15 Projects in 15 Weeks: Northern Neck House (Week 14)

Front Elevation with Screened Porch

The Northern Neck House is located in Westmoreland County, Virginia, overlooking a quiet inlet of the Potomac River. To create a connection to the waterfront and its wooded surroundings, the design of the house utilizes glass, screened walls, and wood panels that provide privacy for the clients. A screened porch serves as an outdoor gathering space with views of the entire site.

Screened Porch

Open Guest Rooms with View

The two-story house creates an open living arrangement for two, while flexible enough to accommodate several guests comfortably. A large hallway and over sized door openings allow the first floor to function as a large open suite, while telescoping pocket doors on the first and second floors can be closed to create additional guest rooms.

Rear Waterfront Elevation

The wooded two-acre lot dealt with several challenges including site access, topography, existing wetlands, and working with the Chesapeake Bay Act guidelines for setbacks and environmental protection. To minimize environmental impact and maximize energy efficiency, the house was oriented as a result of solar and wind analyses. In addition, design elements such as deep overhangs and passive ventilation were used to create an energy efficient structure.

Mother & Child Wins Its Sixth AIA Award

Ralph Cunningham, FAIA and Sarah Shipp, AIA with Scott Matties, AIA, LEED-AP.

Cunningham | Quill Architects attended the AIA Northern Virginia Design Awards Gala last Saturday night at the Founder's Hall building on the George Mason University campus in Arlington, Virginia. Emceed by one of our Principals, Mr. Scott Matties, AIA, LEED-AP, the evening's event was filled with tastings of local wines paired with food from Lyon Hall. At the end of the night, CQA received its sixth AIA Award for Mother & Child. The Merit Award honors excellence in Historic Architecture. For more information on Mother & Child, please visit Cunningham | Quill Architects.

15 Projects in 15 Weeks: The Clayborne (Week 13)

Located at the gateway entry to the City of Alexandria in the south end of the historic district, this mixed-use residential and retail project completes the master plan for an existing retail center.

The Clayborne, in the background, completes a Mixed-Use Neighborhood.

The building occupies the west half of a city block, and was created as a series of discrete structures with varying treatment of mass, scale and architectural detail. Inspired by the urban fabric of Old Town and neighboring garden apartment typologies, a center four-story manor house is flanked by three-story townhouse buildings with porches and intimate garden courtyards to maintain the scale and articulation of the adjacent residential streetscapes.

Varying mass, details, and entry ways break up the visual scale of the building.

The building includes 74 apartment units and 2,400 sf of ground floor retail. The varied design of this project retains the retail and restaurant presence of the neighborhood.

New retail space and apartments above merges with the residential side.

Cohen Career Center Takes the Gold

The Sherman and Gloria H. Cohen Center at the College of William & Mary is officially LEED Gold Certified. Certification under the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED program recognizes the Cohen Career Center as a sustainable addition to the William & Mary campus in Williamsburg, Virginia.

View of the "Living Room" and Student Plaza and Amphitheatre at Night.

To earn LEED Gold certification, The Sherman and Gloria H. Cohen Career Center had to meet specific performance measurements in environmental and human health, sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, material selection and indoor quality.

For more information on the U.S. Green Building Council or the LEED Certification Program, visit the USGBC website. To learn more about the Sherman and Gloria H. Cohen Career Center at the College of William & Mary, please visit Cunningham | Quill Architects.

15 Projects in 15 Weeks: The Alta (Week 12)

The Alta facing towards Thomas Circle in Washington, DC

The Alta is located in downtown Washington, DC on 14th Street in the exciting neighborhood of Thomas Circle. The 13-story, concrete frame high-rise building has ground floor retail, 126 residential units on 12 floors, and four levels of below-grade parking.

Living Room

This residential tower is distinguished by its modern finishes. Landscaped terraces on the rooftop and second floor serve double-duty as “green roofs” and community amenities for residents, while expansive windows, exposed ductwork and tile floors create a spacious and clean environment within the heart of Washington, DC.

Second Floor Community Room and Green Roof Terrace

The Alta was the first LEED Certified multi-family condominium building in the District of Columbia. It has since been recognized with multiple American Institute of Architect awards. The Alta has been published in Urban Spaces and Architecture DC.