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Paul Burk Photography
Rectilinear additions jut out from the original building to crea…
Casa Abierta, Chevy Chase, MD
Merit / Renovation
1 MIN READ
When you aren’t happy in any room of your house, there needs to be a change. The goal of this project, according to architect Janet Bloomberg, was to completely transform this Chevy Chase home from a cramped, divided room scheme into a more inviting concept. Rearranging spaces and adding on in order to generate a private courtyard invites natural light into the newly open floor plan. In addition to improving indoor-outdoor connections, the whole-house renovation architecturally distinguishes the house by exposing interior concrete walls and sloping roof lines. “It’s a clever job that’s very well done,” one juror says.
There were a fair number of technical challenges to converting this standard space into an appealing family home, however. In order to create the illusion of a flat roof, an existing gable roof was tied to the new shed roof spaces added to the back of the house – challenging in and of itself. To achieve a sleek look from the exterior, gutters are re-routed and concealed along the sides of the complex massing. In order to adhere to budget constraints, the team had to get creative with their use of materials, but refused to skimp on doors and windows. Expansive sliding glass doors were key in letting in daylight and connecting the inside and outside spaces.
The clients trusted Bloomberg and her team, she says, and the resulting attention to detail pays off in the end. By working closely with the clients and within a tight budget, the architects created a house in which a modern family can all interact one another, but also maintain a sense of peace and privacy.
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