Page 52 - Spring_2019

ArchDC Spring 2019.qxp_Spring 2019 2/20/19 5:17 PM Page 50

Living room, with view toward Potomac River beyond. Dining room.

Respecting the owners’ wishes to work with the
existing structure as much as possible, the design team,
which included project architect Justin Donovan, AIA, and
Nolan Ediger, AIA, LEED Green Associate, prioritized
the most problematic aspects of the house. Chief among
these from an aesthetic standpoint were the chaotic
roofscape, lack of views to the woods, and what Donovan
described as a “depressing” arrival experience. The
architects realized that the southeast corner of the house,
surrounding the main entry, was the spot where all of
these problems collided. A relatively modest alteration
there could go a long way toward improving the house’s
appearance and livability.
On paper, their design solution for this section of the
Living area before renovation. Photo by Richard Williams Architects
house was simple: A narrow addition running along the
south façade that would regularize the jagged floor plan,
introduce a more consistent roofline, provide space for the porch,” recalled Donovan. “We decided to embrace it
a generously scaled foyer and new dining area, and rather than fight it. The owners really loved the idea, and
incorporate expansive windows overlooking the woods. the builder was game, too.” Accordingly, the architects
Lining the exterior of the addition would be a long screen adapted the design of the simple wooden posts next to the
wall composed of wooden posts mimicking the rhythm entryway, setting them on stainless steel rods embedded
of the surrounding trees, creating a more welcoming in the rock. The bottoms of the wooden posts are at
porch, and bringing architectural consistency to the different heights corresponding to the curvature of the View from kitchen
messy composition. boulder. The resulting undulation in the screen wall toward the river.
“As we started testing out the footprint of this addition, introduces a visual fluidity that complements the
we were confronted with an obstacle—a boulder right by predominantly straight lines of the structure while creating

50 FOUND OPPORTUNITIES