Page 65 - Winter_2018

ArchDC Winter 2018.qxp_Winter 2018 11/27/18 9:39 AM Page 63

Washingtonian Award for Excellence

Manifold House
Arlington, VA

David Jameson Architect
Structural Engineers: Wallace Engineering
General Contractor: Sagatov Design and Build

Also featured in the Summer 2018 issue of ARCHITECTUREDC was
the Manifold House, designed by David Jameson, FAIA. The term
manifold can refer either to the car part that feeds a mixture of air

and fuel to the engine or to a part that funnels gases to the exhaust
pipe. Both the name of the house and its design were inspired by
the client’s interest in tinkering with small-scale engines, such as
those of classic Italian motor scooters.
The house was conceived as a glassy box framed in an open,
weathered steel cage. The cage is punctuated by an array of angled
steel fins, which, though fixed in place, suggest the constantly
opening and closing components of an internal combustion engine.
In practical terms, the angled fins modulate sunlight and help ensure
privacy for the glass-enclosed living areas. Seen from the inside,
they create a dynamic frame for outward vistas—as one moves
through the space, sliver views narrow and widen with each step.
The interior of the house is much more complex than it may
seem at first. The primary living/dining is a two-story linear volume
running the length of the house to one side. A narrow band of service
spaces lines the opposite side at ground level. Above that band is a
mezzanine containing a play area and craft room with multiple
openings overlooking the main space. Bedrooms are on the third
floor, which also offers access to the roof deck. At one corner of the
house is an open vertical shaft that visually connects all of the
aboveground levels, while also offering a physical connection between
the yard and the basement, which includes another bedroom and
a playroom/office. Like the layered façade, the organization of the
house is an intricate composition that is full of surprises. Living area of the Manifold House.

The Manifold House as seen
from its side yard.

Photos © Paul Warchol