This project is a modern residence designed for a narrow, shaded site in Alexandria's historic Rosemont neighborhood. The design responds to the constraints of the urban parcel by using carefully placed openings and a slender architectural form to maximize natural light while maintaining privacy from neighboring homes.

At the heart of the home, a double-height living space serves as the primary gathering area, with a mezzanine and overhead skylights introducing daylight that shifts throughout the day. A vertical stair tower screened by double-height wood louvers provides privacy along the front elevation while allowing light to filter deep into the interior. Front and rear terraces extend the living spaces outdoors, while the primary suite is positioned above a covered porch to take advantage of views overlooking the surrounding landscape. Together, these elements create a light-filled home that transforms a constrained urban site into a calm and inviting modern retreat.

This project transforms an existing home in Alexandria through a comprehensive renovation and addition that gives the residence a renewed architectural identity while preserving the familiarity of its original form. Rather than replacing the home, the design reimagines it from the inside out, creating a modern living environment that reflects the homeowners' evolving lifestyle.

The renovation reorganizes the interior around bright, connected living spaces while expanding the home with carefully integrated additions that improve functionality and strengthen the relationship between the house and its outdoor spaces. Large areas of glazing introduce abundant natural light, and clean architectural detailing unifies the existing structure with the new interventions. The result is a home that feels entirely renewed - a familiar house given a New Dress and, in turn, a new life through thoughtful, modern design.

This project transforms an existing home through a carefully orchestrated two-phase design strategy that balances preservation with reinvention. The project begins by selectively removing portions of the original structure to create opportunities for a more functional and cohesive layout, followed by a comprehensive renovation and addition that reimagines the home for modern family living.

The redesign introduces a new kitchen, mudroom, and stair hall that improve circulation and strengthen the connection between the home's primary living spaces. A new second floor expands the residence with a spacious primary suite, additional bedrooms, and a redesigned stair system, while foundation improvements and a new roof enhance the home's long-term performance and durability. Together, these two phases create a seamless blend of old and new, transforming the original house into a cohesive home designed to evolve with its owners.

This project transforms an existing garage in Arlington into a thoughtfully designed Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) that functions as both an independent living space and a natural extension of the primary residence. Inspired by the efficiency of the tiny house movement, the design maximizes every square foot while creating a comfortable, light-filled environment that adapts to a variety of living arrangements.

The ADU is carefully organized to provide all of the amenities of a standalone home while also serving as flexible space that complements the needs of the main house. Thoughtful planning and attention to zoning and site constraints shaped a design that balances functionality, privacy, and modern simplicity. The result is a compact yet highly efficient living environment that expands the possibilities of the property while remaining cohesive with the existing home.

This project reimagines the kitchen of a 1920s Sears Bungalow by transforming underutilized spaces into a bright, functional gathering area that better serves the needs of everyday living. The renovation respects the character of the original home while introducing a more efficient and contemporary layout.

Spanning the full width of the north side of the house, the new kitchen creates a generous open workspace centered around a 10-foot island that serves as both the focal point of the room and the primary gathering space. The island organizes circulation by directing movement away from the main work areas, improving functionality while maintaining a natural flow throughout the space. The result is a thoughtfully updated kitchen that balances the home's Craftsman heritage with the demands of modern family life.

Christopher Tucker, Design Principal

Kitchen Cabinets by MidSouth Building Supply, Inc.

This project transforms an existing home through a comprehensive renovation and addition designed to support the evolving needs of a growing family. Expanding both the rear and side of the house, the design reimagines the home's organization while creating generous spaces for gathering, everyday living, and quiet retreat.

The additions introduce a spacious primary suite, expanded family room, dining room, butler's pantry, breakfast nook, mudroom, and thoughtfully designed children's bedrooms connected by a Jack-and-Jill bathroom. Together, these new spaces create a more functional home that balances shared family life with private living areas.

The renovation also gives the exterior a renewed architectural identity. New shingle siding transforms the original brick façade, creating a timeless expression that unifies the existing house and the additions into a cohesive composition. The result is a home that feels entirely renewed while providing the flexibility and comfort to grow with the family for years to come.

This project reimagines an original Sears Hamilton Bungalow in Alexandria's Del Ray neighborhood through a comprehensive renovation and thoughtfully integrated additions that provide space for a growing family while celebrating the home's Craftsman heritage. A new second story and rear addition expand the home's footprint with a contemporary interpretation of the classic bungalow, introducing abundant natural light, stronger connections between living spaces, and a more open, functional layout.

The design balances preservation with transformation, maintaining the home's historic character while enhancing it for modern family life. A reorganized circulation spine improves flow throughout the house, while expansive openings connect interior gathering spaces to new outdoor living areas. The project's signature second-floor "birdhouse" primary suite anchors the rear addition, creating a distinctive architectural element that gives the home both its name and its identity.

This project is a comprehensive renovation and addition to an existing single-story brick ranch in the Mount Vernon area of Fairfax County, Virginia. Designed for a local developer in the custom home market, the project transforms the original residence into a larger, more refined home while respecting its traditional character.

The design expands the existing footprint to create an open, flowing floor plan that better supports modern family living. Classic architectural proportions and clean traditional detailing guide both the exterior and interior, resulting in a home that feels timeless yet updated. The careful balance of traditional forms with contemporary functionality gives the renovated residence a renewed sense of sophistication and lasting appeal.

Christopher Tucker, Design Principal

This project is a custom home in Arlington, Virginia, designed for a local developer specializing in the custom residential market. The project reinterprets the traditional Craftsman aesthetic through a refined urban farmhouse design, balancing timeless architectural character with a contemporary sensibility.

The exterior composition features classic proportions and carefully detailed craftsmanship, while the interior introduces clean modern forms and finishes that create bright, functional living spaces. The result is a home that blends traditional warmth with modern simplicity, offering a fresh interpretation of a familiar architectural style.

Christopher Tucker, Design Principal

This project blends modern and traditional design principles to create an airy and open screened porch on an existing urban farmhouse.  The ceiling maintains and open and exposed structure and includes skylights along the rear wall to bring light into the deepest area of the porch.

Christopher Tucker, Design Principal

By adding a small front entrance to this existing townhome, along with a closet and powder room, this project meets the desire for the homeowner to remain in her house for many years to come.

Christopher Tucker, Design Principal

The original house is one of the most recognizable modern residential projects in the DC metro area designed by Robert Gurney. The project's Phase 1, completed by 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.

Phase 2 takes on the client's expanding needs, both practical and to create new exterior spaces for social activities. The new addition consists of a basement art studio with other amenities. On the ground floor, a closed volume serves as a four-car garage following a sculptural carport, whose simple form works to shed water, and serves as a strong counterpoint to the rectilinear geometry of the existing house. This new addition serves as guest parking or exterior parking for the resident, and as a connector to the Japanese moss garden. Its sloping roof and set of pivoting walls, open up to the courtyard and create more areas of interaction whenever social events are held.

Partners:

Square One Development Group, LLC

SPD Landscape Studio, LLC

This addition and renovation project stems from the desire for new space to accommodate a growing family.  The addition includes a new kitchen, family room, and a master suite.  To maximize space in the existing home we have completely removed the existing second floor roof, replacing it with a taller roof and ceiling. Thus allowing for more usable second floor space.  The addition steps down in floor level from the existing house to increase the height of the new first floor.  In plan, a stair and service zone was designed to fit like a "gasket" between the existing house and the addition.  

The first floor kitchen and family room are designed as an "open-plan," with the two spaces separated by an 8 foot island and change in ceiling treatments.   

Christopher Tucker, Design Principal

Located in Arlington, VA, this existing two-story Cape Cod style house was well-loved and bursting at the seams with an expanding family.  A conservative budget determined what could be built immediately, and what would have to be a future project.  MODE4 Architecture designed a master plan to include two phases of construction; phase one was a single-story addition with kitchen and dining room, and would be constructed to support a future second floor addition.  Phase two is the future second floor addition with master suite, and a renovation of the existing second floor, and fits seamlessly atop of the phase one.

An existing non-descript, two-story brick and wood-siding colonial located in the Beverly Hills neighborhood of Alexandria, VA was in need of a face-lift to help define its character, and an addition to expand usable living spaces.  The program includes a new front foyer, pantry, and powder room at the existing first floor, and a new kitchen and family room at the first floor addition. The second floor of the existing house remains largely untouched, while the second floor of the addition is entirely a master suite. 

Located in the Spring Vlleyneighborhood of NW D.C., this is a sizable project with a scope including a full renovation of the existing house and a new two-story addition to the right side. The addition holds a second floor master suite, and a first floor family room, breakfast room, and kitchen.  The existing second floor was redesigned to accommodate an addition bedroom with on-suite bathroom.