House on the Banks of the Spa River by GriD Architects in Annapolis, Maryland

Project: House on the Banks of the Spa RiverArchitects: GriD ArchitectsLocation: Annapolis, Maryland, United StatesArea: 2,800 sq ft

House on the Banks of the Spa River by GriD Architects

The house on the banks of the spa river is a modern residence located on a narrow and irregularly shaped lot in Annapolis, Maryland. It features modest dimensions with approximately 2800 square feet of living space designed for a couple passionate about art and yachting. The project was developed by the architectural firm GriD Architects, the same studio behind the Ridge House in Berkeley Springs, Virginia, featured on our site.

On a narrow and irregular lot overlooking the Spa River in Annapolis, Maryland, this house seems to glide between neighbors and stands out by leaning toward the river's edge. Abandoning traditional ornamentation, the house has a formally abstract appearance with modest proportions and simple finishes that harmonize with local maritime culture. Designed for a couple passionate about art and yachting, the house becomes a canvas for both of these interests simultaneously.

The main focus of the house is on pedestrian zones and connection to water. The desire for connectivity involves both views and physical access. To create the appropriate atmosphere, program elements are distributed across the lot such that private service spaces are closer to the street and along the shoreline. More public living areas are located near the water. Functional differences are visually expressed through a massing strategy and reinforced by material contrast.

Service spaces are tightly packed into one of two platonic metal boxes, while living areas connect to a wooden volume that hovers above the living room and extends toward the water. The contrast between these complementary volumes is accentuated by a slight angle at which the wooden box follows the lot boundary, running along the southern portion. This allows living spaces on both levels—living room on the first floor and bedroom on the second—to open up spaciously, making them spatially dynamic.

They appear to be freed from the constraints of the narrow lot. Adding strength to the desire for the river, the house's volume literally breaks free from height restrictions defined by local zoning. This allows the roof of the wooden box to rise until the bedroom reaches a tall vertical proportion. Here, the pedestrian zone ends at a covered terrace with commanding views across the river to historic Annapolis.

Simple metal boxes containing service spaces are arranged on the lot so that one passes through them upon entering the house—like a hole at the street edge. Entry is emphasized by a raw steel canopy connecting both boxes. The bulk of the larger volume, passing along the northern boundary of the lot, fades as it transitions from storage to kitchen, then dining room, and opens onto an outdoor terrace. The second floor contains a guest bedroom, laundry, and main bathroom.

The smaller of the two volumes located to the south contains a two-car garage placed side by side. This configuration minimizes the width of the garage facing the street. At the farthest point, when the garage rises under the wooden volume, a decorated staircase is located which cuts from within the garage and protrudes over the living room. The staircase itself creates a seam between public and private spaces, both horizontally and vertically, cutting through the simple southern facade wall to create a landing that offers unique views of the river.

– GriD Architects