Page 21 - Spring_2019
P. 21
ArchDC Spring 2019.qxp_Spring 2019 2/20/19 5:13 PM Page 19
Front façade.
“They don’t mess around,” said Robert M. Gurney, FAIA,
of his clients for a substantial renovation of a large row
house on Cox’s Row, one of the most historic Federal-
style groupings in Georgetown. “They want—and
have—the finest of everything, including a summer house
in Cape Cod by a famous and admired architect. I was
honored to be hired for their main residence.”
In this case, everything includes the architecture of
the circa 1820 row house, certainly, but also the new
architecture of the renovation, a top-notch art collection,
and sumptuous furnishings. The clients were classic empty
nesters, still living in a comfortable house where they
raised their family, but ready for another chapter in their
lives. The pedestrian convenience of Georgetown was a
big draw, but so were the high ceilings and large wall
surfaces of the row house—much better for art display
than the walls of their detached house.
Although known for very striking, highly modern
new houses—often in sylvan settings devoid of serious
contextual constraints—Gurney has previously done
renovations in tight urban settings, including several in
Georgetown. “What’s critical is to strike the balance
between the old and new,” he said. Balance is what
melds the eclectic parts into a unified and serene whole.
Sometimes the new elements are clearly discrete additions,
Project: Renovation on Cox’s Row, completely surrounded by the old, but in most areas,
more complex blending occurs.
Washington, DC
Perhaps not surprisingly for a 120-foot deep row
Architects: Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect house, the structure had two stairways: a grand stair
Interior Designers: LSS Interiors serving the four-story front block of the house and a
Landscape Architects: Campion Hruby Landscape Architects
Structural Engineers: United Structural Engineers, Inc. smaller stair serving the two-story rear wing. Peculiarly,
Contractor: Peterson & Collins however, the second floor didn’t connect through. And
unfortunately, the rear stair cut off the kitchen from the
Photos © Anice Hoachlander/Hoachlander Davis
Photography, except as noted
FEDERAL CASE 19
