Located in the leafy and picturesque Washington, DC neighborhood of Dupont Circle, the sola condominium represents a new chapter for a grand Victorian rowhouse with beautiful bones, but one that had been neglected for many years. Located in a well-established Historic District and zoned for apartment use, the task of successfully integrating three new apartments into a fixed footprint, only two exterior walls, and historic skin was a challenge. Structural problems and extensive water damage required an complete removal of the interior finishes and large portions of the underlying structure. The owner and architect took this as an opportunity to construct an unapologetically modern interior project that remained sensitive to the surrounding historic context.

The front of the rowhouse was treated as a historic restoration project, which included masonry and cornice repairs, replacement of windows, and a new mahogany custom entry door detailed to precisely match the original that was beyond repair. At the rear façade, a vertical glass and concrete slot was strategically placed to introduce light. This is the only visible modern intervention at the exterior, and hints at the contemporary interior spaces contained within the building. A new open grand staircase is capped by a small “lightbox” roof structure. Sculpted to stay out of line of sight from the street, the lightbox drives light deep into the penthouse apartment while also allowing for access to a new roof deck that takes in glorious views of Washington, DC.