Design Happens

British modernist Basil Bunting once said, “To appreciate present conditions, collate them with those of antiquity.” This reflection could easily be the personal mantra of Nashville-based architect Eric Stengel. Stengel, a Renaissance man schooled in the disciplines of fine arts, decorative arts and, of course, architecture, keeps the work of the masters at the core of his designs while embracing modern conveniences and materials.

Eric’s classically-designed and meticulously executed luxurious estates inspire awe, because they are breathtakingly gorgeous, as well as academically correct and technically perfect. An ideal marriage of beauty and brains, if you will. Eric engages us in Classical ideology in this week’s tour of a Tennessee mansion he built in the 18th-century Georgian style. He offers an enlightening explanation of the three most important aspects of the Classical language in architectural design: its story-telling ability, its ability to  evolve and compliment modern times, along with its meaning and worth to those who live in and work on this tradition.
Get Schooled in the Classics