This year, the American Institute of Architects Baltimore Chapter and ChesapeakeHome introduce a new partnership: a design competition recognizing excellence in residential architecture as displayed by architects and/or residences in Maryland. This year’s competition drew 36 standout entries from around the region, from waterfront cottages, row home renovations, and re-imagined mid- 20th century contemporaries to loft-like vacation homes, classic farmhouses, and eco-chic pads. Of the 36 projects, this year’s judges—Paul Klee, AIA, of Grimm + Parker Architects; Chris Parts, AIA, of Hord Coplan Macht; and Scott Vieth, AIA, of Ayers/Saint/Gross—chose five entries to honor with awards in Distinctive Residential Architecture.
Robert M. Gurney, FAIA
robertgurneyarchitect.com or 703-739-3843
“The structure fits very nicely into the woods; there’s a dialog between it and the natural environment.” –Paul Klee
This light-filled home on a wooded acre in Potomac, Maryland stood out due to architect Robert M. Gurney’s use of rich materials and simple forms, as well as his ability to relate the structure to its natural environment.
The home is comprised of three separate volumes, each distinguished by different rooflines. The main part of the home, a two-story space with a butterfly-shaped roof, houses an open living, dining, and kitchen space and two home offices. The garage and service spaces are shed-roofed and constructed with corrugated galvalume, and the master bedroom suite is flat-roofed with a Corten steel exterior. “The contrast of materials makes it very dynamic, like the vertical elements of the fireplace and horizontal lines of the siding in contrast to one another,” remarks juror Chris Parts. “The textures and colors of the materials are just very nicely composed.”
Re_Solve Studios
charvey@hcm2.com or 443-451-2417
Architects: Chris Harvey and Nick Mansperger
“It’s a celebration of the expressive character of the existing masonry. The exterior, contemporary character has a wonderful dialogue with the city’s urban context.” –Paul Klee
Re_Solve Studios completely revamped this row home, which was once a bakery in Baltimore’s Brewer’s Hill neighborhood, while paying homage to its historic roots. “Outside and in, it’s a dramatic transformation of space,” says Parts. “I like the contrast between the punched openings of the old and the ribbon windows of the new space, and on the interior, there’s a great contrast between the raw brick with the finished surfaces.”
Keeping the original two-story façade in place, the architects designed a third story in glass and gray stucco, forming open and airy interiors with wider views of the urban landscape. Crafting a two-story living room, foyer, kitchen, and dining area helps light to filter into every space and creates vertical unity connecting the basement level through to the third floor family room and rooftop terraces, prompting Klee to call it “very well portioned in a contemporary way.”
Good Architecture
goodarchitecture.com or 410-268-7414
“There’s thoughtful, consistent detailing from outside to in. …every view has a nice connection to the outside.” –Chris Parts
Inspired by 19th century waterman’s houses and vernacular boat sheds on Virginia’s east coast, this home takes advantage of sweeping views of the South River and Chesapeake Bay while honoring the region’s architectural history in its design.
A breathtaking glass tower structure offers panoramas of the water from shaded outdoor seating at deck level, the second floor master bedroom, and an intimate third level room with 270-degree views. Good Architecture was careful to balance these spaces with plenty of private areas in the north and west-facing parts of the structure. “The architect really established a great dialog relative to the boatshed vernacular and included appropriate details throughout the structure. The façade parti wonderfully expresses the interior spaces by providing punched openings to the public side and a large glass wall to the private/natural side of the site,” Klee comments.
The judges also liked the way Good Architecture integrated interior and exterior elements into the existing environment. “I definitely like the connection to the grounds,” says juror Scott Vieth. “It is a well executed connection of the exterior terrace to the landscape.”
Robert M. Gurney, FAIA
robertgurneyarchitect.com or 703-739-3843
“It’s a great example of how to use simple materials well, and the architect really kept in mind how the light works with those materials.” –Chris Parts
Originally a 1960s post-and-beam home, the proximity of this Annapolis residence to a Chesapeake Bay estuary called Crab Creek obliged Robert M. Gurney to plan the new house within the footprint of the original structure. To create the space required by his clients, Gurney composed a house organized around a central core from which volumes extend up, not out. Because environmental regulations limited both the expansion of the footprint and additional square footage, a unique arrangement of spaces was necessary. It is this creative organization of space that intrigued Vieth. “I like the clear diagram with modules along a spine that open up to the exterior,” he says. “The exterior composition overall is very compelling.”
The architect was mindful of creating views toward Crab Creek from most rooms in the house, and was sure to integrate these views, ample light, and natural materials into its design.
Wiedemann Architects
wiedemannarchitects.com or 301-652-4022
“There’s an inventive use of traditional architecture all built around a very efficient floor plan.” –Scott Vieth
Wiedemann Architects employed a T-shaped floor plan to make room for an active family of five while still allowing the scale of the home to look and feel balanced with the other houses in the neighborhood. The lot is small but distinctive, as it affords the homeowners views of the Potomac River, which Wiedemann Architects captured through designing a second-floor arched balcony off the master suite. This, along with many other elements, show an attention to detail that impressed the judges. “It’s a very traditional plan,” says Parts, “but it has elements that show a thoughtfulness of design that take it beyond the copying of old architecture.”
Chris Parts and the other jurors also appreciated the clean and compact floor plan, as no space is wasted in this five-bedroom, five and one half bathroom home, complete with two entrances—one at the front of the home, and a second more private entrance leading to a path and small structure where the family stores their kayaks, bikes, and outdoor gear.
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