Over the years, an imaginative variety of projects have characterized the company’s portfolio. From the elegant lines of a expansive formal residence to the welcoming view of a country cottage—and just about everything in between—Matt’s goal is to express the owners’ vision for their new home and build it to last.

Robb Construction is also well known for its long history and expertise in constructing energy-efficient homes, particularly with the use of insulating concrete forms, as well as in the employment of geothermal systems. With their office just a quarter mile from Bundoran Farm, and their established practice of building just one home at a time, they are posed to make sure can a new homes built by Robb Construction at Bundoran Farm will receive the best of care in every detail.

For more information and to see photos of some of their projects, feel free to visit thief website at www.robbconstruction.com.

Design

Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyards is posed to to be Central Virginia’s most comprehensive boutique winery and vineyard.  Located on Bundoran Farm and just minutes from the University of Virginia and Downtown Charlottesville, Pippin Hill Farm is envisioned as a fresh interpretation of the classic winery through expertise of a collaboration of artisans, winemakers, local farm producers and event designers.  Their design pays homage to the classic American form of farmstead house, barns and fields, and reflects on Pippin Hill and their design team’s vision for an understated structure that blends into the contours of the land, naturally enhancing the beauty of the property.

The design and construction reflects a commitment to their patrons, and equally important, to the environment.  The building incorporates a range of LEED and Green Engineering elements, including resource efficient timber and wood frame construction, cellulose insulation, geothermal heating and cooling system, rainwater harvesting and natural stone and wood finishes.

Wines and Vines

A member of the Monticello Wine Trail, Pippin Hill Farm is a boutique-scale operation defined by their signature wine production.  At its most basic level, their operational philosophy is to preserve and protect the rural agrarian nature of the farm environs.  Their five-acre vineyard is planted with Savignon Blanc, Petit Verdot, and Viognier varietals.  They will supplement their grapes with others from their co-op farm partners through a lease of their vineyard production.

Pippin Hill’s winemaking aims for quality and requires a high level of personal skill, experience and commitment.  It is structured as a unique partnership with recognized winemaker, Michael Shaps with Virginia Wineworks, utilizing their ‘custom crush’ production services for the range of Pippin Hill wines.  Custom crushing is an innovative process that allows individuals, grape growers and wineries to capitalize on an established winemaker’s facility and expertise to create distinctive wines for their own brands.

Pippin Hill sources all of their grapes regionally from Virginia’s finest vineyards.  For their premiere year, they are offering a range of wines including Chardonnay, Viognier, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Meritage blends and seasonal sparkling Blanc de Blanc and Rose Wines.

Pippin Hill’s Tasting Room is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM and features wine tastings and food pairings with the wines. Group tastings are available by appointment, in their Wine Bar Loft.

Here’s a link to a news clip that appeared on the local NBC affiliate about the opening of the Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyards  - “Finishing Touches for Pippin Hill’s Opening”

This luncheon will be held at City Space, 100 5th St. NE, on the Downtown Mall, Charlottesville, VA. Doors open at 11:50 and the Seminar begins at approximately 12:10 pm.

For more information about this luncheon and other programs sponsored by the James River Green Building Council, visit JRGBC.

Their mission is to design and build high quality, lasting structures.  For them, the foundation of these homes is developing strong relationships, based on trust, with their clients.  For Alexander Nicholson, the client’s experience throughout the construction process is every bit as important as the final product.

Throughout the company’s history they have shied away from building in planned communities.  However, the preservation development model that Bundoran Farm utilizes has convinced them of the value of this concept.  They are excited to work with a development team that is creating a community based on respect for the environment, the agrarian nature of Albemarle County, quality craftsmanship, and thoughtful design.

Jack and Mike along with their friend and construction colleague, Howard Pape, founded Building Goodness Foundation in 1999.  Building Goodness Foundation is a volunteer organization based in Charlottesville, VA that organizes skilled craftspeople, construction professionals, and other passionate volunteers in a positive, collaborative effort to design and build structures for communities in need.  Contributing their time, talent, and resources to local and international communities is a core value of our organization.

For more information about the Bundoran Farm’s approach to sustainable design and construction visit – Sustainability at Bundoran Farm.

Click below to see a short video clip of the bridge installation.

Placing a section of the Ballyshannon Bridge – Video Clip

Ballyshannon Bridge

Below are the event details:

Cost:          Free

Date:         Thursday, February 24, 2011

Place:         Albemarle County Office Building  - 401 McIntire Road, Charlottesville, VA

Time:         6:00-8:00 pm

Note:  Display Stations will be available for viewing in the Lobby of the Albemarle County Office Building all day on February 24th



 Display posters on view in the Lobby with specialists on hand to answer questions/discuss issues; an interactive community survey with real-time responses; comment/suggestion boxes for community input.

Andrea Larson, professor at the Darden School of Business at UVa, with an insightful view on the global impact of sustainability-related innovation and its competitive advantage, will be offering the presentation “Opportunities” at the opening of the event.  Bill Edgerton, long time resident, advocate for efficient, affordable housing, and former Albemarle County planning commissioner, will present a summary and his perspective on the local climate action planning process underway and opportunities ahead.

Click here for further information:     Carbon – Our Energy Future and You

Congratulations to all involved including Sunbiosis Architects, Artisan Construction and most importantly, John and Diane Foraste, Bundoran Farm Stewards and owners of this lovely and sensitive home.

You can read to full story written by Zack Miller in most recent issue of  EarthCraft Virginia e-newsletter.

Seeing it come together over this five/six time frame has been an
emotional experience–to say the least.  We have battled some extreme
weather conditions with below zero wind chills, heavy rains and more
recently snow….not to mention the omnipresent red Virginia mud in
between all the above…but throughout this first leg of the odyssey we
have seen the beauty of what we are privileged to create, experienced
the warmth of our clients’ appreciation, one another’s encouragement,
camaraderie and support that has made even the hardest days worth the
effort.  The building gets bigger every week and we have not even
started on the tasting room on top of the massive foundation just
poured–which will be over 40′ tall from the basement up.

It is very humbling to think of a project not in terms of this being
just like another structure so at least we know where we are headed–but
rather risking doing something so much bigger and complex that every day
is a taste and test of a new venture.  We are simultaneously both
exploring and discovering what we can do –and with this awareness comes
an extraordinary sense of gratitude to our clients–and each other–for
entrusting us with something that is both an awesome privilege and
responsibility.  While I believe with all my heart that this will turn
out well–the journey has already been a blessing beyond
measure–something undeserved and unexpected–and filled with grace in
allowing us to be a part of something this challenging and
overwhelming–something I can only see as a gift.

I am listening to George Winston playing Pachebel’s Canon–which at its
time was the first syncopated music of its kind–daring to tread into
unknown territory–and has always deeply moved my heart.  As
builders–Pippin Hill has already given us a taste of being a part of a
beautiful project and place at Bundoran Farm….somewhere we are humbly
learning to go with no little awe and a sense of joy….even at just
this beginning.

My best wishes and heartfelt prayers for a blessed Christmas and New
Year….and looking forward to coming back from France in a couple of
weeks for our next effort.

george abetti – geobarns

Also included in this list is the Lewis Residence at Bundoran Farm that was designed by Sunbiosis and built by Shelter Construction.

To see these any other projects on Google Maps, go the Low Impact Development Projects.

Rain Dog Designs specializes in sustainable landscape and low impact development design and construction, rain gardens, pervious pavement, detention cisterns