WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Visionary Architectural Engineer, Christopher Parker, P.E., Principal Engineer, and Owner of Parker Construction Group, sits down for a rare interview to reveal a glimpse into the excruciating attention to detail, engineering, and craftsmanship involved in the creation of this one-of-a-kind living work of art.
“I build functional art,” Christopher Parker, P.E. frankly states as he sits down at the massive and stunning, architectural cast-in-place concrete kitchen island. “And this is my masterpiece.”
Talking with Chris you get the feeling that you are speaking with someone operating on many different planes of consciousness all at once. Dressed in a t-shirt, work pants, and bare feet, the award-winning, visionary Architectural Engineer looks like a youthful professional surfer yet speaks like a Wizened Master Craftsman and Creative Systems Engineer. He moves adeptly from subject to subject passionately discussing Cast in Place Concrete Formwork Design and Geothermal De-Superheaters to his work with nature-inspired Architect Tom Kundig, FAIA & Farming Kona K7 Coffee on his Regenerative Agroforestry Plantation in Maui Hawai’i. Parker can be described as an ambitious artist, an innovative engineer, and thought-leading entrepreneur all in one.
In a recent interview, Chris discussed his current newsworthy project, now the highest priced private residence in North Carolina.
Sitting on the highest piece of property on Harbor Island, Wrightsville Beach, NC, the 8,622 sq/ft home at 1 Auditorium Circle is, to come straight to the point, magnificent. To say it feels like a Four-Seasons luxury resort in Hawai’i does not do it justice. Every detail is spectacular, from the leather-wrapped stair treads to the Ipé board formed reveals in the concrete chimney walls. It takes profound concentration to absorb all the construction nuances; from the obvious to the unseen, every part of the home has a specific reason for being.
Highlights of the home include structural steel moment frames and architectural cast in place concrete construction methods executed utilizing innovative techniques pioneered by Parker; custom-milled Ipé; American walnut millwork with African Wenge in-lays, architecturally sawn white oak walls, full Crestron Automation throughout. The list goes on and on, including a fascinating detail that the home features the largest private photovoltaic energy generating system in the town of Wrightsville Beach.
When asked why Wrightsville Beach for such a venture, Chris says, “this is one of the coolest boutique beach towns anywhere in the states. It has an urban-beach vibe, an active outdoor lifestyle, and it’s just really a nice place to be. I immediately knew this was the location for a truly remarkable project. It took nearly seven years from property acquisition, design, permitting, & construction.” The site overlooks the primary entrance to downtown, with a direct view of the famous ‘Loop’ which is always active, and the majestic Atlantic Ocean in the distance. And you can walk to it all. Take in all the action quietly from inside the home or from one of the two massive decks or the rooftop lounge complete with its own fireplace. From every level, there are long-range views that go on for days in every direction.
“The entire project including the marine construction was built with no budget constraints and was personally managed by me every step of the way. It’s art, but much more than that it’s engineering in the form of functional art,” says Parker.
This stunning home is truly a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. The new buyer won’t just be purchasing a remarkable personal residence, but also curating a Christopher Parker, P.E. original. There will never be another private residence like this one. The property and the home breathe life and a special purpose into each other, and it really took a visionary artist and engineer to have put the two pieces together in such a spectacular way.
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