MICHAEL ROSS KERSTING, AIA (1964-2022)

Kersting grew up in Las Cruces NM. He earned a BA in 1986 from the University of New Mexico and an MA in Architecture from NCSU in 1990. After working in Washington DC, Kersting moved to Wilmington NC where he worked for Ligon Flynn for about 18 months then Woods Architecture in Santa Fe NM. Kersting worked for contractor Nick Garrett and in parallel established Michael Ross Kersting Architecture PA in Wilmington NC in 1995. He broke off from Garrett around 1997. Kersting died in a biking accident in 2022. The firm continues under partners Mark Wilson and Toby Keeton, below.

Note: Projects are listed in reverse chronological order.

Beyond houses, Kersting is best known in Wilmington for the MEDAC building, left, and the Commodore Club, uniquely built on a barge and towed into place.

2025 - aka Outer Banks.

2024 - The Michael and Tracy Dix House, aka Home@9, 9 Sand Dollar Lane, Wrightsville Beach NC.  Built by King Post Builders; interiors by Peridot.

2024 - The Amy and Walter Gussenhoven House, 2520 White Oak Road, Raleigh NC. Project architect, Toby Keeton. Built by WRBCO.

2024 - aka Dovecote House, Landfall, Wilmington NC. Built by King Post Builders.  Photo by Joshua Curry.

2024 - The Maurice Malfatti Renovation, aka Edgewater Renovation, 116 Edgewater, Wilmington NC. 

2024 - House in Wrightsville Beach NC.  Built.

2024 - The Jim Murray House, aka Between Two Trees, aka Lunar House, Country Club Road, Wilmington NC.   Photos by Michael Blevins.  Built by Murray Construction.

2024 - aka Figure Eight, Wilmington NC. Built by Parker Construction.  Photo by Michael Blevins.

2023 - The Derek and Louise Winstanly Renovation, Chapel Hill NC. 

2023 - The Matthew and Lisa Diggs House, Bradley Creek Road, Wilmington NC. Built.

2023 - aka Sunny Side Up, Summer Rest Road, Wilmington NC. Unbuilt. 

2023 - The John and Amy Monteith House, aka Aalto Haus LLC, aka 4 West, aka Surf Shack, 4 West Atlanta Street, Wrightsville Beach NC. Built by Monteith Construction.

2023 - aka Virginia Beach Renovation, 4002 Ocean Front Avenue, Virginia Beach VA. Addition of a 2nd floor. This is the before photo.

2023 - aka Shire, aka Hobbit House, Summer Rest Road, Wilmington NC. Unbuilt.

2022 - The John Pilli and Sherri Sansing House, aka Pilli-Sansing, aka Tepid Consent, 600 Arboretum Drive, Wilmington NC. Project architect, Mark Wilson. Built by David Lennard; photos by Michael Blevins. The name comes from a letter written by the Landfall HOA tepidly consenting to construction.  Article.

2022 - The Jim Murray Residence, aka Between Two Trees, aka Lunar House, Country Club Road, Wilmington NC. Built.

2022 - The G. Timothy Pate House, aka Longbranch, 4021 Arendell Street, Morehead City NC. Built by Daniels and Daniels.

2022 - The Fred (Jule) and Alisa Smith House, aka Stairway to Heaven, 50 Pelican Drive, Wrightsville Beach NC. Project architects, Toby Keeton and Kara Konkur. Built by Mark Johnson.

2021 - The Mark Capone House, aka Hollow Leg, 13 North Ridge Lane, Wrightsville Beach NC. Photos by Michael Blevins.

2021 - The Larry and Debbie Robbins House, aka Frame, 3018 Randolph Drive, Raleigh NC. Project architect, Toby Keeton. Built by DJF Builders. Photos by Keith Isaacs.

2021 - The Michael and Kari Papagikos Renovation, aka Scope House, 5329 Holt Road, Wilmington NC. Project architect, Ryan Blackwell. Photos by Michael Blevins.

2021 - The Mel Williams House, aka Rip Tide, 819 South Lumina Avenue, Wrightsville Beach NC. Project architect, Jim Graham. Built by Parker Construction. Photos by Michael Blevins.

2020 - The Nancy Dowling House, aka Alpine Modern, aka Alpine Mod, Grandfather Mountain Country Club, Linville NC. Project architect, Mark Wilson; interiors by Peridot; photos by Michael Blevins.

2020 - The Adam Derbyshire House, aka Clear Blue, 302 South Lumina Avenue, Wrightsville Beach NC. Built by Lackey Construction. Bottom three photos by Michael Blevins.

2020 - The Brent Smith and Dorothy Labelle House, aka Shadow House, aka Everetts Creek House, 218 Point Drive, Wilmington NC. Built by Bauen Group.

2019 - The Michael and Karen Schley House, aka Mobius House, 447 Maritime Place, Pine Knoll Shores NC. Built by Sterling Custom Construction. Color photos by Keith Isaacs.

2019 - The Robin Kranich House, aka Surrender, 5 Bayberry Place, Wilmington NC. Built by KingPost Builders. Project architect, Toby Keeton.  Features a secret room, not-so- secret since posted on Facebook!

2019 - The Christopher and Alison Parker House, aka Black Pearl, 1 Auditorium Circle, Wrightsville Beach NC. Built by Parker Construction Group. Landscape architect, Josh Mihaly Land Design; Lysaght and Associates; structural engineers; civil engineers, Coastal Land Design. Includes a lower level pool. Sold in 2023 to Roger and Lisa Jeffs.

2018 - The Joshua (Josh) Mihaly House, aka Mudhinge, 7500 Anaca Point Road, Wilmington NC. Built by Josh Mihaly, Dudley Builders. Photos by Rick Ricozzi.

2018 - The Jennifer Stowe Renovation, aka Ranch Dressing, 214 Seminole Trail, Wilmington NC. Original house built in 1967.

2017 - The Derek Winstanly House, aka Skye Blu, 8 Water Street, Wrightsville Beach NC. Interiors by Peridot. Built by Parker Construction.

2017 - The Robert and Lisa Beller House, aka Heron Watch, 2401 North Lumina Avenue, Wrightsville Beach NC. Built by Sterling Construction.

2017 - The Kevin and Nancy Schimelfenig House, 240 Beach Road North, Figure Eight Island, Wilmington NC. Built by King Post Construction. Formerly the location of the Thomas Stanback House by Henry Johnston.

2017 - The Marci and Joe Thurber House, aka Eastlight, 148 Goodwill Lane, Swansboro NC.

2017 - The Stevens Renovation, aka Blue Dog, Figure Eight Island, Wilmington NC.  Minor changes.  Built.

2016 - The Will and Christy Spencer House, aka Run Ashore, aka Shipwreck, 521 Beach Road North, Figure Eight Island, Wilmington NC. A piece of shipwreck was found during the excavation and will become a sculpture as a memorial. Built by Mark Batson of Tongue and Groove Builders. Has a rooftop pool. Featured in the Wilmington Star News, 4/12/2017. Featured on WRAL's Tarheel Traveler.  Still owners as of 2024.

2016 - The Jeffrey Schrager and Anne York House, aka Surf Gallery, aka Ick Ick Not, 305 South Lumina Avenue, Wrightsville Beach NC. Built by Doster Building Company. Bottom photo depicts original house on the site.

2016 - The Mike and Ozlem (Oz) Nichols House Renovation, 306 North Channel Drive, Wrightsville Beach NC. There was a second phase in 2019. Bottom photo depicts original house, built in 1959.

2015 - The Robert McNeill House, aka Lumina View, 407 South Lumina Avenue, Wrightsville Beach NC. Traditional design. Built by Parker Construction Group. Photos by Michael Blevins.

2015 - The Todd Turner Renovation, aka Transformer, 2 Shore Drive, Wrightsville Beach NC. Built by True Builders. Original house built in 1962. Photos by Rick Ricozzi.

2015 - The Cliff and Anna Benson House, aka Family Affair, 15 Beach Road South, Figure Eight Island, Wilmington NC. Designed for two families.

2015 - The Chris and Amy Knott House, aka Waterline, 34 Pelican Drive, Wrightsville Beach NC. Designed with Toby Keeton. Built by David Lennard. Won 1st place in the People's Choice category in the 2015 Matsumoto Prize.

2015 - The Jennifer and Michael Malion House, 1318 St. Joseph Street, Carolina Beach NC. Built by Parker Construction.

2015 - The Rob and Sharon Smart House, 7904 East Yacht Drive, Oak Island NC.

2014 - The Lynne Herndon Renovation, aka the Equinox House, 7444 Dunbar Road, Wilmington NC. Built by David Lennard Builders. Original house and garage built in 1996, bottom photo. Sold in 2020 to Grant and Nicole Psomas. Photos by Rick Ricozzi.

2014 - The Chris and Alison Parker House, aka the Modern Cottage, aka Sunnybranch, 3004 Sunnybranch Drive, Wilmington NC. Built and developed by Parker Construction Group. Sold in 2015 to Roger Hauger. Sold in 2019 to Jeffrey and Karen Brown.

2013 - The Alice Ray Cathrall House, 621 Dundee Drive, Wilmington NC. Sold in 2019 to Cale and Christy Lewis.

2013 - The Douglas Lebda Renovation, aka the On Water Main House, 1625 Futch Creek Road, Wilmington NC. Interior photos by Michael Blevins.

2013 - The Douglas Lebda Guest House, aka On Water, aka the Taking Flight House, aka Walking on Water, 1625 Futch Creek Road, Wilmington NC. Designed with Toby R. Keeton. Built by Mark Batson, Tongue and Groove Custom Builder. Rudy Dombroski, Structural Engineer. Won 1st place in the 2014 Matsumoto Prize People's Choice category.

2012 - The Mark Batson Remodel, aka 32, aka Rust 32, 32 Pelican Drive, Wrightsville Beach NC. Built by Tongue and Groove Builders LLC, owned by Mark Batson. Photos by Joshua Curry.

2012 - The Walker and Elizabeth Simmons House, aka Sunrise, 10 Beach Road South, Figure Eight Island, Wilmington NC. Featured in Builder Magazine, June 2016. Photos by Chris Edwards Photo.

2011 - The Richard and Sandra Sherwood House Addition and Expansion, aka The Pause/Rewind/Fast Forward House, 2 Beachbay Lane East, Figure Eight Island, Wilmington NC. Built by David Lennard Builders. Original house built in 1980. Sold in 2020 to Edwin and Harriet Poston.

2010 - The Arthur and Sherri Drogue House, 1000 Turnberry Place, Wilmington NC. Traditional design. Photo by Joshua Curry.

2010 - The Vincent and Rosemarie Margagliotta House, 8904 Tilbury Drive, Wilmington NC. Sold in 2015 to Kevin and Kerry Wendel. Sold in 2018 to Brian and Deborah Wheeler.

Around 2010 - The Dalton Residence, aka The Bear Claw House, Smith Mountain Lake VA. Unbuilt.

2009 - The Dennis Gillings House, aka Iron and Wine, 14 East Oxford Street, Wrightsville Beach NC. Sold in 2021 to John and Maura Hillegass.

2008 - The Alvah and Janice Bohannon House, aka Oyster in the Rough, 1518 Landfall Drive, Wilmington NC. Built by the Farlow Group. Landscape design by Pam Kersting. Sold in 2017 to Catherine Crumpton.

2008 - The John and Roberta Wilson Residence, aka Dragonfly Villa, 2012 Northstar Place, Wilmington NC. Photos by Joshua Curry. Built by David Lennard. The landscape architect was Pamela Kersting. Featured in Wrightsville Beach Magazine, August 2008. Won 1st place People's Choice Award in the 2013 George Matsumoto Prize. Sold in 2016 to Jennie A. and Ivan J. Leichtling. Sold in 2021.

2008 - The John A. and Amy Jones Residence, aka Mother Boathouse, 20 Shore Drive, Wrightsville Beach NC.

2008 - The Michael and Donna Sue Jacobs Renovation, 322 Windchase Lane, Wilmington NC. Original house built in 1989. Sold in 2015 to Vivek and Ashley Sikka.

2007 - The Anthony and Patricia Van Schaick House, aka Point 3 Residence, 1015 Ocean Ridge Drive, Wilmington NC. Located in Landfall. Built by the Farlow Group. Commissioned in 2006. Photos by Joshua Curry. Sold in 2024.  Kersting is designing an extensive renovation.

2007 - The Jean LeGwin Renovation, 7515 Dunbar Road, Wilmington NC. Built by David Lennard Builders. Original house built in 1982. Includes a boathouse/gazebo, bottom photo. The project architect was Hunter Paul Coffey.

2007 - The Norman and Mary Lou Garrity House, aka Sandcastle, aka Time and Tide, 2616 North Lumina Avenue, Wrightsville Beach NC. Designed with Hunter Paul Coffey. Interiors by Nancy Mullineaux. Built by Nick Garrett.

2007 - The Jean LeGwin Studio, aka the L2 House, aka House by the Creek, 7515 Dunbar Road, Wilmington NC. On the same property as the LeGwin house above.

2006 - The Paul and Melinda Chipley House, aka Lifeguard Stand, 304 Channel Drive North, Wrightsville Beach NC. Sold in 2019 to Aaron and Lisa Wright.

2006 - The Alice S. Bryant Renovation, aka the Half and Half House Renovation, 513 Channel Drive North, Wrightsville Beach NC. Half traditional beach house, half Modernist house. Built by Jim Shaw Builders. Sold in 2021 to Jennifer and Michael Fayed.

2006 - The Michael and Susanne Werner House, 6913 Running Brook Terrace, Wilmington NC.

2005 - The Michael and Pamela Kersting Residence, aka the Steel Koi House, aka the Architect House, 6917 Running Brook Terrace, Wilmington NC. Built by David Lennard. Photos by Joshua Curry.

2004 - The Roger and Susan Gendron House, aka Tree Hugger, 2214 Allens Lane, Wilmington NC. Also addressed 7001 Airlie Oaks Lane. Sold in 2014 to Lance Lazarus. Sold in 2020 to Kevin and Myra McCarthy.

2003 - The Richard and Sandra Randazzo House, aka Twisted Brick, 2001 Balmoral Place, Landfall, Wilmington NC. Traditional design. Sold in 2018 to Kenneth and Priscilla Lloyd.

2003 - The Loren and Susan Harrell House, aka View to Portugal, 204 Beach Road North, Figure Eight Island, Wilmington NC. Sold in 2012 to Budd H. and Lynne Michel Blackburn.

2002 - The Richard and Jonquille Curwen House, aka On the Creek, 1809 Baywater Court SE, Bolivia NC. Sold to Baywater Rentals LLC.

2002 - The Patrick and Denyse McDonnell House, 812 Wild Dunes Circle, Wilmington NC. Sold in 2020 to William Miller.

2002 - The Richard and Lori Randall House, aka Serpentine, 608 Inverary Way, Wilmington NC. Sold in 2021 to Peter and Tanya Kane.

2001 - The Dennis and Anne Sorhagen Renovation, 6320 Guinea Lane, Wilmington NC. Traditional design. Built by the Farlow Group. Interior Designer, Lydia Rogers & Company. Landscape architect, Pam Kersting. Sold in 2013 to David and Michelle Starbuck. Sold in 2021 to William Futch Jr.

2001 - The William Kersting House, 3401 Vista Primera Road, Las Cruces NM. House for his dad.

2001 - The Jack and Lisbeth Renwick House, aka the Lantern, 6807 Towles Road, Wilmington NC. Built by David Lennard Builders. Sold in 2008 to John R. and Judith Shay. Sold in 2019 to Keith and Terri MacDonald.

2000 - The R. Frederick McCoy House, aka Always Been There, 522 Beach Road North, Figure Eight Island, Wilmington NC.

2000 - The Howard M. and Jane Poole House, 430 Fort Fisher Boulevard North, Kure Beach NC. Later renovations by Art Davis Construction. Sold in 2011 to Terry B. and Nancy Grier. Renovated by Kersting. Sold in 2015 to Kerri K. and Peter J. Connellan.

1999 - The Timothy W. and Heidi Winslow House, 6901 Runningbrook Terrace, Wilmington NC. Sold in 2003 to Gregory and Stephanie Collins. Sold in 2019 to Vincent Burgess IV.

1999 - The Ralph and Teresa Gevinson House, 5915 Hollyholm Trace, Wilmington NC. Traditional design. Built by Nick Garrett. Sold in 2014 to Jeoffrey and Catherine Nathan. Sold in 2019 to Thomas Hardin. Sold in 2021 to Andrea Murphy.

1998 - The Sarah Switzer Keane House, 7424 Fisherman Creek Drive, Wilmington NC. Traditional design. Sold in 2005 to Scott Atkinson. Sold in 2010 to Robert and Abigail Clark.

1997 - The John and Carol Edwards House, aka Koikraft, 2033 Balmoral Place, Wilmington NC. Contemporary design with a huge indoor pool. Sold in 2015 to Terry and Nancy Grier. Sold in 2020 to Mark and Julia Schreiber.

Sources include: Michael Ross Kersting; Wrightsville Beach Magazine; Pam Kersting; Toby Keeton; New Hanover County property records.