On the time, Jisoo and her husband, Chong Doo Lee, weren’t trying to go away their house in Potomac, Md. “I used to be comfy right here,” says Jisoo. “I really like that it’s modest. If anybody has a small home on this space, they rip it down and put up a giant home or a McMansion.”
The empty nesters had lived in the identical home since 1998 and had many recollections of household celebrations with their two daughters (Jennifer’s sister Michele Torrecilla lives close by along with her household). However the home, which consisted of a one-room stone cabin with a two-story addition, wasn’t possible as a long-term answer as they aged.
“As they have been getting older, we have been anticipating the subsequent logical steps, like eliminating stairs and making the home simpler to keep up,” Jennifer says.
With that in thoughts, she began planning a full-scale renovation of the home with Pablo Castro, her husband and associate within the New York Metropolis-based agency Obra Architects. “The primary goal for the mission was to create a spot worthy of them spending their final years,” Jennifer says. “My mom was cognizant of the truth that she was in her late 70s, and he or she needed to get this performed so she would have some years to get pleasure from the home. That was again after we initially started — earlier than covid.”
Her dad and mom moved into her sister’s basement whereas development obtained underway. However on the evening of Chong Doo’s birthday in Might 2020, simply as demolition started, Jisoo grew to become sick with covid. The subsequent day she was admitted to the hospital, the place she was intubated and remained within the intensive care unit for 56 days. “On a number of events we have been requested by medical workers if we needed to surrender, however we weren’t ready to even ponder that but,” says Jennifer. Jisoo moved to 2 different hospital amenities earlier than ultimately being weaned off the ventilator.
Jisoo lastly went house on Sept. 11, 2020, however she was nonetheless unable to face up or stroll on her personal. She and Chong Doo moved from Michele’s basement into her bed room so Jisoo may convalesce because the renovation mission obtained underway at their home. “My sister mainly nursed my mom again to well being along with her 24-hour consideration,” says Jennifer. Quickly each Jennifer and Michele realized that speaking about the home was serving to to buoy their mother’s spirit on the darkest days. The renovation grew to become a hopeful rallying level for the complete household.
“The beginning of development on this home and the potential for her restoration, which at the moment appeared distant, by some means grew to become intertwined,” says Jennifer. “All of us felt that hope and held onto it. On the identical time, there was this ever-present uncertainty round whether or not or not she would make it to the completion of the home. That grew to become our greatest motivator to get it performed.”
And so, whereas Jisoo’s restoration was underway, the renovation moved ahead — no less than as finest because it may within the midst of a worldwide provide chain meltdown. “Constructing throughout the pandemic was problematic,” says Jennifer. “We skilled all of the delays and overpricing of development supplies, and labor was scarce.” Finally they proceeded with Suppose Make Construct because the contractor and Pillars Building, who put in the house’s exterior cladding.
The architects’ plan was to revive the unique stone searching cabin and substitute the two-story addition with a brand new single-level modern one, creating 4 zones: the principle residing space, a major suite, visitor quarters and a examine for Chong Doo. “We needed to protect the cabin as a result of the masonry can be onerous to duplicate right this moment,” says Castro. “Plus, it’s a historic construction, so it has some actual soul, which we didn’t need to lose.”
Orienting the addition towards the again of the hillside lot would reap the benefits of the surroundings — the yard dramatically slopes downward to a small part of Piney Department Stream. “The prevailing addition didn’t notice the potential of the property in any vital approach,” says Jennifer. “You wouldn’t have even identified the home bordered a stream. It was as if somebody simply plunked down a home with out attempting to enter into any dialogue with the environment.”
For the outside of the addition, the architects selected an enamel-coated corrugated metal from Korea for its sturdiness and the best way its horizontal traces observe the panorama and evoke the overlapping siding of a extra conventional home. To raised join the house to its lush woodland setting, they included commercial-grade home windows giant sufficient to seize views of the property’s tallest timber.
“The home windows have been the obvious luxurious the home had,” says Castro. “If you’re in the home you are feeling this unimaginable reference to the skin.” Nowhere is that connection extra evident than the first bed room, which sits like a treehouse suspended by skinny metal columns above the creek.
The massive glass panels bathe the interiors with pure daylight and afford sightlines that reach from the forest ground to the sky overhead. To permit these views to be the main focus, the architects selected quiet finishes for the interiors. Huge-plank white oak flooring lend a heat glow all through and harmonize with the kitchen’s customized white oak cabinetry, which was designed by Milan-based Giacomo Moor, a pal of each Castro and Lee.
Whereas the house’s interiors have been designed with accessibility in thoughts, it’s not apparent to guests. “My mother, who was extraordinarily match earlier than she obtained sick, didn’t need a home that appears prefer it’s for somebody who’s unwell, however the provisions are in place,” says Jennifer.
Every little thing is on one stage, and there are solely a few steps within the house, permitting it to observe the lay of the land. Bogs are accessible, with widened doorways that may accommodate a wheelchair. And the first bathtub has a curbless bathe, however there are not any seize bars on the partitions — they are often added if wanted sooner or later. Sustainability was additionally a consideration. The home options photo voltaic panels, radiant warmth flooring and LED lights.
It took almost three years, however by Might 2023, the renovation was full. Jisoo has settled into the home with Chong Doo and whereas she has come a good distance in her restoration, she might by no means fully regain her pre-covid vitality. She will be able to not journey lengthy distances or take part within the yoga courses she as soon as liked, although she’s getting stronger every day.
“Witnessing her restoration was inspiring to all of us as a result of we obtained to see her preventing spirit in motion,” says Castro.
In actual fact, whereas she was staying at Michele’s she threw out her walker the second she may stroll on her personal. “We discovered it on the road curb of my sister’s home,” laughs Jennifer. “The identical factor occurred to the foot brace they gave her.”
Lately Jisoo spends her days gazing out the home windows on the wildlife and listening to the rhythms of the wind and stream. In actual fact, she’s change into a little bit of an newbie videographer: She likes to file the neighborhood deer popping out for dinner and the blue heron hovering via the timber. She sends these movies to her daughters with commentary.
“I really like that I get to expertise all of the seasons on this home,” she says. “Since I obtained sick, I keep house on a regular basis, however as a result of I adore it right here a lot, I don’t need to ever go away.”
Michelle Brunner is a author in D.C. who covers inside design and tradition.
