Mid-century modern architecture has enjoyed a surge in renewed popularity in recent years. And so, it makes sense that Washington Metro home buyers would look for the greatest concentrations of these intriguing homes.
We have singled out three particular examples in the greater DC area, based on livability, local amenities and iconic styles that embody the best traditions of modernism.
Hollin Hills, Alexandria, Virginia
There was certainly no way to omit Hollin Hills from the list. Located in Hybla Valley in the southern portion of Alexandria, this national historic district contains some 457 single-family homes built between 1949 and 1971. The neighborhood was the brainchild of developer Robert Davenport and architect Charles Goodman. The involvement of original landscape designer Lou Bernard Voight was also integral to the process, with each house facing its own direction in order to afford unobstructed views of the surrounding natural splendor.
There’s an elementary school here and roughly 10 different sub-neighborhoods with names like Popkin’s Farm, White Oak and Hollin Glen. Residents also enjoy a pool and tennis club, organized activities and food truck visits, and a wildlife refuge.
But the major allure lies in the homes themselves—classic low-slung modernist styles with flat or butterfly roofs, wide overhangs, giant walls of windows, cubism and other super cool elements. Don’t worry about tear-downs or McMansions here—the local design review committee keeps a strict eye on any proposed renovations.
Cardeock Springs, Bethesda, Maryland
Another treasure trove of mid-century homes is Carderock Springs in Bethesda, Maryland. Here you’ll find more than 400 examples of 1960s suburban experimentation—a time when anything seemed possible. Actually, the National Register of Historic Places calls these homes “situated modernism” which basically means modern homes that adapt to their surroundings.
In this case, the one and two story structures are set along winding roads with lots of trees and shrubs, and butt up against the woods of the Congressional Country Club. Developer Edmund Bennett worked with architects David Condon and Donald Lethbridge of the firm Keyes, Lethbridge, Condon and Florance, producing the Montgomery County homes during a fairly brief period between 1962 and 1967.
Wessynton, Alexandria, Virginia
Heading back to the southern part of Alexandria, we close our story with the very awesome neighborhood of Wessynton. This was originally part of George Washington’s massive Mount Vernon. But in the 1960s, the Mount Vernon Ladies Association saw fit to sell 65 acres for development. Voila, a mid-century contemporary community was born!
Wessynton is on the Hunting Creek tributary, with 23 of the 156 structures actually sitting right on the water. Don’t worry if you can’t gaze right out onto the water—all residents enjoy dock rights, as well as access to the community swimming pool, club house. Tennis and 20 acres of Wessynton Forest.
Designed by Nicholas A. Pappas of the Deigert, Yerkes and Associates firm, these modernist homes were constructed between the late 1960s and early 1970s and come in five different models—River, Forest, Garden, Meadow and Manor. These fascinating properties feature open layouts, huge windows, slate floors, redwood ceilings and 1960s-hipster color schemes of yellow, olive and sand!
Hollin Hills, Carderock Springs and Wessynton—each a lasting example of an era in which new suburban ideals met refreshingly different forms of design.
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