by Catarina Ferreira, AIA

I've always believed that an architect is not meant to be a specialist. We are trained to be generalists, Jacks of All Trades, who can design anything from a door knob to a skyscraper. Yet, the most common question I get when I tell someone I'm an architect is "What type of architecture do you do?" or some variation thereof. When I started my career in NYC, I worked on projects ranging from loft apartments to penthouses, restaurants, full building renovations/conversions, office interiors, art galleries, fitness centers, single-family, you name it. The level of satisfaction I got from those early years left a strong mark.

Architecture is architecture. First and foremost, for me it's about problem-solving. I'm as much a mathematician/physicist as I am an artist/poet, so I've always taken the problem-solving part pretty seriously.

In order for architects to keep our problem-solving skills sharp and be able to approach design puzzles with fresh perspectives, I have always found that having the ability to think at various scales, see things from different angles, think of the unthinkable, the less obvious, even the absurd, can be extremely helpful. One way that I try to keep those skills sharp is by working on various projects types and scales, from residential renovations/additions, to ground up multi-unit and mixed-use buildings, and everything in between.

How do those skills come into play in my current work? Here's one example:

Currently on the boards we have an office to residential conversion project in the Dupont Circle Historic District. It's actually a residential to office to residential conversion, just to add to the fun. The property consists of two rowhouses, one of which adjoins an alley. From the onset, it was obvious that combining the buildings into one would be the smart thing to do. Wile they appear to have three stories above grade, the lower level is almost fully above grade, so in reality they are four story buildings, triggering the requirement for two means of egress per building if we were to treat them as separate buildings, making the development inefficient.

Early test fits made it clear that conventional planning approach, with units running from front to back, would not be the best approach. Instead, we found that a front to back split would be more beneficial, allowing us to create 2 bed/2 bath units on all upper levels, by taking advantage of the alley exposure for all the units instead of just the ones on the left.

We also eliminated the 2nd stair on levels 1-3, since the code requirement is that a second means of egress is required for 4th story and above only. On a building of this scale, it makes a big difference.

At the 3rd story of the building (really 4th by code), we provide access to an exterior stair at the rear, serving both units. Those units are more spacious and include a second level with spacious primary suites and roof decks on a partial rooftop addition. As duplexes, egress only needs to be provided from the lower level of the units, also helping increase efficiency.

A dollhouse view of the proposed lower level of the duplex units.

The upper level of the duplex units, with spacious primary suites and large roof decks.

Overall, the building will provide 9 new dwelling units and one office space. The project is slated for Historic Preservation Review Board Approval on October 30th, on the consent calendar.

A birdseye view of the proposed rooftop addition.

A view of the addition from one of the private roof decks

by Catarina Ferreira, AIA

During an Advisory Neighborhood Commission hearing review of a then proposed single family residence for DC’s Colonial Village neighborhood, a concerned neighbor flatly stated: “Some lots are just not buildable.” Having grown up on a volcanic island where site conditions are often much more difficult, I knew that was certainly not the case. But, in these situations, one must be diplomatic.

With a drop of over twenty feet from the rear to the front of the house, the lot was indeed difficult and expensive to build on.

The project is not located in a Historic District but required approval from DDOT, hence the public review process. The proposed home was very contemporary, in stark contrast with the more traditional homes throughout the neighborhood, appropriately called ‘Colonial Village.’ Some opposition was to be expected. How can a new home be contextual without deferring to being a superficial caricature of its context, as so many hearts desire?

Adjacent to the newly subdivided lot, a large Tudor style home presents itself towards the intersection the front of our project frontally viewed from, as a series of volumes gradually increasing in size, stepping back gradually. Sometimes the answer lies in the problem… The site conditions forced us to break down the massing of the house into a series of volumes gradually stepping up the hill.

It may not seem obvious at first, but the parallel is clear upon closer look. Even the wrap-around windows on the front volume are in sync with the garden room next door, as both spaces focus on views downhill towards sunset over Rock Creek Park to the West. So is the parallel between the rusticated base on the house next door and the stone base at our project. The exterior finishes originally specified for the project were ultimately changed by our developer client (developers tend to have a mind of their own about these things). As a result, the dark wood siding closer to the brick color throughout the neighborhood at the front volume and charcoal grey siding behind it became light grey throughout, giving the house a more monolithic but perhaps more sculptural appearance.

On a recent visit to the house, while taking some photos of the exterior, a neighbor approached me and said: “I kind of like it. It’s the new Colonial.”

The living room steps down into the hillside, providing taller ceilings, a grander space and a literal opportunity to actively engage with the topography.

The central stair unifies the four levels of the house, while also connecting them to a large roof deck overlooking sunsets overlooking Rock Creek Park to the West.