In the early 2000`s Jeffrey Austin, owner of

T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
View of Rich Valley farm with existing bank-barn and grain dryers. Photograph © A+M
In the early 2000’s Jeffrey Austin, owner of
Lettermen Inc., a builder/developer in Carlisle,
PA started his dream project – Rich Valley Golf,
or RVG. To him golf was a passion; yet Jeff
had also hoped to develop a personal agenda
–golf as not merely a sport of the elite, but an
activity that can be enjoyed by all, regardless
of income, race, or political affiliation. He
intended to make RVG a public course, a place
where the local car mechanic can play 18 holes
with an out of town lawyer. From the beginning,
the idea of fraternity and equality of users was
paramount to the project. That idea also had to
work financially, and play itself out in the design
of the course, its infrastructure and phasing, its
building complex, their interiors, and, last but
not least, the graphic identity of RVG.
Around the same time, Jeff’s son, Jason, had
just graduated from Cornell with a professional
degree in architecture. Together, along with
Jason’s Cornell Architecture classmates, Alex
Mergold and Vlad Pajkic, they embarked on
the project; and over time it turned out to also
be a quest to rethink and reinvent some of
the Central Pennsylvania vernacular building
traditions. In 2008, the project is entering its
final phase of construction – the construction
of 9 residential lots overlooking the course and
surrounding landscape. After nearly a decade
of this multifaceted collaboration, RVG is a
fully developed golf facility (voted in 2007 as
best-in-the-area) complete with the renovated
owner’s farm house, an open air pavilion,
and a utility pump house. The centerpiece –
RVG Clubhouse features the pro shop, a bar,
restaurant, and outing room with interiors
designed by Jason and Alex. (Alex is also
responsible for the graphic identity for RVG.)
All three Cornell architects have since received
their master degrees (Alex & Vlad – Master of
Architecture from Princeton, and Jason – Master
of Landscape Architecture from University of
Pennsylvania); Vlad has moved on to Basel
where he is a project architect with Herzog &
deMeuron, and Jason and Alex, after working
for SOM & Pentagram in New York, formed an
architecture, landscape and design practice
– Austin + Mergold LLC (www.austin-mergold.
com). While working on a series of new projects
(one of them, again with Jeff Austin – a mixed
income housing development), they also both
teach design – at Temple University & Cornell
Universities.
T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
View of the Club House from the Golf Course. Photograph © A+M
12
woodlands
ch
ri
17
11
13
le
l
va
3
oa
yr
18
16
d
14
10
2
1
4
1
15
2
4
3
9
5
7
6
1. FARM HOUSE
2. PAVILION
3. PUMPHOUSE
4. CLUB HOUSE
5. BEGINNERS’ COURSE
T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
View of the Bird House and the Pumphouse from the Golf Course. Photograph © A+M
The site:
The Landscape:
Rich Valley in Cumberland County is a classic
Central Pennsylvania farmland – rolling hills
dotted by barns, silos and grain dryers. It is
also prone to the classic Central PA problem –
overdevelopment and suburban sprawl. As local
dairy and agricultural farms go out of business,
land is bought up and sliced into development
plots – the resulting asphalt roofscapes are
often drab and the tarmac heat islands slowly
change the local ecosystem. At the same time
there are very few economic models available
as alternative to development. Golf course,
in the case of Jeff Austin, had provided an
opportunity to not only pursue his passion
for the game, but also preserve 200 acres of
farmland from overdevelopment.
Today the program of a golf course is not exactly
synonymous with sustainable landscape
development. Yet it is exactly with Jeff and his
team had set out to reverse. They looked back
to the golf course building techniques of the
1920’s and 30’s, where the goal of a landscape
designer was to seamlessly adapt existing
landscape for the course, instead of cutting and
filling entirely new hills and valleys. (Ironically,
this “grass roots” design approach later became
instrumental throughout the project) Informed
by these (sadly, forgotten) precedents, the RVG
design team sought to minimize intrusion into
the existing land by designing the course around
and highlighting its natural attributes. In order
to accomplish that, the team extensively used
geologic soil mapping of the property to utilize
soil types for various appropriate uses (i.e.
finding clay for liner of water retention areas).
That information was used for laying out the
course in a way that maximized preservation
of flood plain and existing woodlands while
optimizing the existing site grading and its
natural depressions for water storage. Storm
water from all impervious surfaces (i.e. parking
& roads) was designed to be collected for re-use
in the golf course watering system. An existing
storm water tunnel under Rich Valley road was
also utilized for golf cart crossing from one side
of the course onto the next. Also a concerted
effort was made to minimize cut/fill situations
and reduce energy costs for stockpiling the
earth. Furthermore, native plant and grass
species were re-introduced to the course; and
the restoration of water storage with native ecosystems (fish, water plants, etc.) underscored
the commitment to landscape preservation.
View of the Club House. Photograph © A+M
odo
Con
1 sq mile surface runoff
from adjacent farmland
n
gui
T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
et C
vegetated swale
k
ree
underground channel
On-Site Water Re-Cycle
Path of Water on Site
small retention pond
o
Con
1 sq mile surface runoff
t
ine
u
dog
Rich V
alley R
oad
from adjacent
outflow
channel farmland
k
e
Cre
vegetated
swale
channel
beneath
road
open
air vegetated
swale
underground
channel
Responsible storm water management recreates natural
ecologies using the runoff from the golf course and
neighboring properties. Designing the course according to
the natural drainage patterns of the site works to slow and
cleanse runoff, restore habitat for native plants and wildlife,
Richallows
and significantly reduce energy costs. This design
Valley for
year-round water retention on site limiting the removal Road
of additional water from the watershed, leaving more water
in the creek for downstream uses. Maintenance of native
grass vegetation in the swales and around the habitat ponds
is cost effective and amenable to wildlife.
Responsible storm water management recreates natural
ecologies using the runoff from the golf course and
neighboring properties. Designing the course according to
the natural drainage patterns of the site works to slow and
cleanse runoff, restore habitat for native plants and wildlife,
and significantly reducevegetated
energy costs.
swaleThis design allows for
year-round water retention on site limiting the removal
of additional water from the watershed, leaving more water
in the creek for downstream uses. Maintenance of native
grass vegetation in the swales and around the habitat ponds
is cost effective and amenable to wildlife.
small retention
pond
underground
channel
outflow
channel
linear
wetland
corridor
channel beneath road
habitat pond
open air vegetated swale
pump housechannel
underground
linear wetland corridor
dam to retain water
outflow to swale
habitat pond
vegetated swale to creek
habitat pond
pump house
lowlands / floodplain
vegetated swale
dam to retain water
outflow to swale
wetland swale to creek
Responsible storm water management
recreates natural ecologies using the
runoff from thehabitat
golf course
pond and neighboring
properties. Designing the course according
to the natural drainage patterns of the site
works to slow and cleanse runoff, restore
habitat for native plants and wildlife, and
significantly reduce energy costs. This
design allows for year-round water retention
on site limiting the removal of additional
water wetland
from the
leaving more
swalewatershed,
to creek
water in the creek for downstream uses.
Maintenance of native grass vegetation in
the swales and around the habitat ponds
is cost effective and amenable to wildlife.
Conodoguinet Creek
vegetated swale to creek
lowlands / floodplain
Conodoguinet Creek
T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
View of the Club House. Photograph © A+M
The Program:
The resulting course design also played into
Jeffrey Austin’s unique perception of the
game of golf. As a business model, he saw
the course as place for all people – beginners
and the advanced. As a societal construct,
it was supposed to be a place that negated
exclusivity. It enabled golfers of all skill levels to
be challenged and still enjoy the game; course
hazards tend to come into play more with the
experienced golfer, allowing the beginner to
gain playing confidence instead of frustration.
This is equally important for growing the game
of golf and minimizing the pace of play, which
enables a course to absorb more rounds per
day, increasing its popularity and, incidentally,
its revenue.
A public golf course (and this is what RVG,
essentially, is) has a certain reputation for lack
of maintenance and amenities. To overcome
that notion, RVG was specifically designed for
the ease of maintenance, and an extensive
amenity program was planned while the
landscape component of the project was still
in development. The course was designed to
be efficiently maintained and manicured for
private golf club conditions at a “public” price.
An educational component was also included
in the initial planning: in addition to the allnatural turf driving range, putting and chipping
greens, a 3-hole beginner course was added
in a leftover space to teach youngsters and
beginner golfers, helping grow the awareness
of game amidst a native landscape among a
diverse demographic.
View of the first tee. Photograph © A+M
T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
SECTION AA
A
View of the Farm House. Photograph © A+M
The Building Component:
Landscape design was shaped by attitude
towards native land preservation and a
unique understanding of the game of golf. The
architecture of RVG also became reflective of
those issues; in combination with local zoning
and building regulations, and the team’s desire
to underscore the public, rooted nature of the
project, it produced a commentary on local
Central PA building typologies.
Initially the team tackled the “farm house” –
an existing structure, that became owner’s
residence and the design studio where
construction documents and models where
prepared. The Farm House is an add-on piece
that embraced the vernacular traditions – local
ways of building with local materials, but also
took advantage of the views toward the new
golf course, as well as “danced” around several
old existing trees.
Next was the golf course support infrastructure
– the Pump House and the Pavilion. Both,
though adhering to the “vernacular paradigm,”
also aimed to comment on the poetic nature
of the landscape. The Pump House is the
proverbial aedicule in the garden, while the
pavilion is a framing device for landscape, fixing
magnificent views due north and south.
A
PLAN 1ST FLOOR
A
A
PLAN 2ND FLOOR
T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
View of the Pavilion from Club House. Photograph © A+M
Above & below: Views of the Pumphouse. Photograph © A+M
T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
METAL STANDING SEAM ROOF
WOOD LAP SIDING FACADE
ON-GRADE AC
CESS
STORAGE
ON-GRADE
FIELDS
ACCESS
BARNYARD
LIVESTOCK
LOADING RAMP
The Clubhouse:
FEED
EQUIPMENT
LIVESTOCK
AGRICULTURAL
LANDSCAPE
ICON
DINERS
GOLFERS
Bank-barn analysis. Diagram © A+M
OPEN TO
THE PUBLIC
The most intricate combination of the “grass
roots” and ultra-functionality approach of RVG
architecture developed in the creation of the
Clubhouse. A relic from the farm days of Rich
Valley, a ruin of classic Pennsylvanian bankbarn existed on the south eastern corner of the
property. That structure was originally planned
to become the clubhouse, but in the end was
deemed unusable and unsafe. The team
approached the township for a new building
permit; and they received one with a stipulation
that the new structure was not to exceed the
number of stories, square footage (12000SF)
,footprint or height of the existing barn. Thus,
the existing structure was already shaping the
new one.
The team, however, decided to go even further.
The idea, in keeping with the overall theme of
the project, was to utilize the existing bank-barn
typology on a programmatic and conceptual
level. A typical bank-barn consists of two levels
– the first floor for human occupation (a piano
nobile) and a ground floor to be occupied by
cattle. The clubhouse follows a similar division
of function – where the first floor is occupied to
public activities (bar, restaurant, banquet hall),
and the ground is reserved for service programs
– golf cart storage, pro shop, snack bar, locker
room and staff offices. Furthermore, materials
traditionally used in local agrarian buildings
were utilized, but in a way that celebrated their
local provenance. The aim was also to use as
much natural light as possible, resulting in
the rethinking of the roof forms and covered
porches that were “aimed” at the landscape.
The roof monitors at night act in reverse – they
emanate colored light, making the Clubhouse
the beacon for the RVG enterprise.
T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
Club House. Night View. Photograph © A+M
Club House. East View. Photograph © A+M
T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
Club House. Night View. Photograph © A+M
Club House. South View. Photograph © A+M
T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
5
7
6
8
9
1
2
3
4
4
SECOND FLOOR
1 BANQUET ROOM 2 BAR 3 RESTAURANT 4 OUTDOOR TERRACE 5 STORAGE 6 KITCHEN 7 MENS WC
8 WOMENS WC 9 ENTRANCE
9
1
7
8
6
6
2
5
3
5
4
GROUND FLOOR
1 ELECTRIC 2 GOLF CART STORAGE 3 SNACK COUNTER 4 PRO SHOP 5 MANAGEMENT 6 LOCKERS 7 WOMENS WC
8 MENS WC 9 STORAGE
T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
10
4
5
3
2
1
10
7
8
9
3
6
14
11
12
13
15
6
14
11
16
17
18
SEQUENTIAL N-S CROSS SECTIONS
1 GOLF CART WASH 2 GOLF CART YARD 3 GOLF CART STORAGE 4 BANQUET ROOM 5 BANQUET ENTRY 6 GARDEN
7 TRACTOR BAR 8 CORRIDOR 9 KITCHEN 10 DAYLIGHT SCOOP 11 OUTDOOR TERRACE 12 RESTAURANT 13 RESTROOMS
14 NIGHT-LITE PROJECTION 15 PRO SHOP/MANAGEMENT 16 MAIN ENTRANCE 17 PRO SHOP ENTRANCE 18 PUTTING GREEN
T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
NORTH ELEVATION
SOUTH ELEVATION
7
8
3
7
8
4
1
8
5
2
6
2
E-W BUILDING SECTION
1 GOLF CART STORAGE 2 RESTROOMS 3 OUTSIDE TERRACE 4 BANQUET ROOM 5 MAIN CORRIDOR 6 MAIN ENTRANCE
7 DAYLIGHT SCOOP 8 NIGHT-LITE PROJECTION
T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
AGRICULTURAL
CORRUGATED PANEL
NATURAL LIGHT SCOOPS
NIGHT-LITE PROJECTION
REFLECTIVE
STANDING SEAM ROOF
SERVICE “BAR”
(STORAGE/UTILITIES,
KITCHEN, RESTROOMS)
VIEW TO BORROWED LANDSCAPE
“SERVED” SPACES
(BANQUET ROOM, BAR,
RESTAURANT)
CONCRETE RETAINING WALL
GLASS BOTTLE
RECYCLING FROM BAR ABOVE
AGRICULTURAL FACADE
STORMWATER TO
GOLF COURSE WATER RESERVOIR
OWNER’S BAR SEAT
VIEW TO TEE #1 AND DRIVING RANGE
VIEW TO PARKING LOT
AND GROUND ENTRANCE
T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
RVG FOOD AND BEVERAGE _ FLEXIBILITY OF OPERATIONS AND SERVING CAPACITIES
1
4
6
5
1
2
3
4
5
6
1
1
2
3
25
40
25
150
50
110
90
115
40
40
6
SERVICE BAR (KITCHEN, RR, STORAGE)
BAR
DINING ROOM
OUTING ROOM
SMALL MEETING ROOM
COVERED OUTDOOR DECKS
110
80
50
240 interior
65 exterior
RVG FOOD AND BEVERAGE _ ADAPTATION OF CLUBHOUSE TO SEASONAL DINING TRENDS
LESS FREQUENTLY USED ON DAILY BASIS
MORE FREQUENTLY USED ON DAILY BASIS
MOST FREQUENTLY USED ON DAILY BASIS
JANUARY
THE BOTTOM LINE: REDUCTION OF LABOR EXPENSES
DECEMBER
T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
Bar Mural. © A+M
Bar in Club House. View of Mural Wall. Photograph © A+M
The Interiors:
The upper level of the Clubhouse was in itself
originally conceived as a varying landscape
of program – a place where diverse clientele
can feel at individually home, but also be able
to come together for events. Partially as a
response to a strict signage ordinance (limited
signage on outside, but a chance for unique
identity inside) and partially to continue with
the local “arts & crafts” tradition, interiors
were designed and executed with the goal of
creating a sense of unique identity through
image & association with the vernacular.
Budget was minimal, yet the necessity to
compete with a traditional private club setting
was also present. With that in mind, a series
of murals were executed by Alex and Jason –
all playing on the theme of a local agricultural
heritage. Even the method of mural production
– which involved a small sketch that was then
mechanically reproduced to a full wall scale
– implied a certain analogue quality of the
place, and echoed the earlier consideration
about “vintage” golf landscapes. Each of the
program components – the bar, the restaurant
and outing hall became identified with their
own mural. A consistent level of detailing and
materials brought all the spaces together,
though their feel is uniquely different.
Club House entry mural. © A+M
T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
Mural in the Bar Extension. © A+M
Mural in the Bar Extension. Club House. Photograph © A+M
T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
Mural in the Restaurant. Club House. Photograph © A+M
m
t
wth f
s su
T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
Restaurant Interior. Club House. Photograph © A+M
T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
Multi-purpose “Agile Wall” at the Banquet Hall. Club House. Photograph © A+M
1
1
4
6
5
4
4
1
2
5
3
1
2
2
OPEN
3
3
sliding door #1
(3x30” hollow cores)
2
3
BANQUETTE ROOM / NORTH WALL ELEVATION
1 SW 6128 BLONDE
sliding door #2
(2x30” hollow cores)
T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
RVG logo & Nolo’s Restaurant Identity. © A+M
The Identity:
Learning from the mural experience, where
small hand sketches were blown up into full
scaled images, the identity program also
involved a lot of “hands-on” graphics. The
logo of RVG, “the Golfer” was crystallized out
of dozens of studies of real people around
the golf course. Bar and restaurant became
associated with the agricultural machinery that
was celebrated in their respective murals. The
RVG clubhouse itself was presented as the
extension of the very barn that once occupied
its place.
T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
The Public Response:
RVG team went against conventional design
wisdom of golf course and golf architecture.
These days more and more golf courses are
operated by large conglomerates. They promote
exclusivity, and take pride in that they can build
a new landscape over anything and everything,
thus creating essentially a transposed foreign
entity. On the contrary, RVG embraced its
locale, its traditions, and above all, its people.
In 2007 it was rated the best public golf course
in the area as deemed by a leading newspaper
poll. The facilities that it provides are used for
meeting spaces and recreation. The landscape
of the course itself integrates into the existing
hills of Central Pennsylvania so well that
neighbors of the community are using it more
and more as a public park. Its architecture is
built upon local tradition. Its identity explains
this “grass roots” approach clearly. Working
together, a local developer and his “imported”
design team were able to push each other to
produce a project that is both very familiar yet
very innovative.
T H E R ICH VAL L E Y P ROJ E C T
Measurable benefits:
Pro shop operation
Careful attention to strategic location of pro
shop and consideration of important sight
lines to the first tee, driving range, cart storage
and staging areas, interior snack bar and retail
shop helped reduce cost and increase revenue.
A typical golf course operation needs one
pro shop attendant, a first tee attendant, and
additional several employees to prepare and
stage golf carts. At RVG, these responsibilities
on a normal weekday can be handled with one
pro shop attendant due to sight accessibility.
On a normal weekday, he or she alone will
process/handle $2000 in golf revenue, $160 in
food & beverage (8% of golf revenue) and $80
in merchandise (4% of golf revenue) during one
7-8 hour shift. In addition, the management
offices were designed with large views facing
the retail shop, pro shop attendant/cash
register and front door. Thus, management
adds an extra layer of surveillance to observe
employee productivity and lend a helping hand
during peak times throughout the day.
Food and beverage operation
According to the Club Manager’s Association
of America and the National Club Manager’s
Association of America, 59% of clubs in the
United States show a loss in their food and
beverage operations, while only 34% report a
profit. The remaining 7% manage to break even.
To address this industry problem, the RVG team
set out to design for utmost flexibility during
the daytime and through seasonal trends. The
design response was to compartmentalize the
serving areas and mechanical systems into
primary zones – the dining room (50 seats),
the bar (40 seats) and the outing room (150
seats); and accommodate overflow from one
zone to the next (i.e. a portion of the bar opens
to outing room, covered decks adjacent to
restaurant and outing room, etc). Flexibility of
the clubhouse compartments helped reduce
overhead and labor costs, which contribute
40-50% of the food and beverage expenses.
On slow days, only one bartender and one cook
are needed to operate while on busy days, as
staff can be added to accommodate demand.
Teaching/learning facility
First Tee, a national program sponsored by the
PGA, focuses on teaching the game of golf to
children. Its initial model for teaching was to
utilize vacant golf holes on golf courses around
the country during the evenings to facilitate
teaching the game of golf to 15-30 youngsters
in an evening. RVG’s 3-hole beginner course
is currently being used by First Tee and can
accommodate 45-60 youngsters in a single
evening. The Susquehanna Chapter First Tee
program is the fastest growing chapter in the
country. RVG serves the most participants in
the Susquehanna Chapter, which started with
only a few members and is now serving nearly
500 beginners under the age of 14.
Maintenance
Utilizing existing accessory agricultural
structures on the property and converting
them to accommodate the maintenance
equipment and supplies scattered on the
site, has effectively reduced the overall
course maintenance. A typical public golf
course maintenance budgets range between
$300,000-$500,000 for an 18-hole golf
course; RVG spends $275,000-$300,000 for
its 18-hole course, 3-hole beginner course,
driving range and practice greens altogether.
Vitality
In the local market over the last 15 years, eight
new public golf courses have been built. Of the
eight, four declared bankruptcy within 4 years
of their start, two have been sold at least once
already, and the remaining two courses (RVG
is one of them) maintain its original owner and
break even. This breakdown mirrors national
industry trends; 20% of the original golf course
owners have some chance of success. The
comprehensive design approach that RVG team
had used in the development of the project has
given the enterprise a clear advantage: taking
into account aesthetic and social concerns has
proven to deliver a better chance of economic
success.