Architectural Digest - Legends Only
This year’s January issue of the Architectural Digest featured Supersizing Bliss in and article about Toby’s work and philosophy on the Gerendák home. The theme of the issue was “Legends Only - introducing the 2024 AD100: today’s top talents in interior decoration, architecture, and landscape design.” Toby’s work was displayed in a section labeled “Excellence in Design | Charlotte”.
“Building Bliss”
An Excerpt
here is an excerpt from the article:
>> Toby Witte knows a few things about homes that uplift and inspire—he literally wrote a book on the subject. In Supersizing Bliss: How We Have Betrayed Our Homes and the Happiness We Seek, the award-winning architect takes the reader on a journey to discovering how life-enriching homes are made, an idea he and his firm, Wittehaus, have been manifesting across the Carolinas since 2017.
“We need to focus less on building big houses,” Witte says, “and more on supersizing our home’s ability to nourish us.”
Fundamental to that philosophy is fashioning homes that both reflect the client and interact beautifully with their natural environment. Gerendák is but one stunning snapshot of this ethos. Meticulously designed with the clients’ love of music, breathtaking lakeside views, and aging in place in mind, it is both sustainable—boasting a nearly net-zero energy consumption—and an architectural triumph.
“One of the most striking qualities of the house is how good it feels to be inside it,” Witte says. “It’s a calming and soothing space.”
With a dramatically cantilevered exterior soaring spectacularly over Lake Wylie, Gerendák holds artfully exposed beams and posts that lend a sense of sheltering among lush canopies in a tranquil treehouse. From day one, the home became a testament to Witte’s commitment to achieving contentment through design.
“This journey is about so much more than building a house,” he says. “We’re building happiness, fulfillment, and security. That should be a meaningful experience from start to finish.” <<
