The River House

THE RIVER HOUSE

Property Description

Set high on a wooded bluff overlooking the Potomac River in Alexandria, Virginia, this custom home engages one of the most historically resonant landscapes in the Mid-Atlantic.

Located just south of the historic Mount Vernon Estate, the site’s identity is shaped by its deep lineage, which includes original boundary markers from the Fairfax Proprietary which would be later absorbed into the landholdings of George Washington).

A collaboration between acclaimed residential architecture firm MODE4 Architecture and Thorsen Construction, the concept of the home draws inspiration from the enduring masonry forms of Washington's Gristmill.

Featuring two primary stone volumes joined through a transparent connector of glass and steel, the home offers a generous frame of the expansive river views. Inside, a suspended steel bridge spans this central space, linking private living quarters and heightening the experience of transition between indoor and outdoor living.

The site, thoughtfully designed by award-winning landscape architecture firm Campion Hruby Landscape Architects, responds carefully to the challenges of a steep, sensitive landscape with terraced interventions and the use of native and shade-tolerant plantings, and a stormwater management system designed for irrigation.

Leveraging passive design principles such as including cross ventilation, stack effect cooling, and solar orientation, this extraordinary waterfront home honors the weight of its historic setting while expressing the best of modern living.