Perched on a bluff overlooking the Potomac River, this custom home sits just south of Mount Vernon on land marked by two historic property boundaries tied to George Washington’s tenure in the area. The design draws inspiration from Washington’s stone Gristmill, reinterpreted with a crisp, modern sensibility. Two primary stone volumes are linked by a multi-level glass and steel connector, framing views of the river beyond. The site includes an English garden, a pool, terraced landscaping with vibrant shade foliage, and a side patio.
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Front Dusk
Project Narrative
This project represents a complete transformation of a mid-century modern developer home into a refined expression of MODE4’s Quiet Modern ethos. Located at the end of a cul-de-sac and framed by mature trees, the home is both sheltered and open—its new form shaped by the interplay of light, rhythm, and proportion.
Rather than preserving the existing structure, the design sought to redefine it. Select portions were retained only to redirect resources toward new construction. When much of the original envelope proved structurally compromised, it allowed the opportunity to rebuild with a taller roof and a stronger architectural identity. The resulting composition—a series of vertical tower elements nested within a larger, unified mass—creates a sense of balance and calm presence on the site.
Inspired by the image of musical notes dancing across a staff, a nod to the clients’ teenage daughter, a pianist, the design captures a lyrical sense of movement through its vertical rhythm and light-filled volumes.
A new L-shaped plan establishes a modern reinterpretation of the traditional court-and-garden relationship. The driveway “court” leads through a double-height foyer anchored by the main stair and visually extends to the rear terrace “garden.” Inside, layered spaces blend openness and intimacy—expressing MODE4’s enduring pursuit of architecture that feels both grounded and elevated, composed and quietly modern.
The coronavirus pandemic underscored the need for dedicated home offices and moments of retreat within the domestic environment. PERCH responds to these evolving patterns of living by elevating—both literally and conceptually—the home office and primary suite into a defined destinations within the most valuable spatial zones of the house.
This two-story addition introduces a modern counterpoint to the original traditional structure, using contrast to clarify the evolution of the home. A key organizing move was the creation of a cantilevered upper volume—a “hovering box”—which extends beyond the ground floor footprint to provide a sheltered terrace space below. Positioned at the tree canopy level, this upper volume offers elevated views across the rear garden and beyond, reinforcing a connection to the landscape while maintaining privacy.
The new primary bedroom sits within this volume and is shaped by a vaulted ceiling and clerestory glazing that modulate daylight throughout the day. Light becomes a defining element in the space, animating the surfaces and heightening the sense of openness.
At the center of the plan, a new steel stair introduces a warmer modern language into the home’s core. It serves as a visual and functional transition between the existing traditional architecture and the more contemporary expression of the addition—most notably the mudroom and second-floor office suite.
A double-height glass and steel enclosure anchors the rear of the house. On the ground level, it frames a new mudroom with custom floor-to-ceiling white oak armoire cabinetry. Above, the impetus for the project, the second-floor office space is outfitted with built-in desk and shelving, and opens onto a new roof deck that provides an additional outdoor space immersed in the tree canopy.
The homeowners of this project, both astute art collectors and architecture aficionados, were interested in designing a renovation and addition to their home, which is one of the most recognizable modern residential projects in the DC metro area. Designed by Robert Gurney, the original glass and steel home included a two-car garage and a gravel wraparound driveway. The homeowners viewed both areas as opportunities for a new dining room and an exterior garden space.
MODE4 Architecture converted the existing garage space into a new dining room/ art gallery, and reimagined the existing gravel driveway as a new Japanese moss garden with the help of Landscape architect, Scott Pitner. The new dining room looks out onto the moss garden and a sculpture green in the distance. The garden design pulls from the modular grid and finish pallet of the original exterior structure and weaves the natural landscape through its underlying rigid geometry. Chris designed a new procession to the main front entrance, leading the user through the moss garden via a steel and wooden bridge, allowing the homeowners to experience this contemplative space daily, as they come and go.
Photos by Hoachlander Davis Photography
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Data HQ
An existing warehouse attached to a brick house serving as the future office space for a software firm. Staying true to the industrial nature of the warehouse, the design approach incorporates exposed wood and metal brought together by clean sharp walls in an industrial yet minimalist style. The warehouse will function as the primary space allowing the existing house to serve additional office space. The warehouse will be equipped with an open lounge/collaboration space, dining/kitchen area, a social space with a golf simulator, and a break area with a wet bar.
The existing warehouse was made into an open office concept with a mezzanine serving as the main conference room surrounded by north-facing windows for natural light. The heart of the building is a new sculptural wood and metal stair that connects all areas on the 2nd floor with a bridge. The central stair goes from the basement up the 2nd floor within a triple-height void, topped with a large skylight. This skylight will bring natural light to the center of the building where no windows are available. Optimizing the use of natural light in conjunction with the openness of the spaces, transforms an otherwise heavy and sterile building into a light and airy modern office.
An exciting project in Alexandria, where our goal is to create a harmonious blend of comfort, functionality, and modern aesthetics. The design centers around a light-filled, open-concept kitchen that seamlessly connects to the family and dining areas. We’re also focusing on enhancing the outdoor living experience, with plans for a new addition that maximizes glass usage for better visual connectedness to the exterior spaces. A key part of our project is the development of an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) that not only provides additional living space but also complements the main house. We’re addressing unique challenges such as high water tables and zoning restrictions, and are committed to delivering a design that aligns with the owners’ preferences and lifestyle needs.
The project is a transformative architectural endeavor. It commences with interior demolitions, followed by the creation of a conditioned crawl space in the basement. The first floor sees a conversion of garage space into a bathroom and kitchen, along with the addition of a family room. A new second floor is added, housing a master suite, bedrooms, and an office. The project concludes with the construction of a new roof for the second-floor addition.
Every element of this project, from the conditioned crawl space in the basement to the new additions on the first and second floors, has been meticulously planned and executed. The result is a beautifully combined space that is not just a house, but a home. The “Gast” project is a perfect example of how great design can transform spaces into a cohesive, comfortable, and stylish living environment.
The project involves adding a secondary entrance and covered porch to the existing house, potentially reusing the existing side porch structure. We’re also creating new visual and physical connections to the rear yard and new pool area, possibly using French doors and larger windows. A new rear patio or deck is in the works, and we’re coordinating with new landscape design and master planning for a cohesive design that incorporates a new rear guest house/pool house.
The guest/pool house, or Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), will be constructed on a newly acquired lot at King Street. This space is designed to be a haven for relaxation and entertainment, with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, outdoor gathering space, a possible firepit, and a hot tub. The guest house will also feature living spaces, a kitchen, and a full-height basement with a gym/spa area.
In addition to these major renovations, we’re also undertaking exterior and interior maintenance as needed. A master site plan is being developed to explore possible locations for the guesthouse.
The design vision for this project is centered around creating warm, comfortable spaces that are modern in style. We’re focusing on light-filled spaces to maximize daylight and visual connectedness to both interior and exterior spaces. The design philosophy is “less is more”, aiming for clean lines, uncluttered spaces, and a clear diagram of spaces.
The visual connection, being surrounded by nature, and the relationship between the parts all matter. By blending the pathway, the landscape, and finally the house, we were able to achieve the goal of creating several connections between the landscape and the house itself. Actually, this connection begins at the entrance, emphasizing how this separation and connection started there.
Harbour School
Site Analysis
To begin setting the footprint of our design, a zoning and solar analysis of the existing site was performed to determine the allowed Buildable Area (see Schematic Pricing Set.) An on-site review of the existing structural framing was conducted by our structural engineer to determine the constraints and feasibility of reusing the existing structure. (See Linton Engineering Report.) The findings from both the site analysis and structural report helped drive the design thought process.
Program Objectives
Our program objectives were compiled through a survey to the AHPS teachers and staff which asked to prioritize design requirements into a list of “must haves”, “nice to haves”, “dream”, and “not required” components. The schematic design you see here provides all the “must have” and “nice to have” while also providing solutions for unmentioned items such as facility storage and kitchen.
Additionally, the proposed solution is designed to accommodate a “flexible-space” to work with future uses in lieu of a pre-school program, if necessary.
Our guiding programmatic design elements can be summarized as follows:
• Circulation Areas
• Classroom Spaces
• Care/Administration Spaces
• Service/Utility Spaces
Design Narrative
We set forth with the design objective of utilizing the existing structure in a “One Room Schoolhouse Concept.” We quickly identified the spatial limitations set by the existing building footprint and understood additional square footage would be required to accommodate the non-classroom spaces. (See the “Parti” diagram in the Schematic Pricing Set, Sheet 5/15.)
Our design scheme can be broken down into three components: Lighthouse, Pavilion, and Loggia.
1. Lighthouse
• The design uses a taller, skylight structure, representing a “lighthouse” to orient and direct the building’s user.
• The lighthouse is approximately oriented to the north to capture indirect natural daylight.
• The natural daylight from the lighthouse is used to reduce the amount of electric lighting needed in the classroom building.
2. Pavilion
• The design uses the original (existing) building to house the learning spaces, conceptually in a “one-room schoolhouse.
• The design celebrates the reuse of the existing building by allowing the ceiling to remain full- height and expressing the existing collar-tie structure. The learning spaces feel as if they take place under a large “tent” or classroom pavilion.
• The classroom pavilion is organized into separate spaces (play, eating/learning, reading/soft- zone, group/audio-visual).
3. Loggia
• The new entry loggia is an integral part of the design solution. Relocating the entry to the left side of the existing building allows the pavilion to be in use without interruption from users coming and going to the building.
• The loggia structure “wraps” the pavilion building and allows for support and administrative spaces to be housed outside of the pavilion.
• The “wrapper” addresses AHPS program needs by providing a singular access path to all the direct components needed for the school and Organization.
Life Shift/Bird's View (Hussle)
A small addition to an existing Townhouse in Alexandria. The program consists of a multi use garage with an open roof deck with a vertical slatted wood screen for privacy
