This project is a new home in a suburban neighborhood outside Washington DC for two “empty nesters” who desired a modern home that would accommodate their lifestyle today, and allow them to age in place. The design provides a typology for a small live/work home with flexibility to adjust to changing needs of an older population and serves as an example of achieving privacy on an exposed suburban corner lot.

The typical solution on a corner lot is to set the home back from the corner to create an open front yard, often at the expense of private outdoor space. The strategy for this new residence was to site it toward the corner, with the main mass on the uphill side to provide privacy from the adjacent neighbor and to maximize the rear courtyard. A separate entry to a lower level work space provides needed separation from the living areas, as well as future private accommodation for a caregiver. 

The cantilevered roofline with clerestory glazing shelters the sun and encourages daylight without sacrificing privacy. The home embraces a sustainable agenda, including the donation of the dismantled home for reuse, a high efficiency HVAC system, and numerous measures to create a highly energy efficient home.

The design demonstrates that a modest scaled home can accommodate the evolving needs of an aging population. Its flexibility allows for an active live-work environment that can transform to an accessible one-story home with provision for aging in place and live-in care. 

This modest home serves as a stark contrast to the oversized speculative houses in the neighborhood, and provides a prototype design that can accommodate a client who wants to remain in their home in their later years.