Page 73 - ArchDC_Fall 2020

Main bedroom, overlooking the rear yard. Photo © Jennifer Hughes

Rear of the house
before renovation.

Courtesy of Wakako Tokunaga Kitchen. Photo © Jennifer Hughes
Washingtonian Residential Design Award rear façade was cluttered with two narrow, rickety balconies
that offered little connection to the back yard. The renovation
Re-Rowhouse by WAK TOK architects involved relatively modest changes to
Washington, DC the interior, though the rear façade was removed and replaced
with a three-level addition containing the kitchen on the ground
WAK TOK architects level, the principal bedroom on the second floor, and a guest

Structural Engineers: APAC Engineering room and roof deck above. The kitchen now has sliding glass
doors that allow direct access to the rear yard.
General Contractor: Ley LTD
Original features such as the wood balustrade on the
staircase were restored, and complemented by simple, light-
Architectural awards juries often praise winning projects colored new window frames. Continuing the neutral theme,
for their “restraint.” The term refers to the architect’s skill in the kitchen has a gray tile backsplash, white marble counters,
making the most out of relatively little—creating buildings that and light wood cabinets with a slightly weathered look.
are noteworthy not for their flashy shapes or unusual materials, Similar wood, along with white tile, is used in the master
but for their skillful compositions, effective use of space, and bathroom, helping to tie all of the spaces together visually
attractive yet practical finishes. and conceptually.
The modernization of this 1912 row house in DC’s Petworth With its elegant yet spare aesthetic, the renovated house
neighborhood is an excellent example of such restraint. The evokes a Zen-like sense of calm, while honoring what the
existing house boasted a convenient location and a welcoming architect calls “the rituals of life.”
front porch, but the interior was dark and cramped, and the
INNOVATION THROUGH RENOVATION 71