Bethesda, Maryland

A couple with Maryland roots decided to move back home from New York with their two children. The husband’s job – he is an international salt dealer – was the inspiration for the 4,860-square-foot house’s blocky form. The architects helped scout the suburban half-acre site for their clients, and then kept the footings and foundation of a previous house on the site intact. To maintain the low scale common to the neighborhood, they buried the first and second stories into a slope.

The wood structure is clad in stucco, with long, linear windows that obscure the scale of the house. The architects note that from the front, it appears to be three stories, but from the back, where the slope rises, it looks like one. Inside, blonde ash floors help to reflect the natural light. A family room encompasses a double height space with views to the second floor and a glass balustrade. A stairway and an elevator are the two vertical elements that divide the house. One must pass between them to reach the kitchen from the family room.

People

Owner: withheld

Location: Maryland

Completion Date: January 2012

Total construction cost: withheld

Architect:
David Jameson Architect
4435 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Suite 410
Washington, D.C. 20016
T 703.739.3840
davidjamesonarchitect.com

Personnel in architect's firm who should receive special credit:
David Jameson, FAIA Ron Southwick

Interior designer:
David Jameson Architect Inc.

Engineer(s):
Linton Engineering

General contractor:
John Thompson

Photographer(s):
Paul Warchol 212.431.3461

 

Products

Structural system
wood frame

Exterior cladding
Stucco

Metal/glass curtain wall:
Kawneer/Gaithersburg Glass

Moisture barrier:
Tyvek

Roofing
Firestone TPO

Metal frame Windows:
Kawneer

Doors
Entrances:
Custom-John Weaver

Hardware
Locksets: Omnia

Interior finishes
Cabinetwork and custom woodwork:
John Weaver

Floor and wall tile:
Stone Source

Furnishings
Other furniture:
Furniture from Scandinavia

Lighting
Downlights:
halo

Conveyance
Elevators/Escalators:
Premier Lift

Plumbing
Duravit/ Blanco/ Hansgrohe