RYAN RESIDENCE, Washington, DC

In this partial renovation of an apartment in the historic Broadmoor Building, the kitchen, dining and entry areas were completely gutted and reshaped to allow more light and space in each room. The existing plan included a very dark, enclosed entry hall and an extremely small kitchen. In the new configuration, the walls separating these areas have been removed in order to simplify the circulation and to expose the three windows, which have been ganged together with a continuous new sill. A strongly defined centerline promotes continuity of space. Drywall piers, low cabinets and a seemingly freestanding wall provide openness while retaining each room's definition. New soffits along the perimeters further the containment of each room while concealing existing structural beams. The centerpiece of the scheme is a slate-blue cabinet-like wall separating the kitchen and dining. At the south end of this wall is full-height sheet of sandblasted glass bolted in place and washed by a vertical cove light. At the north end, the repetition of this feature at the back wall of the kitchen produces a kind of delayed symmetry. The glass recurs at the kitchen backsplashes and at the counter and faces of the low entry cabinet.

AWARDS: AIA Award of Excellence

PRESS: Published Residential Architect, Color in Small Spaces (McGraw-Hill)

"The architect presents clear statements. One design move that is particularly innovative is the partition between the kitchen and the dining room. This is tiny, but commendable, with rich materials and consistent details." — AIA Awards Jury

Photos by Rob Kassabian