Five North Arlington Homes Win Design Arlington Awards

(Updated at 12:10 p.m.) The Arlington County Board announced the 2013 Design Arlington awards winners at its meeting on Tuesday, honoring six residential projects in North Arlington and commercial renovations in Crystal City and Pentagon City.

The biennial awards are given to projects completed in the last 10 years in these categories: residential, commercial, institutional/civic, historic preservation/building rehabilitation, public art and open space.

The submissions are judged based on “overall design excellence; visual composition and aesthetic character; relationship to surrounding context; sustainable design and development; preservation of historic buildings, facades, elements, and character; high-quality craftsmanship; and creative use of durable materials,” according to the county website. This year, there were 43 entries evaluated by a panel of four architecture, preservation and design professionals.

“These awards honor those who work to create exceptional architectural and landscape design in Arlington,” County Board Chairman Jay Fisette said in a press release. “Their efforts prove that projects that are functional can also be visually interesting, beautify our neighborhoods and be respectful of the neighborhood’s character.”

Below are this year’s winners:

• Diaz Residence (4301 37th Road N.) — Residential addition/renovation – Subtle updates to the front façade and a significant addition to the rear of the home modernized a single-family home without completely changing its appearance or how it fits in with neighboring homes.
• Bromptons at Monument Place (N. Nash Street and 14th Street N.) — Residential new construction — Well-detailed neoclassical townhomes engage the street in a thoughtful way.
• Wood Temple in a Garden (1608 N. Cleveland Street) — Residential new construction — Well-designed studio outbuilding incorporates materials from the existing home. New addition is modern but respectful to neighborhood character.
• “+2Edison7” (5077 27th Street N.) — Residential addition/renovation — Compact footprint is appropriately scaled for the neighborhood. It creates contrasts with neighboring buildings without competing for attention.
• Monroe House (3132 N. Monroe Street) — Residential new construction — Design is respectful of setbacks and scale of neighboring homes. Meticulously detailed without looking out of place.
• Crystal Drive streetscape — Commercial renovation/new construction — Transformed an auto-oriented street into a lively multi-use corridor. Highlights the shifting goals in urban design and placemaking.
• Egge Residence (3317 N. 23rd Street) — Residential addition/historic preservation — Addition nearly doubled the size of the historic home without altering its character.
• Pentagon Row plaza — Open space renovation — Optimizes space and outdoor recreational areas. Highlights how a public space can be reinvented to adapt to new needs.

Two honorable mentions also were recognized:

• 800 N. Glebe Road — Mixed-use new construction — Building engages the adjacent sidewalk. It includes a historic architectural reference to the former Bob Peck Chevrolet building, as well as a historic marker.
• “Wave Arbor” in Long Bridge Park — Public art — Kinetic art incorporated into a recreational space.

Photos courtesy Arlington County