Two years ago Construct, with help from the New Marlborough Housing Development Committee, purchased the 27-acre farm at auction with $217,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Jane Ralph with design plans
Harry Heissmann in his Swam Lullaby room.
Irwin and Marcy Feld's Picnic Under the Stars room.
Dawn Trachtenberg's "Wonder and Whimsy" room.
The "Strawberry Fields" dining room pays homage to John Lennon and Yoko Ono's visit to the farm in 1977.
The nearly $7.4 million fundraising goal was more than 80 percent met at the time of the showcase.
NEW MARLBOROUGH, Mass. — More than a thousand visitors toured the decked-out halls of Cassilis Farm last month in support of the affordable housing development.
Construct Inc. held its first Designer Showcase exhibition in the Gilded Age estate throughout June, showcasing over a dozen creatives' work through temporary room transformations themed to "Nature in the Berkshires." The event supported the nonprofit's effort to convert the property into 11 affordable housing units.
"Part of our real interest in doing this is it really gives folks a chance to have a different picture of what affordable housing can be," Construct's Executive Director Jane Ralph said.
"The stereotypes we all have in our minds are not what it ever really is and this is clearly something very different so it's a great opportunity to restore a house that means so much to so many in this community, and many of those folks have come, for another purpose that's really somewhat in line with some of the things it's been used for in the past."
"It can be done, and done well," Project Manager Nichole Dupont commented. She was repeatedly told that this was the highlight of the Berkshire summer and said that involved so many people from so many different sectors.
"The designers were exceptional to work with. They fully embraced the theme "Nature in the Berkshires" and brought their creative vision and so much hard work to the showhouse. As the rooms began to take shape in early April, I was floored by the detail, research, and vendor engagement that each brought to the table. The same can be said for the landscape artists and the local artists who displayed their work in the gallery space," she reported.
"Everyone's feedback throughout the process was invaluable, and they shared resources and elbow grease to put it together beautifully."
More than 100 volunteers helped the showcase come to fruition, and "the whole while, through the cold weather, the seemingly endless pivots, they never lost sight of what the showhouse was about and that Cassilis Farm would eventually be home to Berkshire workers and families."
Plants, animals, celestial motifs, and other natural elements brought the estate's rooms to life through the work of various artists and designers.
Harry Heissmann of Harry Heissmann Inc's room "Swam Lullaby" greets guests with a large paper mâché bassinet shaped like the majestic bird. He was inspired by a local news article about mute swan sightings.
"The skirt is supposed to look like rippling water that she is gliding through," he explained.
Heissmann worked with designer Patrick McBride on the room and Tillett Textiles for custom-themed wallpaper.
He and McBride also designed a "Strawberry Fields" dining room that pays homage to John Lennon and Yoko Ono's visit to the farm in 1977.
Irwin Feld of Irwin Feld Design's "Picnic Under the Stars" room gives the feel of a tranquil twilight setting, adorned with nature photographs taken by his wife Marcy Feld.
She has been a photographer her whole life and professionally for decades.
"My first thought was being at Tanglewood with candelabras and sitting on my porch and listening to the sounds of nature at night," he said. "So I ran with that idea of a nighttime theme and creating a very elevated but deconstructed picnic theme."
The space was described as "cozy and sexy" and a collaborative experience that "worked a thousand percent."
Dawn Trachtenberg, co-founder of Staged Ryte, described her room "Wonder and Whimsy" as bringing the outside in. Green walls set the stage for a branch installation that extends from the lighting fixture and curiosities all around.
"Going with the theme Nature in The Berkshires, we really wanted to bring that inside for a tween where they have collected things and have curiosities and sit at the desk and look outside and really bring the outside in," she said.
Two years ago Construct, with help from the New Marlborough Housing Development Committee, purchased the 27-acre farm at auction with $217,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds. The nearly $7.4 million fundraising goal was more than 80 percent met at the time of the showcase.
The housing development project is a response to Berkshire County's housing crisis, with a 2020 report stating that New Marlborough has no affordable housing and businesses are struggling with staff shortages. Full occupancy is anticipated in 2026 after an overhaul of the estate into units between 850 and 1,400 square feet.
"When you do a project like this, the initial lease-up is by a lottery," Ralph explained. "And so anybody can apply, we do the income verification, and then anyone who already works or lives in New Marlborough will get twice as many chances as anyone else."
The apartments will be income restricted but she emphasized that a person can work a decent-paying job and be at or below the 60 percent area median income.
One of the first steps will be to test the structure for things like asbestos, then they will need to add a well for the fire suppression system before internal demolition begins. A construction timeline has not been established yet.
"The outside we're going to keep as much the same as we possibly can, that's a commitment we made to the neighbors and to the town and it just makes sense," she added.
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