“This is not an art gallery. It’s a home that holds great art.”

Georgetown Square Residence. This residence in historic Georgetown Square in Washington DC dates back to the 1840s. It is actually a combination of two townhouses that were joined by the former owner, Evalyn Walsh McLean, owner of the Hope diamond. The new owners ventured on an expansive project with Shinberg.Levinas to adapt the space to house their vast contemporary art collection.

On the outside, there was an expansion of the third floor and repositioning of the front entry. The interior was completely re-done to house a vast contemporary art collection. Shinberg.Levinas collaborated with Jeffrey Thrasher of Thrasher Design Company to create a home where contemporary art and domestic life could complement each other.

Inside, the building was gutted to reveal an 8,000 square foot interior. The first floor consists of a foyer, a study, and a guest bedroom. A library, a combined living area and gallery, a dining room, and the kitchen are on the second floor. The third floor houses a master bedroom and bath. A floating stair connects the different levels.
The art collection includes artists such as Matthew Barney, Anish Kapoor, and many more. Shinberg.Levinas installed enormous glass doors in the living area and gallery and also laid in skylights stretched with white vinyl to provide a gentle, diffused natural light throughout the house. Integrated florescent and halogen fixtures behind a subtle grid light the rest of the space; no artwork is lit specifically, allowing for flexibility of a rotating collection. ¹

¹ Barreneche, Raul. “Heads Up!” Interior Design. Aug 2005: 142-151.

Award
AIA | Potomac Valley / Chapter Design Awards 2006
Citation for Architectural Excellence
2007 Inform Award for Excellence Winner