Page 70 - Winter_2018

ArchDC Winter 2018.qxp_Winter 2018 11/27/18 9:39 AM Page 68

Merit Award in Interior Architecture

Spy House
Alexandria, VA

Jacobsen Architecture LLC
General Contractor: Harry Braswell, Inc.

If Hollywood were to imagine an apartment owned by
two former spies, the space would probably be tricked
out with every espionage-related cliché in the book: hidden
doors, dark nooks, safes nestled behind paintings, and
exotic artifacts obtained during top-secret missions
displayed provocatively on bookshelves. By contrast, this
condominium designed for two actual former U.S.
intelligence officers is open, bright, and seemingly fully
discoverable by guests invited to the owners’ frequent
dinner parties and poker games.
The apartment is a renovation of two previously
conjoined units in a Brutalist high-rise apartment building
in Alexandria, Virginia. While the ceilings were not high,
the combined space offered 270-degree views of the
Potomac River, Old Town Alexandria, and even central
DC in the distance. The existing interior, however, was
incoherently planned and failed to take advantage of the
sweeping vistas.
Jacobsen Architecture was hired to unify the space
Main living area of the Spy House.
and “honor the views.” That required gutting the interior,
including the all-too-common clutter of soffits and bulk-
heads—not to mention a pile of asbestos—and stripping
the space down to bare concrete. Conceptually, that left Kitchen.
only the two horizontal planes of floor and ceiling, a few
vertical intrusions for structure and mechanical services,
and the almost all-glass perimeter on three sides.
The designers devised a new plan to maximize
views not only from each area, but even from just about
every seating surface within the main living spaces.
Where appropriate, they inserted translucent or reflective
partitions to separate spaces gently without compromising
light and views. Vertical elements such as doors, cabinets,
and even air-conditioning grilles were designed to appear
continuous from floor to ceiling, thus minimizing visual
interruptions within the space.
Environment-conscious moves included the
replacement of single-pane sliding-glass doors with new
insulated versions, along with the addition of automatic
shades to manage heat gain and daylight. Zoned HVAC
units allow differential control of distinct areas within the
apartment, maximizing occupants’ comfort while reducing
overall energy consumption. Energy-efficient LED light
fixtures are used throughout.
It’s possible that the ex-spy owners have stashed
microfilm under their mattress or hidden shoe-phones
in their closets, but as far as one can tell, there is
nothing clandestine about this airy, serene, open book
of an apartment.

68 BESPOKE LIVING