspeople who are in fluid communication with one another (and have been for some time).

A photo of the original P.E. Guerin team in front of their [still current] home in
New York City's West Village. A copy of which still as it hangs in their office.

The four-floor building that houses each painstaking, hand-made step of P.E. Guerin's manufacturing and finishing process in New York City's quaint West Village, is also home to their headquarters and a majority of the company's history, having been their prime location since 1892. As you trot up the old wooden stairs you can almost imagine it as it was in decades past. Every nook and cranny of each floor has been carved out to create even the smallest station to customize their work. You can see exactly what this looks like when you take a tour at the famed foundry on Jane street [by appointment only], where clients, prospective clients, students and museum staff alike can call to try and arrange a tour of the shop / studio just for something of a peek into not only a rarely seen world of craftsmanship, but also a look back through time.

This custom Hippo faucetry goes from modeled mock up to priceless perfection.

We had the privilege of having Martin himself give us a tour of the facilities and the process from it's beginning stages all the way back down to the showroom. We couldn't possibly recapitulate all of the details accurately here (there are so many), but a few of our favorite moments certainly include seeing a live bronze pour, during which bronze that is heated to just below 2,000 degrees is poured into their meticulous moulds and cast into what will become someone's immaculate faucetry. The details the cast naturally emerges with are remarkable, and this is even before any of the other fine tuning to come. 

A Guerin Artisan Chases a custom doorknob in their New York Studio.

Jacqueline, one of Guerin's long time Master Artisans hammers away at a clients custom monogram detailed doorknobs.

Which brings us to our next favorite part of the tour- The Chasing. On the second floor of Guerin's long time home is a room of expert chasers- those who sit and hammer out the details (literally) of every last piece of hardware. Using any number of tools with any number of fine tips (imagine steel the shape of a pencil, and in place of a single point at the end, would be any number of small dots, lines, textures or patterns). Hammering these tips onto the flat surfaces and crevices of each product, a new piece of hardware is given remarkable detail and character. 

Some of Guerin's incredible history is sure to be tucked away in their archive.

These details are a result of P.E. Guerin's in-depth design development process, wherein mock-ups of finalized drawings are [often] first carved in wood to be sure scaling, measurements and details are all accurate and approved. If something looks like it could use a shift in design or detailing, Guerin could probably refer any designer to their archive of each and every detail they've cataloged or saved in their library (also something of a treasure to see). They keep some of their stock of wooden mock-ups and some of their precedent and research literature in the archive as well.

Each product may be of a different material, but can also be finished in a myriad of materials and styles. From buffing, polishing or brushing anything from bronze, nickel or pewter, P.E. Guerin informs on the best products for specific use as well as recommended maintenance and care (which is often quite simple). Each of these distinct differences and are part of a selection process that will still ensure a long lasting product, it's more about an educational component to the program, rather than a blind selection and purchase. And in line with the educational moment in P.E. Guerin's tour, Martin also always likes to laugh and quiz any visitors he may have, asking: 

"Do you know what the main difference between brass and bronze is?" Sometimes there are good guesses, but few know the answer: "Brass has more than 12% Zinc, Bronze has less than 12%..." Martin smiles.

A Louis XIV Doorknob with incredible detail.

Martin notes that while they are both Copper compounds, most people will refer to a product or material as Bronze because it sounds 'sexier' or more expensive, and they can charge more for it. Sure, you may note it's likely a yellower tone could indicate Brass and Bronze tends to be a bit redder, but this isn't always the case. For Martin, and P.E. Guerin, it's more about knowing exactly what you're using and how you want to use it, this will actually enhance the value and afford proper care instructions.

Having gotten to know so much more about the process of creating something magnificent that lasts, and also how open so many of these artisans and custom ornamental professionals are to informing their customers, it is a breath of fresh air to know we can get on board and learn as much or little as we like at any time. After all, investments take research, interest and a desire to learn (or even simply, to know what it is we're paying for, and why it may be a good or bad idea). And again, if we're seriously thinking about investing in our homes, what better place to start than with some of the details that top off and complete each space and will make them our own. 

But beyond all the wonderful new insights we've learned and the incredible work we've viewed by Guerin's artisans, if there's one thing Martin Grubman would like to leave us with it is also the reminder: 

"We do everything- Modern, Transitional, every period imaginable, Deco, Nouveau, (after all we did live through that period)... We don't soley specialize in 18th Century ornamentation." Martin speaks of the process, the stock and the custom abilities, "Some people don't realize how tactile it all is, what a treat it is to look at everyday when it's all said and done."

We can't argue with that. When we purchase our first property, we know exactly who to call for the hardware. We think it's well worth saving for.

A whimsical bathroom will get this Swan Basin set in Pewter and Gold.

A fantastic marine and nature inspired basin set from Guerin's recent "Whimsy" collection. 

A fantastic stepped set of Art Deco inspired hardware.

Martin Grubman still works and thrives at P.E. Guerin and can be contacted at their Jane Street offices for an appointment. P.E. Guerin has been seen and written on in a number of publications, including recent articles in Veranda, Hyland, Traditional Home, and many more. To learn more about them, you can visit their website at www.peguerin.com.

No.8 SPECIAL GUEST: Architectural Designer & Author of The Art of Classical Details Phillip Dodd Shares on Artisans, Art & Architecture

Portrait By: Peter Olsen

Who: Phillip J. Dodd

What: Architectural Designer & Author of Upcoming Knockout Publication

The Art of Classical Details

Theory, Design And Craftsmanship

When: The book is due out March, 2013

Where: A Native to Manchester, England he now lives and works in Connecticut

 

We tend to fancy every guest we feature here at Artisanal Specs. quite special indeed. Alas, keeping with our promised sub-series of 'Special Guests', we are honored to share our first very special guest interview and book review with none other than the renowned architectural designer, artist, historian, writer, educator and expert on classical design: Phillip J. Dodd, author of upcoming knockout publication The Art of Classical Details: Theory, Design And Craftsmanship. Aside from giving us a tour behind the scenes of The Art of Classical Details, Phillip also gives us a thoughtful and incisive look into his minds eye. With a passionate take on architecture and a healthy dose of that warm British humor, Phillip shows us how integral it just might be to maintain a well-rounded and all-inclusive discussion of what goes into creating contemporary classical architecture.  

 

In keeping with Artisanal Specs.' love for and focus on the artisans, trades and specialty craftspeople that work thoroughly alongside architects, designers and builders to bring design to life, there is good reason we were so excited to cover The Art of Classical Details. Unlike many of the other wonderful books out on design, from the perspective of architecture, Phillip has worked with tender and extensive care to curate a publication that tells the story of contemporary classical architecture and design from the in-depth and multifaceted viewpoints of architects, designers, artists (himself), scholars and artisans and craftspeople; an opportune and rich perspective we do not often get to hear. With his own craftsman-like precision, Phillip has carved out a space to facilitate a discourse on design from an elevated and uniquely all- inclusive point of view. He brings to the table a pallet of voices that paint a larger picture of how and why it is worth carrying out the principles and practices of classical architecture in the modern world. Before we totally dive into our talk with Phillip, here's a shortlist of some of the incredible talents and minds you can expect to hear from in this book: David Easton, Henry Hope Reed, Quinlan Terry, Ken Tate, Dinyar Wadia, Richard Carbino, Foster Reeve, Peter Pennoyer, Richard Cameron, Mark Ferguson, Oscar Shamamian, Jeremy Musson, Alain Oliver, Robert Adam, Paul Chesney, Julian Bicknell, Anne Fairfax, Richard Sammons and so many, many more.

 

As you may have gathered by now, we love to begin by asking our features why they do what they do and what their journey has been in the field. So when we sat down to talk with Phillip we knew we liked him already when he replied to our 'So Phillip, why architecture?' with:

"I saw The Towering Inferno as a kid and wanted to be Paul Newman." Pause. We both laugh. "I love drawing. Since grade school technical drawing was my best subject..." Phillip shifts to sincerity.

"Drumlin Hall, Dutchess County, NY, Peter Pennoyer
Architects" Pg 188, as seen in TAoCD, The Projects.

And therein lay the start: drawing. The Art of Classical Details came to fruition at the hands of someone who began with the arts and was drawn to the space architecture created where both art and mechanics, the creative and the logical minds, were coming together.

"Architecture is a funny subject. It's both artistic, but it's also technical. There's a rigor to it. You have to be very mathematic, to be able to have that kind of mindset- but you also have to be artistic and able to draw..."

Phillip, who hails from Manchester, England, where he attended both the Manchester School of Architecture as well as studying architecture at the renowned Prince of Wales Institute of Architecture in London (and that's just before he came to the States, where he would gain his Master's in architecture from The University of Notre Dame), has spent quite a bit of time studying architecture. If there's one thing he has grown passionate about it is the necessity to have a well rounded understanding of both the fine arts and mathematical/ analytical, to be able to comprehensively create accurate and good architecture.



Fluted Doric column with modillion block entableture by
John B. Murray Architect, Pg 10 as seen in TAoCD.

 Aside from the experience Phillip got in school, especially the Prince of Wales Institute, after being convinced by a friend to travel to the U.S. and just try working here for a while, he got his dose of training at the hands of Fairfax and Sammons co-founder, Richard Sammons. Back when the firm was going by Richard Franklin Sammons Architect, and there were only 5 people in the office, Phillip received dedicated and insightful instruction from Richard each day- an experience well worth the stay. As the firm grew and the tides shifted, Phillip found his way to Connecticut where he joined Dinyar Wadia's renowned team of designers and builders (where he continues to work) at Wadia Associates. After his many, many years of study and exercise, Phillip found Dinyar was glad to let him unleash his talents and practice architecture as he knew it.

"Richard [Sammons] taught me, and Dinyar [Wadia] allows me to practice what I've learned..." Phillip reflects.

What Phillip wound up receiving in his journey, turned out to be something of a rare, modern day apprenticeship in architectural design, an experience that may be leaning toward rarity. Which is not to say, however, that merely having the experience of working with top architects and designers themselves doesn't also offer it's own education. Phillip likes to give nod to this by noting that the realm of designers in each generation come from something of an organic family tree in design, offering an innate 'trickle down of character', each with it's own inheritance of knowledge and then offshoot of new creativity (just have a look at those who've spun from the offices of Parish Hadley or Robert A.M. Stern and how those experiences and teachings of hands on work has informed their disciples...).

Today, with so many leading schools focusing on the use of the computer to design spaces, it has become easy to stray from the importance of spacial interpretation and the focus drawing inherently facilitates, taking away from a building's ability to be a relatable space to the people who use it. (We understand this debate, as per which is more influential, people>buildings, buildings>people, can be controversial, but let us hear out this side for now).

A bespoke fireplace designed by Allan Greenberg, as seen in TAoCD

"I think today, with all the use of computers for design, you have people who would have at one time gone into engineering or computer programming, instead going into architecture. But in architecture you really have to have a combination of lots of both artistic and analytical..." Phillip notes. "When I went to architecture school in England we didn't have computers, you had to take with you a portfolio of your artwork, to show them that you could draw. That was most important for admission into architecture school."

When posed with the question as to whether or not he might consider himself an artist as well as an architectural designer, or if he thought architecture itself to be an art form, Phillip recalls poignantly that during his time at the Prince of Wales Institute one of the widely elected studies that was imperative in the coursework was a life drawing seminar, where the students would sit and draw nudes- twice a week, mandatory. An answer to these questions could simply be yes, but it's not so simple (as the arts never are), and Phillip won't let it go at that, as architecture is multifaceted, and never one-sided. He notes that part of the importance of continuing to develop and nourish those skills cultivated in drawing nudes, is the necessity to understand the human form, in all its "ergonomics" and proportions. 



"Apprentices at SYMM ’s workshop are trained in the traditional

skills of specialist joinery and cabinetry, finish carpentry,

painting, decorating and polishing." Pg 19, as seen in TAoCD

"Buildings are spaces people live and work in, if you don't understand people, how can you have a building that works?" Phillip asks. "A building isn't just a series of details, some of those details have to evolve as you grow to understand what you're creating, the various hierarchies and proportions..." 

A good point. It isn't about producing a series of pretty drawings to then move forward and capitulate into a building, so much as studying potential and then fusing that with a wide range of data, geometry, analysis and technical details. Phillip notes that while yes, architecture is an art form, perhaps architects are more like artisans than artists, in that they maintain that fusion between the two minds to create the real and true finished product that tells a story.

Phillip notes that while he prefers the voice of classicism, it isn't because modern architecture inherently 'isn't' or 'can't be' good, so much as that there may be (or often tends to be) an underlying dissociation between the study of the human experience and form and a building. He notes it is not just about shape or size, but also material, texture, color...all the things that go into shaping a space. Classicism is more about traditions than merely about history, as Phillip likes to emphasize. For him, an ideal experience in designing a house is not about recreating some historical precedent merely to have it spat out of time in a new location; it is about the process of listening and learning and applying traditions of architecture to a customized design.

"I'm not a big fan of telling people what to do, or how to live their lives. I don't like it. I think people inherently know what they want." Phillip notes. "...There's a big difference between liking something and appreciating it."

He goes on to discuss how if you listen carefully to people, they design their homes for you. It shouldn't be a mystery where the rooms are from the outside of a building, and each room should sensically speak to the home-owners life and lifestyle, desires, wants and aesthetic expression. Traditions, he believes, are not to be thrown out, but upheld and learned from along with the new; and in creating The Art of Classical Details, Phillip has gone to great lengths to show a wide range of how Classicism can be applied and utilized to continue to foster innovation. Classicism should perhaps (and certainly could) serve as something of a tool-set for achieving the best outcome.

"There's no work in the [book] that I don't like. Each project featured is a great design- whether it is my cup of tea or not, I cannot sensor based on my own aesthetic tastes... but I appreciate all of it. And that's why it's in the book."

Julian Bicknell stuns with "Henbury Hall, Cheshire, England, Julian Bicknell & Associates" as seen in TAoCD, The Projects

Phillip's own training and insights into creating classical architecture today keenly informs his decision to include essays by artisans themselves within this book. Often one may think of an apprenticeship as a one-on-one training and transferring of knowledge and skills from a 'master' craftsperson, usually with a building material, to another; but as Phillip received something of this kind of training himself in architecture (and art), he understands that the artisans and craftspeople are just as integral in design as the architect. Which may be why there was not a question or moments pause to his desire and feeling that their voices were just as necessary in the chorus to having The Art of Classical Details' ring true in a proper ode to classicism today.

"Fluted pilasters with delicately detailed Corinthian
capitals Peter Pennoyer Architects," as seen in TAoCD

Phillip notes that the reason artisans are so important (just as much today as any other time prior in history) is that they embody the complete fusion of building and art in what they do. Each craft with its own specialized background and palate of materials, provides a highly trained understanding of the smallest of details. Only a true artisan understands the direction, shape and size a single leaf should have in a rinceau as well as the depth, shadow and proportion any one section of ornament with all its parts so that it upholds the utmost artistic integrity but also maintains balance and perspective within architecture. A true artisan has a sixth sense for the process of taking a design from an artistic rendering phase to a sketch with thoroughly plotted out measurements (and their correct scales), and then the artistic mock-up, material selection and fine tuning of a single section of work (for any one single room). No small order indeed... worth looking deeper into, don't you think?

"You know I remember, there was a publisher when I was in school, Andreas Papadakis I believe, yes he published Academy Editions, a series of small architectural monographs by some of the top classical architects around," Phillip recalls, "and you know, they were fantastic. That was in the early 90's... And I haven't seen anything like them since..."

 

Indeed, these Academy Editions were a rare series of monographs that were wonderful and highly insightful, and at times a bit academic, but were mostly projects and not so much writing. Even these gems were missing the inclusion of the craftsperson.

 

"Outstanding craftsmanship means using traditional techniques, whether that be hand carving or

forging steel on a blacksmith’s anvil. These are labor intensive and highly skilled processes for

which there is no substitute. Chesney’s" Pg 246 as seen in TAoCD.

"No craftsmen were featured or anything like that. I don't think there's ever been a book actually where the craftsmen have wrote;" Phillip says, "it's always been scholars and architects who have written...but [in the book] I wanted there to be a lot of voices... I tried to fill in the gaps... It really is a great group- scholars, architects and artisans all mixed in. And artisans... artisans, who have never been asked to write anything before."

 

But Phillip has, and boy to they have some fantastic things to say. We're thrilled. It is a trail blazing effort to fuse the old with the new even in terms of a more traditional formula to creating a book on architecture. What makes the book special is not only the range of experience, perspective and talent in design that shares their expertise, but also the thoughtful lens through which each offers their own personal fondness for this effort and encouragement for the conversation to continue.

"You never see those close ups in books anymore," Phillip says about architectural detailing, "and we need to keep these crafts alive."

 

Between the countless years of design expertise and personal insight shared in this one of a kind homage to classicism, we believe that The Art of Classical Details may be proving to be an important tool for the new and future generations of designers, artisans, scholars and architecture aficionados alike. The book has just gone and created it's own history simply by providing a space for so many voices to come together and speak. (Who knows what this could mean to a student who didn't even know how a plaster mould was made or what it could be made into? Or if they wanted to find a better way than AutoCAD to approach a building?) All this said, we will certainly be keeping tabs on Phillip as he moves on and continues to discuss architecture in all it's grandeur, but in the mean time, we'd start by just strongly recommending you grab yourself a copy, have your own experience with this wonderfully thorough and incomparably beautiful publication, and find out more about what classical architecture in the modern world means to you.

"Ferne Park, Dorset, England, Quinlan & Francis Terry Architects," Pg 198, as seen in The Art of Classical Details.

"The dining room is decorated with Gracie handpainted wallpaper that compliments the highly detailed door casings and ceiling crown. Eric J. Smith Architect." Pg 12&13 as seen in The Art of Classical Details.

And again we say, congratulations Phillip J. Dodd and The Art of Classical Details: Theory, Design and Craftsmanship, on a job very well done!

 

Phillip J. Dodd is a Senior Architectural Designer and Marketing Director at Wadia Associates in New Canaan, CT. He is also the author of New Classicists: Wadia Associates, which features a foreward by H.R.H. The Prince of Wales and Introduction by Paul Gunther, President of the ICAA. You can read much more about him and his work here. A list of book signings, lectures and events will be posted within the month, and the books official release date is March 16, 2013. You can also connect with Phillip and The Art of Classical Details on Facebook.



No.7 Artisan of the New School- How Ben Rosner of E Home Wants to Simplify Your Life and Revolutionize Your Home

Who: Ben Rosner

What: E Home - Home Technology Consulting

When: Since 1996

Where: New York City
and Wherever His Clients Need Him

Ben Rosner has seen a thing or two in his day- and at the end of it, has decided there is truly no better tool to simplify life than technology. And thank goodness he has, both his firm E Home and later creation E Sommelier, have revolutionized the way we can utilize technology to simplify and organize our lives.

An artisan, or artist, whose masterly command of a specific craft can be used both as a mechanism of aesthetic improvement and self expression. Here at Artisanal Specs. we look at the myriad of hidden, long standing and age-old crafts in the building arts that go into creating so many details in architecture and design today. Many of these can be traced back decades and centuries, to countries all over the world, for their inception and blossoming as an art form. However, today, in 2012, one of the newest of these crafts and mediums in design is technology itself.

Both Ben Rosner and E Home's moto

Surely the evolution of fireplaces, chandeliers, candelabras and torch-like wall sconces saw a massive shift from necessity to aesthetics when electricity was invented and then further instated into buildings and homes. And as with any evolution, technology's running start hasn't slowed much since then; think about it- the radio, the telephone, the television, records, cassette tapes, compact disks, the internet, mp3's, cell phones, iPods, iPads, smart phones... (this is hardly a comprehensive list that could do justice to technology's massive growth in the 20th Century, but food for thought nonetheless.) So naturally, the ways we are able to design buildings also evolved, to include newer and newer technology. And for Ben Rosner, this was an exhilarating evolution, and one he grabbed hold of and passionately pursued and advocated for.  

Ben Rosner was always curious as a boy, but nothing was as magic and fascinating as what his dad did. Ben's father, Alex Rosner of Rosner Custom Sound, Inc., was also curious. In the 1950's Alex Rosner's hobby of playing around with technology developed into more and more of a passion and one which he began to market into a small part time business from his home. He may not have known it at the time, but all the ways in which he was looking at technology and how it could be fit into homes and buildings was actually what began his role as the forefather of custom home entertainment systems. 

"I remember when I was little he had started selling his products and services out of the basement," Ben recalls of his father, "and I would always sneak to the stairs to watch him work. He even invented a button in the wall to turn on music- it was amazing."

Ben recalls watching his father do many things with technology which today are a 'norm' in high-end design abilities for homes, but were then revolutionary, like building speakers into walls rather than have them sit around the room. 

Sleek and masculine, this New York City Penthouse may appear simple in terms of technology. You might never know E Home fully facilitated engineering of invisible technology throughout the whole home (lighting, speakers, temperature control, security cameras, television, audio and video systems) that was interwoven into the design process; and all controllable via iPad nonetheless.

Ben couldn't get enough of it. So it was no surprise that later on throughout his teen years he would work for his father's company (which quickly turned into a full time venture) on his spare time. Along with constantly absorbing the miraculous ways technology could be created and utilized, Ben also picked up his strong work ethic and became a natural addition to the team. As his father's work and inventions (such as the Tweeter Array High Frequency sound system) continued to grow his services were more and more coveted- everyone wanted to see the newest technology in their home, and people loved the elaborate sound systems. And as time progressed, into the 1970's something new happened- The Age of Disco. 

 Suddenly people needed sound systems for nightclubs like never before. The Disco Era was in full swing and Alex Rosner found his services and abilities in high demand, thus deciding to branch out from the residential realm and into the public sphere working with night clubs and commercial venues to enhance their sound abilities. And naturally, as was Alex's habit, the more he saw and the more experience he gained, he began inventing more new technology and audio based products for these clubs along the way, putting him in even higher demand than ever, quickly making him The Authority on entertainment systems for Disco's. 

"It was an exciting time." Ben reflects,"I'd worked for him part time on vacations when I was in high school and college and then full time after and really got to see the growth, it was amazing."

Amazing indeed, throughout the part time and full time work Ben did with his father's company he got to travel the world creating and installing all kinds of sound and technology systems. As disco had caught on all around the world so had nightclubs (or discotheques, if you will) and the need for Rosner Custom Sound's services. From Mexico to Singapore to Antigua and even a secret disco in Saudi Arabia, Ben was on the road regularly seeing sound and technology evolve all over the world. By 1984, after graduating from Columbia University with a Bachelor's in Computer Science (just at the jumping off point of the 'personal computing revolution', no less), Ben was working for his father full time and traveling regularly. Residential projects would still pop up here and there but the majority of their work was in commercial/ social venues. 

E Home worked to improve sound and technology in this gymnasium turned lounge

Alas, as technology continued to evolve, as it always does, and Rosner Custom Sound was rolling smoothly into the 1980's, the Disco Era had begun to phase out and interestingly enough, their company was seeing a need for their sound services in various houses of worship, which became yet another new market for them. Everyone everywhere was seizing upon the opportunity to come together and share the gift of sound and visuals by use of the newest technology that continued to develop.

But along Ben's journey, busy with work for Rosner Custom Sound, he did start to notice there were some other technological developments that caught his eye. In the 1980's while the developments of home and micro- computers were chugging along, there were also developments in other forms of home automation - such as with home security, lighting abilities and sound- as well as of other public and private sector venues in need of new technology. One of these developments was spawned by the need of a centralized technology source for corporate boardroom's. One of the true predecessors of the iPod came from these boardroom technologies, where there were keypads and touch-screens being developed to sit in the wall. Ben had an itch at the back of his brain that began nagging at him and growing louder as time went on. 

A masterly NYC E Home as seen in March 2012's Interior Design Magazine. Ben worked closely with the design team to ensure every aspect of home automation and technology was completely invisible, with the exception of  the home's entertainment center, which was integrated seamlessly with the millwork.

Truth was, while Ben had the great privilege of gaining priceless hands-on experience in the field of audio and visual technologies all over the world, there was a part of him that was still passionate about where he saw all the wonders of technology begin: In The Home. 

"Maybe it's because it was where I first got to see my father make magic of technology in his first basement office," Ben ponders, "but it has always resonated with me, the idea that our personal lives could be simplified by technology. And I've always loved architecture and design..."

A Central Park West Penthouse E Home worked on shines bright in natural light.

Between home automation's steady advance in development and the technology Ben saw cultivated in corporate board rooms, the nagging itch in the back of his mind emerged from his imagination and into the forefront- Ben Rosner lovingly resigned from Rosner Custom Sound in 1996 to branch out and found E Home, a home technology consultancy where he could get back to focusing on technology exclusively for residential projects. His father understood, and so the son of home technology's forefather ventured out to begin his own revolutions to home technology. 

There are multiple invaluable skills to be picked up from 'in the trenches', hands-on, real-world experience- especially if one is passionate about what they are doing. In a way, when we care about what we are doing, we tend to open up more, become a sponge that gladly absorbs and digests new information and creatively apply it to future work. Ben Rosner easily falls into this category of the willing and devoted [once] apprentice. See, not only had Ben taken in both the formal training from his studies in computer science as well as his real-world experience with his father's pioneering company- but he had also digested and cultivated a skill he learned from his father: to invent or create what was still missing. If something is needed- Create It. 

An E Home engineer implements strategic technology into a home's planning

During his schooling at Columbia, Ben recalls that as personal computing was a coveted technology experience many were in line to take turns with, the school's mainframe had limited access. So Ben went ahead and created a computer terminal he could log in to from his dorm room. Easy. Utilize technology, create what's lacking, simplify life. We note this as perhaps it was telling of what his own future pioneering would bring. When Ben went out to create E Home his mission was not simply to provide services like those of any other 'Audio/ Visual (A/V) guy' might get pegged with. E Home's mission was to simplify life by means of technology in the home- by way of working closely alongside architects, interior designers and builders to create a custom crafted technology system for each home; specializing in early- phase drawing and planning development with engineers of their own. 

This Brooklyn dining room got an E Home invisible touch...

In 1996, when Ben started E Home he also met a man named Jonas Buzzerio, another innovative, organized and motivated pioneer who had years of operational and project management experience in the high-end design industry. Jonas understood where Ben was coming from and where he wanted to go. Ben hired him as E Home's first ever employee where Jonas would conduct the installation and customer service end of the company. The collaboration was so seamless that two years later Ben offered Jonas a partnership in the company. E Home had taken off at full speed and was happily plugging away at work integrating technology into residences. 

But as we know, as technology evolves and progresses our ideas continue to as well. The more exposure to both new design and continual home automation upgrades that Ben and Jonas got, the more they pursued even newer technology. At one point, finally sitting down to think and talk it over, they had a moment of genius: Media Access Solutions. 

It was one thing to have a button in a wall to turn well concealed speakers or TV on and off, but what about the media that would be played on these instruments, the movies, records or CD's? If it was a large home, as many of E Home's projects were, how many TV's, radios, record or CD players were there in a house? 2? 3? 6? Did people always have to walk from the one den to get videos to watch and bring them to the next room to watch? Lo! That could be much easier to do! Yet again, as Ben had learned, if there is any technology that doesn't exist and is needed- Create It. Ben, Jonas and a third partner, Ronnie, got together and actualized a CD and DVD archive and distribution system that would become the true predecessor to the iPod- a Media Server. 

Yet another glowing example of E Home's ability to hide technology in design.

Together Ben, Ronnie and Jonas designed, engineered, developed, patented and distributed Media Access Solutions Media Server. The first product of it's kind developed specifically for the simplification of home life. How it worked: a computer loaded a CD into a hard drive, a central server, that central server was utilized by connecting to other outlets wherein multiple rooms could access and retrieve any of the data that had been loaded onto the central server. Translation: load your movies and music into one place and be able to access it all from any room of your home. Brilliant. This product's popularity and demand spread like wildfire and Ben was back on the road traveling the world to sell the product along with E Home's implementation and installation, and was a total success. By 2003 Media Access Solutions had caught the attention of AMX, a "leader in advanced control system technology", especially for the home. By September of 2003, AMX had officially acquired Media Access Solutions, which seemed fitting, as they were one of the large companies Ben had seen develop advanced technology for corporate boardrooms only 10 years before. 

When selling a company and patent like Media Access Solutions, one is not allowed to invent or duplicate a product of the same nature in the same genre or market of use, naturally, so as to insure a newly acquired product won't become obsolete right after its purchase. This was fine and understandable for Ben, Ronnie and Jonas, however Ben had another light-bulb moment. The fundamental need for a data storing and distribution technology was so easily helpful to many, and they had the algorithms down so well, one niche market that popped up that could utilize this same function and service was that of the wine industry.

When working in the high end architecture and design industry, one gets to see some pretty spectacular things, including some clients personal wine cellars and collections. As E Home and it's partners Ben and Jonas were plugging away at both their own projects and their growing list of clientele, they got to see more and more of the wine collections out there. While it is a luxury to have a private wine collection, how quickly un-luxurious it becomes when you cannot find the wine you want! Lo! That could be much easier to do! Yet again, as Ben and now Jonas too had learned, if there is any technology that doesn't exist and is needed- Create It. 

An E Sommelier wine App for Hospitality

And so E Sommelier was born, the first of its kind, a wine cellar management system. (Which turned out to also
be very useful in the commercial, hospitality and storage cellars too- well done! The entirety of which can be managed from an application on an iPad.)

Yet still, all the while, what has remained at the heart of all of Ben's endeavors has been his passion for technology in residential architecture and interior design. It's never-ending ability to be innovative always stems from a homeowner's personality and designers vision for creating their home. Inherently personal and always full of character, residential projects and their owners will offer fun and exciting ways to utilize technology.

"As we got to know the homeowner better on one project bordering Central Park, a fan of the arts, wanted to sort of collaborate to create something custom for him and his home." Ben smiles,"We wound up implementing a large screen inside, framed, and camera system so he could see Central Park on it at all times. It was fun and he loves it."

For technology to take on it's own form as an art is no small task, but Ben thrives on it. He has the experience and insight into design and foresight into technology to help create beautiful interiors alongside the design industry's best. 

"Home technology in design today has to be used artfully- sometimes it should stand out and be seen, others it should disappear into the background." Ben says passionately," But there really is something magic about having music invisibly come from the walls." 

Whether it's embracing the confluence of art hanging from the walls  and the rooms lighting and shades surrounding it, one must be able to envision the room ahead of time to know how technology should be used in it. This intelligence in and of itself is one that makes Ben's consultancy, E Home, invaluable, not everyone, who has actually been an innovator of home technology products themselves, understands both design and technology so intimately.  For Ben Rosner, technology is an expression of who he is, and we believe he's made it an artisanal craft at that. 

"Technology is a pallet." Ben smiles. 

Indeed it is Ben. We'll be giving you a call just as soon as we're done writing this...

E Home is committed- they go where their clients need them, like in this gorgeous outdoor lounge in Kenya. Can you spot the home technology? Neither can we...

An E Home with their famous invisible technology, design by Dufner Heighes Architecture.