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Rowhouse Redux

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Rowhouse Redux

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    Debi Fox

    Division1 Architects in Washington, D.C., transformed this early 20th-century rowhouse from a series of fragmented rooms into an open, flexible plan with lots of light. The new front entry offers protection from the elements and the clean lines suggest what’s to come inside.

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    Debi Fox

    The existing front was plain and open to the elements.

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    Debi Fox

    The main floor contains continuous living, kitchen, dining spaces – in a double-height space -- and a full bath. A large, operable sliding door offers privacy for a bedroom at the rear of that level -- which terminates into a full glazing wall and balcony. A combination of a geo-exchange HVAC system and radiant floor heating maintains a high degree of thermal comfort with little energy use.

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    Debi Fox

    The original design had small fragmented spaces.

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    Debi Fox

    The second floor now contains two large bedrooms connected by a bridge that traverses across the grand double height space below. One can move further up to a third floor office space and then onto the newly reconfigured roof.

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    Debi Fox

    The newly designed roof holds the photovoltaic system as well as an irrigation system, which captures and reuses exterior run-off for watering vegetation.

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    Debi Fox

    The back of the rowhouse before renovations.

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    Debi Fox

    After renovations, the back addition adds a back patio to the living space of the cellar apartment, which now has a generous front entry, two bedrooms, a bathroom, living and kitchen areas.

Project Details

Architect: Ali Honarkar, Division1 Architects, Washington, D.C.

Contractor: Don Malnati, Renovations Unlimited, Washington

 

Priorities

  • Use sustainable design principles to transform an early 20th-century rowhouse
  • Unify a series of fragmented rooms to create an open, flexible space with abundant light

Solutions

In the long, narrow interior, Division1 Architects knocked down walls to create a continuous living space from front to back; broke through floors — the kitchen and living room are in double-height space; and replaced stairwell walls with glass half-walls. Skylights admit natural light. Architect Ali Honarkar used sustainable technology such as German techniques for passive cooling and ventilation, an internal gray-water recycling system, and a rooftop irrigation system. A combination of a geo-exchange HVAC system and radiant floor heating maintains comfortable temperatures with little energy use. Photovoltaics capture solar energy to power many of the appliances.

Judges’ comments

“The interior is incredibly modern and sculptural and has a calming austerity. The design implements several sustainably minded alternative energy strategies that seem to motivate its overarching plan.”

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