Vernon Residence

A new 4,500 sf Lyon Park residence designed and built under Arlington's "Green Home Choice Program". Green Home Choice is an elective alternative permitting process emphasizing energy efficient design. Green design features of note include: deconstruction, salvage & reuse of the original house; Green construction management; Optimized building envelope performance; Geothermal heating & cooling systems; Recycled and rapidly renewable building materials; Rain water recovery & water efficient landscaping; Energy Star appliances & lighting.

The ground floor functions as a "flat". Main living spaces are grouped with the master suite for ease of single floor living. The heart of the living area is a large flexible "open plan" space oriented onto a south facing courtyard terrace. The second floor houses guest bedrooms. Both the ground and second floors are one room wide to promote cross-ventilation for energy conservation. Each level, including the basement, is zoned for separate heating and cooling needs.

The exterior design is "Transitional" or contemporary with overtones of traditional styling to help blend the new home with it's historic neighborhood context. The street facade maintains a traditional massing while the south facing courtyard is architecturally defined by flanking 2-story stair and roof terrace wings.

"Aging-in-place" design provides full accessibility throughout. All exterior doors have zero thresholds for access to porches and patios. Maneuvering space is added to hallways, door widths, and bathrooms. The master bedroom shower is curbless. The rear garage entrance is ramped and a future elevator has been pre-planned into the ground floor Pantry & 2nd floor closet, if needed in the future.