In celebration of National Architecture Week I’m posting one of my favorite remodel projects. The house above-an incredible bungalow designed by Moore Architects-demonstrates the absolute power of design. The project first appeared in the Design Gallery of our 2009 HOUSES issue and has stuck with me ever since. Here is the brief summary that ran with the before and after photos:

Washington D.C.’s Cleveland Park neighborhood is bungalow heaven: a suburban street lined with well-proportioned Craftsman-style homes from the late 19th century. Craftsman details abound in Cleveland Park, but if the neighborhood has a signature element, it is the welcoming front porch that each house wears with pride. This house was different, suspiciously missing a front porch altogether. The house also lacked any street-facing windows on the first floor and any sense of welcome. When Moore Architects was hired to remodel the house, the plan was typical for a growing professional family living in a small, old home. They wanted more space, a more modern floor plan, a breakfast nook in the kitchen, and a master suite upstairs. The architects’ response was to add a two story addition to the back of the house and smaller single-story additions to expand the kitchen and the living room. With the new living room and roofline extending toward the street, the architects were able to re-establish the exterior integrity of the house and its contribution to the neighborhood with a fitting front porch. The porch was completed in full Craftsman detail, including exposed beams and rafter tails, tapered columns, a breadboard ceiling, and a bluestone floor. The result is a home that suits both its modern family and its historic neighborhood.

National Architecture week runs until April 14th. Developed by the AIA, architecture week is “a time to showcase the positive role architects play in our communities and highlights the power of design.”

For more information and to see how you can participiate in National Architecture Week click here

For more photos of this project click here

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