david jameson architect, alexandria, va.
In its second act, this suburban house mixes Modernist forms with those of its traditional postwar neighbors. Working with the existing foundation walls, architect David Jameson split the house in two from front to back. By inserting a central corridor, he was able to create a prominent gable form on one side that pushes toward the street. The other half of the house, with its modern, curved roof, recedes discreetly toward the rear garden. “The houses on this street have very simple gable forms,” Jameson says, “and porches that are low to the street.” He evoked those low porches with a lead-coated copper brise-soleil that sweeps across the entryway.
Inside, rooms relate to each other laterally, across the corridor. “You can see from one space to the next, but not necessarily everything that’s going on,” Jameson says. “It creates a sense of curiosity as you move through the house.”
The judges praised the house’s sensitive massing. “This was a typical suburban lot that the architect dealt with in a wonderful way,” they said.
project architect: David Jameson, David Jameson Architect
general contractor: Bobby Heslip, Heslip Construction, Manassas, Va.
landscape architect: David Jameson Architect
interior designer: David Jameson Architect
project size: 3,800 square feet
site size: 0.125 acres
construction cost: Withheld
photographer: Anice Hoachlander