Capital House / Olson Kundig

Capital House / Olson Kundig - Exterior PhotographyCapital House / Olson Kundig - Interior Photography, Living Room, Sofa, Windows, TableCapital House / Olson Kundig - Exterior PhotographyCapital House / Olson Kundig - Interior PhotographyCapital House / Olson Kundig - More Images+ 11

Washington D. C., United States
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Capital House / Olson Kundig - Exterior Photography
© Nic Lehoux

Text description provided by the architects. Inspired by classical monuments such as the Lincoln Memorial at the nearby capital, and the client’s longing for a vaulted roof form, Capital House is at once monumental and cozy, regal and understated. The contemporary lines of this modern residence are balanced by neutral tones and natural materials, including stone, concrete and bronze. The two-story house is clad in elegant slabs of limestone on the bottom level, rising to extensive glazing on the second story and a curved roof floating above. Choosing dark, rich colors for the exterior helps the home recede visually and blend with the neighborhood.

Capital House / Olson Kundig - Interior Photography
© Nic Lehoux

The house emphasizes scale and proportion, and rooms in the house are arranged as “alcoves” off a grand hallway. The simple C-shaped plan surrounds a private and contemplative central courtyard, which includes a small bamboo garden and a covered lap pool. The entrance to the house is through a glass and steel vestibule demarcated by an oak door with bronze inlays. Upon entering, one immediately arrives in the main spine of the home, with doors and windows leading out to the courtyard on the left, and the kitchen and office extending to the right. The monumental hallway lined with concrete columns terminates in the formal dining and living rooms, which are complemented by a large stone fireplace and dramatic vaulted ceiling in the living area that appears to dissolve into the sky.

Capital House / Olson Kundig - Interior Photography, Living Room, Sofa, Table, Chair
© Nic Lehoux
Capital House / Olson Kundig - Image 16 of 16
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Capital House / Olson Kundig - Interior Photography, Living Room, Sofa, Windows, Table
© Nic Lehoux

Upstairs, crossing a bridge leads to the open master suite, with a series of additional bedrooms down the main hallway. The design incorporates several pieces from the owner’s collection of civil rights-inspired art. Artist Scott Fife created a contemporary sculptural portrait of the iconic Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall especially for this house.

Capital House / Olson Kundig - Exterior Photography
© Nic Lehoux

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Cite: "Capital House / Olson Kundig" 16 Aug 2020. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/945312/capital-house-olson-kundig> ISSN 0719-8884

© Nic Lehoux

首都别墅,美式经典的现代演绎 / Olson Kundig

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