Triangle Modernist Houses

Compiled by George Smart, Jr.                                                          

LOUIS SUMNER WINN, JR. (1928-2000)

Sumner Winn grew up in Worchester MA and graduated from Bowdoin College in 1950.  After a year at the Sorbonne in Paris and four years in the Air Force during the Korean War, Winn earned a BS Architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design.  He moved to Chapel Hill around 1960 and worked for Archie Royal Davis until approximately 1968 when he joined Don Stewart's firm as a partner.  He left in 1973 to form his own practice in Chapel Hill.  Most of his records and drawings were destroyed in 1994 when his home office at 127 Stateside Drive burned. 

With wife Genie, he rebuilt the house in 1998 but professionally spent his last years sharing an office in Carrboro with designer John Lindsey, known for the Wellspring Groceries, Magnolia Grill, and Aurora among others.

1957 - The RJ Shankle Residence, 1306 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill.  2400 square feet. Sold in 1982 to Jeffrey Tyler.  Sold in 1995 to Elinor Koechley.  Sold in 2008.  Renovations underway by designer John Lindsey.

1965 - The Bennie and Jeannette Barker Residence, 517 Lakeshore Lane, Chapel Hill.  3200 sf on one acre. 
Sold to current owners Robert and Marian Mueller in 1975.  Sold in 2008.  Photos by Derek Mangum.

1966 - The Richard Hiskey Residence, 521 Lakeshore Lane, Chapel Hill.  Designed by Winn and Jon Condoret. Sold to current owners Jim and Cassandra Sloop in 1979.  Renovated by Jon Condoret. Sold in 2008 to John G. and Eleanor M. Lipham.

1966 - The E. J. "Peg" and Patsy Owens House, 812 Kenmore Road, Chapel Hill.  Owens, the developer for the Lake Forest neighborhood, died in 1971 and his house on 12 acres was sold to the current owner, Britt Properties, controlled by Amway executives Bill and Peggy Britt.  The Britts subsequently engaged Winn to design several landscape and interior renovations. 

1970 - 2619 Meacham Road, Chapel Hill.  12.34 acres and a pool.  2986 sf.  Three bedrooms, 3.5 baths.  Bought by Albert Mattocks in 1996.  For sale here by his trustees.  Top four photos by Peter Simon.

1972 - The James and Martha Lamb House, 612 Greenwood Road, Chapel Hill.  Sold to Barrie and Arlene Bergman in the late 1970's.  Later, it was owned jointly by the National Humanities Center and Robert and Carolyn Connor as a guest house for visiting scholars.  Sold to Joseph Woodman.  Sold to current owner Daniel Colella.

1979 - The Terry Sanford Residence on 2500 Auburn Street, Durham.
Currently owned by Charlotte and Banks Clark. 

1998 - Renovation of his home/office at 127 Stateside Drive, Chapel Hill.  
After Winn's death, it was sold in 2001 to Cherie Kuzmiak.

Winn's previous personal house on Shady Lawn in Chapel Hill. 
Sold to Frank and Rosemary Munger in 1971.  No photo.  Do you have one?

1970's - The Edgar Foster Daniels House, 611 Brookview Drive, Chapel Hill. Sold in 1988 to current owners Howard and Carrie Krasnow.  No photo. Do you have one?

604 Brookview Drive, Chapel Hill, owned by Richard Simpson.  No photo.  Do you have one?

Learned Court, Durham.  No photo. No address. Do you have one?

1956 - The James Carney House, 201 Lystra Estates Drive, Chatham County.  Now owned by Stewart Gold.  Renovation by John Lindsey.

About 1999 - Winn's last house.  Bowden Road, Chapel Hill.  Built for Mark and Carol Owens.  Mark grew up in an earlier Winn house.  Sold to a new owner.