Johan Wijesinghe
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Pilot House
I worked on the restoration of the historic Pilot House (1948), a landmark of mid‑century modern architecture designed by A. Quincy Jones, Whitney R. Smith, and Edgardo Contini, with landscape by Theodore Payne. Originally conceived as a model home for the Crestwood Hills housing cooperative, the Pilot House embodied an experimental vision of collective living, combining modernist design ideals with community‑driven planning.
As a junior designer at Escher Gunewardena Architecture, I contributed to a restoration that sought to modernise the house for contemporary living while safeguarding its architectural integrity. Working closely with S. Platknova and C. A. Teixeira, I helped document the existing conditions with the help of reality capture software, ensuring the architectural and structural details were accurately captured. I supported the design team in updating the kitchen and mechanical systems, balancing functional upgrades with the preservation of original features.
The restoration process extended beyond drawings and digital work. I built physical models for client presentations and internal design studies, offering a tactile representation of the design intent. On site, I assisted in the bathroom and kitchen restoration, ensuring each intervention respected the home’s mid‑century character.
The project was a collaboration between Escher Gunewardena Architecture and Oliver Firth Interiors, and was featured in Architectural Digest (2020) for its sensitive approach to preserving a mid‑century icon. This experience deepened my appreciation for the delicate balance between restoration and adaptation.
Drawings
Partners
Frank Escher, Ravi GuneWardena
Project Team
Sasha Plotkinova, Cristiano Aires Teixeira, Johan Wijesinghe