RDH Blog

Happy New Year! As we approach the formal opening of Ruffing Design House (RDH) later this semester, we’ll provide a sneak peek into each of the spaces and share plans for the programming and activities that will be hosted in each space. Throughout our ‘virtual tour’ of RDH, we’ll also share our commitment to sustainability and how you can support us in our efforts to repurpose and reuse discarded and donated materials.

Renovation and restoration of the Summit

Our first stop is the Summit, a multi-purpose classroom and meeting space. The Summit is the only room that remains nearly unchanged from the original house. To preserve as much of the existing structure as possible, the space was carefully left intact while the remainder of the house was dismantled to the foundation. Once the new foundation was completed, the original exterior walls were reinstalled, and the new house structure was reconstructed around the Summit. In selecting a new paint scheme, the design and building company, Payne & Tompkins, studied historical color palettes typical of Tudor-style homes and interiors to ensure historical accuracy.

The Summit as pictured in the original house

With a small library, cozy bio-fuel fireplace, and windows overlooking the Outdoor Learning Environment (OLE), the Summit will be an ideal space for writers’ workshops, peace education, or even a quiet space for reading. The large modular table in the middle of the room encourages group discussion and collaboration, but may also be arranged to be more conducive to solitary activities such as writing or journaling. Thoughtfully populated with old world technology and instruments like a brass telescope, sextant, and 1920s era key-wound clock, this space is intended to spark students’ curiosity and provide connections to the past. 

Our library contains a curated selection of books on art, craft, history, and more!

Devices including a brass telescope, sextant, and compass await students in the space

Ruffing Design House has a commitment to sustainability, not only in the design and construction of the physical building, but also in our approach towards programming. Across all spaces, we aim to use as many repurposed and found materials as possible- whether salvaging wood from old pallets or upcycling discarded clothing and fabrics. To that end, we always welcome donations of devices or materials that can be used to spark curiosity or fuel a student project. In the Summit, we’re looking for old or interesting time keeping devices, books for the library (school appropriate, fiction, non-fiction, or reference), and/or broken or non-functioning items (for tinkering or repair work). If you have any materials or items you’d like to donate to the Summit, please reach out to Annie Homan at annieh@ruffingmontessori.net.

The view of the Summit overlooking the OLE