Architectural Record
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Subscribe
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Architectural Record
  • NEWS
    • Latest News
    • Awards
    • Interviews
    • Obituaries
    • Podcasts
      • Design:Ed Podcast
      • Sponsored Podcasts
  • OPINION
    • Book Reviews / Excerpts
    • Exhibition Reviews
    • Forum
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Videos
    • Design Vanguard
    • Top 300 Firms
    • Sponsored Content
    • Sponsored eBooks
    • From the Archives
  • CONTINUING ED
    • Editorial Continuing Ed
    • CE Center
    • CE Academies
  • PROJECTS
    • Buildings By Type
    • Reuse & Renovation
    • Museums & Arts Centers
    • Colleges & Universities
    • Multifamily Housing
    • Interiors
    • Lighting
    • Kitchen & Bath
  • HOUSES
    • Record Houses
    • House of the Month
    • Featured Houses
  • PRODUCTS
    • Products by Category
    • Record Products of the Year
    • Latest Products
  • EVENTS
    • Dates & Events
    • Record on the Road
    • Innovation Conference
    • Sustainability in Practice
    • Women In Architecture
    • Webinars
    • Ad Excellence Awards
    • Submit an Event
  • CONNECT
    • Ask RECORD AI
    • Newsletters
    • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Store
    • Customer Service
  • SUBMIT
    • Submission Guidelines
    • RECORD Competitions
  • MAGAZINE
    • Subscribe
    • My Account
    • Digital Edition
    • Current Issue
    • Firm Pass
    • Historic Archive
Residential ArchitectureHouse of the Month

Wissioming2

Robert Gurney’s Wissioming2 is a suburban refuge outside bustling Washington, D.C., with Mondrian-inspired windows and cubic volumes nestled in the Maryland woods.

By Laura Raskin
Architect Robert Gurney preserved trees by siting the house around an existing driveway. A glass bridge crosses a reflecting pool and connects the two volumes.
Wissioming2
Robert Gurney
Bethesda, Maryland
Architect Robert Gurney preserved trees by siting the house around an existing driveway. A glass bridge crosses a reflecting pool and connects the two volumes.
Photo © Maxwell MacKenzie
A formal living room and the master bedroom look out onto the infinity pool and woods from glass window walls.
Wissioming2
Robert Gurney
Bethesda, Maryland
A formal living room and the master bedroom look out onto the infinity pool and woods from glass window walls.
Photo © Maxwell MacKenzie
Inside, the architect kept the palette muted to reflect light: white-oak floors on the second story and terrazzo-covered concrete slabs on the first.
Wissioming2
Robert Gurney
Bethesda, Maryland
Inside, the architect kept the palette muted to reflect light: white-oak floors on the second story and terrazzo-covered concrete slabs on the first.
Photo © Maxwell MacKenzie
1) Entry<br />2) Dining<br />3) Living<br />4) Kitchen<br />5) Bathroom<br />6) Service Entry<br />7) Garage<br />8) Screened Porch<br />9) Terrace
Wissioming2
Robert Gurney
Bethesda, Maryland
1) Entry
2) Dining
3) Living
4) Kitchen
5) Bathroom
6) Service Entry
7) Garage
8) Screened Porch
9) Terrace
Image courtesy Robert Gurney
Architect Robert Gurney preserved trees by siting the house around an existing driveway. A glass bridge crosses a reflecting pool and connects the two volumes.
A formal living room and the master bedroom look out onto the infinity pool and woods from glass window walls.
Inside, the architect kept the palette muted to reflect light: white-oak floors on the second story and terrazzo-covered concrete slabs on the first.
1) Entry<br />2) Dining<br />3) Living<br />4) Kitchen<br />5) Bathroom<br />6) Service Entry<br />7) Garage<br />8) Screened Porch<br />9) Terrace
October 16, 2012

Architects & Firms

Robert M. Gurney, FAIA

Bethesda, Maryland

While Washingtonians haven’t exactly led the pack in their desire for modern residences, Robert Gurney, a D.C.-based architect, says that has dramatically changed since he began his practice in 1990. “Now there’s no shortage of people who want to do modern projects,” he says, including his client who commissioned two neighboring houses in Glen Echo, Maryland, just outside the city. (Incidentally, Glen Echo is home to an enclave of about 20 mid-century houses by Keyes, Lethbridge, and Condon.)

The client, a developer, lives in one of the two, an 8,255-square-foot concrete-and-wood structure clad in mahogany, cement-board panels, and corrugated metal. The architect divided formal and informal spaces between two main rectilinear volumes, which connect via a glass bridge to form a T-shaped plan. Formal living and dining rooms are housed in the southern volume, while a kitchen, more relaxed living space, and garage define the northern one. Gurney further articulated the cubic forms by cantilevering some of the bedrooms.

Mondrian-inspired steel-framed windows lead to the woods and an infinity pool. With views of the Potomac as well, “this is so much about the outdoors,” says Gurney.

People

Formal name of building:
Wissioming2

Location:
Glen Echo Heights; Bethesda, Maryland

Completion Date (Month and Year):
November 2011

Gross square footage:
8,255 sq.ft.

Total construction cost:
Withheld

Owner:
Lewie Bloom

Architect's firm name, address, phone, and fax number:
Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect
5110 ½ MacArthur Blvd, NW
Washington, DC 20016
(202) 237-0925 (ph) (202) 237-0927 (fax)
rmg@robertgurneyarchitect.com

Architect of record:
Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect

Project architect:
Brian Tuskey (Associate Architect at The Office of Robert Gurney)

Structural Engineer:
D. Anthony Beale LLC
8634 Tuttle Road
Springfield, VA 22152
(202) 669-2272 (ph)
(703) 923-0075 (fax)

General contractor:
Bloom Builders
5110 ½ MacArthur Blvd, NW
Washington, DC 20016
(301) 442-2223 (ph)
(301) 229-2281 (fax)

Photographer(s):
Maxwell MacKenzie Architectural Photographer
2641 Garfield Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008
(202) 232-6686 (ph)
(202) 232-6684 (fax)

CAD system, project management, or other software used:
CAD 2004 Lite, Microsoft Excel

 

Products

Structural system:
Concrete foundation, precast concrete planks (first floor), wood frame above first floor w/ steel framing @ window walls

Manufacturer of any structural components unique to this project:
Nitterhouse precast, prestressed, hollowcore concrete planks

Exterior cladding:
Metal Panels: UNA-Clad ' UC 601 ' Prefinished Corrugated Metal Panels

Rainscreen (terra cotta, composite, etc.): Sil-Leed™ Fiber Cement Cladding Panels, by Cement Board Fabricators

Wood: 1x6 Mahogany Rainscreen

Moisture barrier: VaproShield WallShield ; Tyvek HomeWrap

Roofing:
Other: EPDM

Windows:
Wood frame: Weathershield Aluminum-Clad Windows

Metal frame: Hope's Steel Windows

Glazing:
Insulated-panel or plastic glazing: Kalwall

Doors:
Metal doors: Hope's Steel Doors (exterior)

Hardware:
Locksets: Omnia

Interior finishes:
Cabinetwork and custom woodwork: custom millwork by Woods & Style ' finishes include Quarter Sawn White Oak, Wenge, Vertical Grain Caramelized Bamboo, Black Melamine

Paints and stains: Sherwin Williams

Solid surfacing: Caesarstone; Corian

Special surfacing: custom Orbital-Finish ½” Aluminum Plate

Floor and wall tile (cite where used): Pompeii wall tile (Dining Room); Baltimore; Limestone floor & wall tile (Master Bathroom); Janegrey Sandstone floor & wall tile (Bathroom); Arctic White Ceramic wall tile (Bathroom)

Resilient flooring: 5” Quarter-Sawn White Oak; 1x6 Mahogany for exterior decking

Special interior finishes unique to this project: Terrazzo flooring (First Floor)

Lighting:
Interior ambient lighting: Systemalux, Artemide, Anta, Bega

Downlights: Lightolier

Exterior: Stonco

Dimming System or other lighting controls: Lutron

Plumbing:
Vola Faucets, Dornbracht Rainshower, Toto Toilets, Franke Sink + Disposal (Kitchen), Kohler Sink + bathtub in Guest Bathroom; Waterworks Soaking Tub in Master Bath.

 
KEYWORDS: Maryland

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Lr
Laura Raskin, a former RECORD editor, writes about architecture. She recently moved with her family from Brooklyn, New York, to the Green Mountains of Vermont.

Post a comment to this article

Report Abusive Comment

Subscription Center
  • Create an Account
  • Start a Subscription
  • Manage My Account
  • Sign Up for Newsletters
  • Visit Customer Service
  • Update Preferences

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Architectural Record audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Architectural Record or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • TAMLYN XtremeTrim Exterior Trim
    Sponsored byTamlyn

    Designing Cleaner Panel Facades: Why Exterior Trim Details Matter

  • Building with Vapor Barriers
    Sponsored byReef Industries, Inc.

    Vapor Barriers Help Control Moisture in Tighter Building Designs

  • Duct Interior with Prodeq System
    Sponsored byHenry, a Carlisle Company

    Designing Resilient Water Containment Systems

DESIGN:ED Podcast
Listen to Architectural Record’s DESIGN:ED Podcast

Events

June 10, 2026

Rethinking Stormwater – The Power of Porous Paving

Credits: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 1 AIBD P-CE; 0.1 ICC CEU

Learn how porous paving systems support stormwater management, reduce heat island effects, and enhance sustainable site design performance.

June 11, 2026

Very Early Warning Fire Detection for Mission-Critical Facilities

Credits: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 1 AIBD P-CE; 0.1 ICC CEU

Examine advanced fire detection strategies that support uptime and enhance safety in data centers and other mission-critical facilities.

View All Submit An Event

Products

2026 Architect's Square Foot Costbook

2026 Architect's Square Foot Costbook

See More Products

Popular Stories

Practice Matters illustration

What’s in a (Firm’s) Name? Thinking About Succession and Legacy

Coronado Bridge

The Architect’s Guide to San Diego

Practice Matters illustration

By the Numbers: Counting America's Architects

Riverdale House by Studio Lau

Riverdale House by Studio Lau

KRESA by DLR

In Kalamazoo, DLR Group Completes a Mass-Timber Hub for Career and Technical Education Programs

Broader Sustainability of CMU - Free Webinar - May 21, 2026

Related Articles

  • Fall House

    See More
  • Montecito Residence

    See More
  • Camp Boss

    Architect Louise Brodman Designs a Sustainable Compound on Maine’s Mount Desert Island

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • 0470126736.gif

    Modern Sustainable Residential Design: A Guide for Design Professionals

See More Products
×

The latest news and information

#1 Source for Architectural Design, News and Products

SUBSCRIBE
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Submit
    • Store
  • ACCOUNT CENTER
    • Create an Account
    • Start a Subscription
    • Manage My Account
    • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Visit Customer Service
    • Update Preferences
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • Linkedin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)

Copyright ©2026. All Rights Reserved BNP Media, Inc. and BNP Media II, LLC.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing