Washington. DC
This renovation/addition of a 1960’s Washington, DC residence, situated next to the Potomac River preserves the existing structure, while completely transforming the experience of the house. The new intervention operates in the transverse direction, “sliding through” the heavy brick exterior with a lightweight steel and glass addition that modernizes the interior as it moves through the house. The addition consists of a guest suite and shared office, with a new two-story interior den on one side, set within linear stalks of bamboo, and a two-level deck on the other, providing a view of the forest and river beyond. Light steel elements serve as “connecting tissue” between old and new, with a steel bridge connecting to the new office, a steel central interior staircase replacing the previous one, and 2 steel spiral staircases connecting to new upper-level spaces (on the interior, a loft above the master suite, and on the exterior a roof deck). The renovated modern kitchen now opens to the adjoining 2-story den, and the renovated master suite views the landscape through full-height glass. Through cathedral ceilings and full-height glass walls, verticality and a new openness are brought to the interior.
This renovation/addition of a 1960’s Washington, DC residence, situated next to the Potomac River preserves the existing structure, while completely transforming the experience of the house. The new intervention operates in the transverse direction, “sliding through” the heavy brick exterior with a lightweight steel and glass addition that modernizes the interior as it moves through the house. The addition consists of a guest suite and shared office, with a new two-story interior den on one side, set within linear stalks of bamboo, and a two-level deck on the other, providing a view of the forest and river beyond. Light steel elements serve as “connecting tissue” between old and new, with a steel bridge connecting to the new office, a steel central interior staircase replacing the previous one, and 2 steel spiral staircases connecting to new upper-level spaces (on the interior, a loft above the master suite, and on the exterior a roof deck). The renovated modern kitchen now opens to the adjoining 2-story den, and the renovated master suite views the landscape through full-height glass. Through cathedral ceilings and full-height glass walls, verticality and a new openness are brought to the interior.
