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The Rincon Bates House in Washington DC by Studio27 Architecture

07.19.10 | By
The Rincon Bates House in Washington DC by Studio27 Architecture

The Rincon Bates home by Studio27 Architecture is located at the end of a row of houses in Capitol Hill in Washington DC. Being a Northeasterner most of my life, I’m a huge fan of these old brick row homes. The original two-story home was built back in 1906 and underwent an interior renovation in the 1970s. At the request of the homeowners, Studio27 created an open floorplan with ecological impact in mind.

From the architects:

The project furthers a continuing exploration in sustainable urban residential design.

The owners approached Studio27 with an open-ended request, the only stipulations being a re-configuration of the existing circulation pattern and thoughtful consideration for the ecological impact of the project. The scope of work evolved through an investigation of sectional manipulations focusing on apertures, daylight and natural ventilation.

The architects’ strategy displaced the dark, musty interior with a sense of openness, both in plan and section, to create a more implicit series of relationships between traditionally separated hierarchical programs. Studio27 removed a section of the second level floor joists to carve a void through the middle of the house over the dining room, enabling shared light between all spaces, and introduced operable skylights to create a performative stack effect to control ventilation. The second floor is divided into two bedroom suites, connected by a tubular steel and glass bridge that further contrasts with the heaviness of the existing masonry. Energy and water consumption are additionally minimized through the use of tank less gas-powered water heaters, new low-E glass windows and doors, bio-based insulation, low-flow plumbing fixtures and dual flush wall hung toilets. All interior finishes are domestically resourced recycled and formaldehyde-free to improve indoor air quality.

The ’Open’ House represents the non-traditional urban sustainable lifestyle.

Photos by Hoachlander Davis Photography.

Jaime Derringer, Founder + Executive Editor of Design Milk, is a Jersey girl living in SoCal. She dreams about funky, artistic jewelry + having enough free time to enjoy some of her favorite things—running, reading, making music, and drawing.