Page 63 - ArchDC_Fall 2020

Waterfront façade.

All photos © Maxwell MacKenzie Architectural Photographer Close-up of one of the glass connectors.
the architects needed to fit such a large structure within the site
constraints. The five-part plan also recalls the accretive forms
of many traditional houses of the Mid-Atlantic region that
were expanded in multiple phases over the years. Also evoking
local traditions are the white shiplap siding, framed windows,
steeply pitched roofs, and tall chimneys. That said, the overall
impression of the house is quite modern, thanks in part to the
glass walls of the hyphens, affording views from the auto court
to the water beyond, along with the low white-painted brick
plinth that creates a sleek visual foundation for the structure.
Gently breaking the near-perfect symmetry is a one-story,
nearly all-glass wing to the west, which houses the family room.
The interiors are equally spare—free of extraneous trim,
painted a consistent white, and minimally furnished. The
simple spaces serve to focus occupants’ attention toward the
views of the water. The one flight of fancy inside the house is a
curvilinear staircase in the entry hall, which introduces a hint
of neo-Art Deco sensuousness in an otherwise restrained and
rectilinear environment. View from the dining room toward the terrace, with the kitchen and family room at left.
METROPOLITAN HOMES 61