Page 32 - ArchDC_Spring 2020

Living room fireplace.
driveway, knocked out the brick piers between them,
and inserted new, thermally efficient windows into
the enlarged openings. The result preserves the basic
rhythm and proportions of the façade, while allowing
better views and bringing in more natural light. A
curious little asymmetrical bay window off one end of
the kitchen was rebuilt, but here again the architects
added a color accent—a golden yellow inspired by a
leaf that had fallen from a nearby tree as they were
visiting the site one autumn. Around the side, next to
the kitchen, the design team inserted an accordion-
pane window that can be opened wide, allowing
direct service from the kitchen counter to the adjacent
outdoor deck. Finally, for the rear façade facing the
woods, they replaced and rearranged the sliding glass
doors to maximize views and light.
Both the original house and the renovation
exemplify the kind of thoughtfully restrained design
that one finds in many of the most enduring works
of modern architecture. Although Eason Cross died
in 2016 at the age of 90, it seems safe to assume that
if he could somehow see this house once again,
not only would he still recognize his own work,
but would approve of its respectful, even humble
modernization at the hands of Balodemas Architects.
New accordion window between kitchen and deck.
30 A LIGHT TOUCH