Page 22 - Spring_2019

ArchDC Spring 2019.qxp_Spring 2019 2/20/19 5:13 PM Page 20

Main stairwell. Kitchen.

dining and living rooms. Gurney’s biggest intervention voids. The floor boards might seem like obvious candidates
was to create a new stair hall, which in one stroke unites for replacement, but here, painted a dark gray and cleaned
the second floor, opens the kitchen, and provides the most up somewhat, they authentically display the history of the
luminous and completely modern space in the house. house. Perhaps surprisingly, they also help to integrate
The roof over this space was raised a bit to allow a the modern interventions, thanks to the visual parallel
clerestory that provides dramatic daylighting; the new between the dark shadows between the planks and the
stair itself is a meticulously designed and crafted work detailing of the classic reveals that Gurney routinely uses
of art, comfortable in the company of paintings by big- for wall panels and millwork. In this house, there are
name modern artists. multiple places where the dark shadow of a base reveal
The relocation of the rear stair allowed the dining room elides with the shadows in the gaps between the planks.
to expand to a size suitable for large-scale entertaining, A bridge at the upper level of the new stair hall uses
and it now opens to the generous kitchen and walled new planks, painted the same dark gray, placed slightly
patio at the rear via two wide, pivoting door panels. But apart. It’s obviously new—the planks aren’t worn or
the expansion also left the fireplace off center. It thus came irregular, and they rest on exposed black steel runners—
to match the two fireplaces in the double parlor, which yet provides an unmistakable homage to the original.
were also off center of their respective spaces. Gurney This is a large and luxurious residence, with a focus on
responded by extending differing combinations of the aesthetics and craft, but sustainability was not forgotten.
chimney throats, surrounds, hearthstones, and mantles. Foamed insulation was added to the extent possible, and
In each case, the overall element renders the space the entire HVAC system was replaced with the highest-
symmetrical, even though the fireplaces themselves, efficiency system available. All new windows have
historic elements unable to be shifted, remain off-center. insulated glass units, and all new wood is certified as
Each is a marvelous piece of abstract composition, coming from sustainably-managed forests. A small but
and conveniently provides premier spaces for artwork significant move was to add dampers to the chimneys to
that often features similar interplays between regularity keep conditioned air from literally going up the chimney—
and irregularity. this makes a noticeable difference in a house that has
At every turn, old and new play off one another in seven fireplaces.
unexpected ways. For example, the existing wood floors at Underlying the particular green moves was a general
the upper levels have significant gaps between the planks. commitment not to renovate simply for the sake of
The planks are worn and have shrunken somewhat over renovating. This manifests in the preserved wood plank
centuries of use. As is common in very old houses, there floors mentioned above, wood trim throughout the house,
is no subfloor (that is, the planks sit directly on the joists, and most spaces at the third and fourth floors, where
instead of on a sheet of plywood or diagonal boards), aesthetic cohesion and needed upgrades were provided
meaning that the spaces between the planks are black via fairly minor refinements. That said, some of the

20 FEDERAL CASE