Foxhall Village is an affluent neighborhood in Washington, DC known for its handsome, architecturally diverse homes and its convenient location close to the shops, restaurants and businesses along the Foxhall Road and MacArthur Boulevard. Near the Georgetown Historic District, it is surrounded by mature trees, Tudor Homes, Embassies and the Georgetown reservoir nearby. This property is located on a flat lot surrounded by nature and tall trees.

The footprint of the existing house remained as is and new square footage was added to the back of the building. New fenestration were created on all facades to accentuate natural light, ventilation and intensify the relationship between man and nature. The program was clear and composed of three main requirements: a new pool, a welcoming social area and new bedrooms for the kids.

The owners are avid swimmers and desired an indoor pool. Used as a storage space once, today the garage holds a body of water that allow you to swim to infinity. A garage door was transformed into windows to allow natural ventilation and light.

The pool is a visual key of the first-floor design. Glass separates pool from kitchen allowing a glimpse of it from several angles on the main floor. The adjacent kitchen was conceived as a family room where members gather, tell stories and build relationships. The dining room is located at the center of the great room and inundated with natural light. On one side it faces a glass wall overlooking the wooded rear yard and on the other it looks at the Embassy’s gardens. At the front of the house, the entrance was relocated to accommodate a large foyer and mud room. A sense of transparency was accentuated with openings on the front and rear façade that align and create a see-through lasting first impression.

On the upper level the children share a large space that can be divided into private rooms by sliding wall panels. The open footprint of the bedrooms reinforces the notion of family, friendship and justice among siblings and inspires the concept of sharing. A combination intersecting spaces and strategically located high glass panels ensure light penetration at all times of day. Large operable windows provide natural ventilation. To maximize the use of the space, the sleeping areas are located above ground on custom designed bunk beds. The importance of light, ventilation and nature was also applied to each of these cocoons with windows adjacent to the sleeping nooks.

The addition has a reflective skin that constantly tells the passing of time by changing colors based on the pattern of clouds in the skies. The second-floor terrace is surrounded by mature trees providing shade and privacy to the family.

Throughout the project the values of light, openness, scale, community and discovery were applied and used not only to create beautiful spaces but also to tell the story of an eclectic family with a love for modern architecture and social responsibility.

Located in Foxhall, Washington D.C.