Place Architecture:Design

Since 2005, Brooklandville-based Place Architecture: Design has been creating thoughtful, relevant design solutions that foster meaningful connections between their clients and the spaces they inhabit. In the spirit of true midcentury architecture, they are big proponents of building less square footage without compromising the quality of life. They are also invested in reducing the carbon footprint by introducing renewable energy alternatives, tighter building envelopes, and sustainable and sustainably sourced materials.

“It’s a beautiful portfolio of well-designed, well-considered homes and spaces,” says judge Brian Burtch, a founder and principal of NEON Architecture, an architecture and design studio located in Indianapolis. “The tones, textures, and materials are thoughtful, bold, and cohesive.”

Judge Kayla Kamp, a residential architectural designer specializing in lakefront designs in Michigan, appreciated the thoughtfulness in how Place designed the transitions between spaces. “There is also a lot of detail in capturing how light is entering the space beyond just a basic window frame which makes the homes unique.”

Says judge Kate Wagner, architecture critic at The Nation, “Having seen so many oversized modern houses, it makes me appreciate when careful consideration is made to create a cohesive design that is both sleek and welcoming.”

Place Architecture:Design

This whole house renovation transformed a 1960s one-story brick home and reinvented its midcentury aesthetic. Located in a suburban Baltimore enclave known for its abundance of midcentury homes, this one-level ranch had little architectural interest or detail and lacked daylight and views. To achieve the client’s new vision, Place Architecture: Design had to reimagine the existing house using a completely new experiential framework that all the judges loved. On the rear, two “wings” were added, each housing spaces to engender a new way of living. The west wing housed a primary bedroom and bathroom suite and an east wing provided much-needed support space—mudroom, laundry, and sunroom. To enhance the spatial dynamics, a tall center gable roof was added to the front of the house, increasing volume, and thus bringing in more natural light.

Place Architecture:Design

When a primary suite was redesigned by Brooklandville-based Place Architecture: Design, the existing closet area and bathroom were discovered to have an unconventional configuration—including a long narrow skylight inside the original closet. The new shower is designed around that skylight, creating a powerful linear connection to the outdoors. Large format porcelain tiles on the walls and floor create a monolithic appearance, blurring the lines between surfaces.

“The creative renovation and materiality of this bath makes it feel as if it were carved from its existing space,” says Anderson. The primary bath boasts a flush transition from the shower floor to the bathroom floor, a comfort height wall hung toilet with dual flushing, grab bars at strategic locations, a towel warmer, heated floor, built-in bench, and wall-mounted faucets and shower body sprays. “The skylights bring light into what would be dark and cavernous,” says Weed, noting that the whole space now feels light and airy.