Most people living in DC are aware of some of its architectural history. We know we live in a planned city--in the 19th century a French architect, Pierre Charles L’Enfant, was commissioned to design the layout of the nation’s capital. We have experienced firsthand how he did not account for current city traffic in his plan. We know how the main streets radiate out from the capital, and how four avenues dissect the city into four (unequal) quarters. We know of a height restriction on all buildings in the district, which contrary to popular opinion has nothing to do with the capital, but rather was implemented to preserve the open airy feel of the city.
Other things we know from seeing. We have been to the national mall, which revitalizes the center of the city, and all the architectural marvels that are monuments. We have passed, visited, or worked in the state buildings and downtown offices. Our eyes tell us we live in a beautiful city. And we are proud that of America’s 10 favorite architectural sites (as identified by the American Institute of Architecture), 6 are in the district.
However there is a less-known architectural beauty in our city that lies in some of the residential neighborhoods where we live and work, and that is what this blog will focus on. There is Mount Pleasant, a historical district whose stately row houses and estates date back to the late 1800’s. Georgetown’s streets are lined with colonial houses, some of which were built in the 1790’s. Then there are the row-houses-turned-condos of Columbia Heights and Cleveland Park, and many more architectural wonders buried in other neighborhoods.
As a design-build firm located in DC, we find it not only interesting, but important to know the history of the buildings we renovate and restore. Whether our renovations are refurbishing original work, replacing outdated parts of a house, or preserving aspects of old design in a new project, we find it important to understand the context of our work, and the history of the homes we work in. We feel that it is part of our job as designers and builders to respect the elements of the original design, and combine that respect with the homeowner’s dreams to plan and produce a final product.