Cloisters West
Some projects begin with a client. Others begin with a memory.
During the 1980s, while working for Porten Sullivan Homebuilders in Bethesda, Maryland, I became familiar with a collection of Federal-style townhomes known as Cloisters West in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. Among the available floor plans, one model in particular—the four-level Franklin—left a lasting impression. Its soaring double-height sunken living room demonstrated how proportion and natural light could define an interior long before furnishings entered the space.
Years later, after rediscovering the original sales brochure, I returned to that memory with a different perspective. Rather than recreating the home as it was built, I imagined what it could become if the interior architecture were thoughtfully reinterpreted for contemporary living while respecting the character of its traditional exterior.
Working from the original floor plans, I developed a comprehensive design study that reimagines the principal living spaces through the lens of Architecture Before Objects. The proposed architectural changes were later reviewed with an experienced residential construction professional, who considered the concept feasible, subject to appropriate structural and engineering review before construction.
The proposal transforms the interior with new architectural volume, expanded openings, carefully considered materials, and a quieter, more restrained composition while preserving the home's Federal-style presence within the Georgetown streetscape.
Although conceived as a conceptual project, the design was developed as though it were intended for construction, exploring how thoughtful architectural intervention can fundamentally change the experience of a home without compromising its identity.
The Starting Point
These images illustrate the more conventional spatial arrangement found within Cloisters West. While the architecture retained the proportions and character associated with the development, the Franklin model departed from this configuration with a sunken, double-height living room—an unusual spatial gesture that remained with me long after I first encountered it.
Reconsidering the Architecture
The study began by examining the relationship between the existing levels, the principal living space, and the architectural elements that defined it. From there, new openings, changes in volume, and a reworked fireplace composition were explored as a unified architectural intervention.
The Proposed Interior
The resulting interior brings the architectural studies into three dimensions. The expanded volume, tall openings and new fireplace wall establish the architecture, while furnishings, lighting, art and objects follow its lead.
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