Another Modern Residence in Maryland
This contemporary house is located in Bethesda, Maryland and it was designed by David Jameson Architect. It’s called the BlackWhite Residence, a name that expresses the idea of contrast that stands at the base of this concept. The house is not a completely new construction. It was created suing the masonry shell of an already existing house. This way the ruins were used for something productive and the new house emerged from the remains of an old one.
In order to obtain a modern design, the main level had to be renovated while a second level was also added. The two levels are obviously not similar and the second one has significantly smaller footprint. The first level resembles a simple white box. It has small windows and a very compact look. The second level, on the other hand, is a series of four glass temples that emerge from the white base.
The four glass structures are independent from each other and they are separate volumes. They are linked together by a circulation core sheathed in black that extends to cradle each space. These glass temples gather natural light during the day and they glow into the darkness during the night.
Even though I really like the design and the contemporary approach, I’m still having a hard time understanding the functionality of those four glass structures. They don’t seem to be used by anyone and it seems like a waste of resources to create them just for the design.