Mid-Century Residence Spotlight
Charles Goodman was a well-known post-WWII American Architect who designed many houses throughout the Washington, D.C. area, primarily in developed neighborhoods. In Alexandria, Virginia however, Goodman designed a property, known as the Pegram Street residence, for renowned journalist Eric Severeid, nestled into a wooded hillside. Despite the charm of its secluded placement, the location presented logistical challenges for design and maintenance.
Since the 1980s, the house had been left in disrepair until a passionate new owner (who also spent a career in journalism) purchased the property with plans to renovate the existing house as well as build a garage and guest suite. The owner's vision prioritized modern functionality while preserving the house's architectural integrity. Due to the steep topography of the site, excavation and retaining walls would be necessary to provide space for these additions and allow for circulation throughout the site.
Sustainable Site
Being in Northern Virginia, with a USDA climate hardiness of zone seven, the site has a microclimate that is particularly challenging due to winter winds that lick the hillside. Ecologically, the adjacent forest is composed of hardwood trees like oak, hickory, and tuliptree, while the undergrowth suffers from an overgrowth of invasive species. The topography of the site was another challenge as the pre-existing design located the pool at the bottom of the hill, nestled into one of the few flat areas on site. While this location worked in terms of a grading plan, it made the poolside landscape difficult to access from the house. Further compounded by encroaching weeds and accumulated leaf litter, this positioning limited the pool's usability.
The redesign sought to transform the site into a versatile and inviting homestead. To accomplish this, the team set programmatic goals for the landscape to establish more areas for outdoor living, a pool closer to the residence, outdoor eating and lounging opportunities, space for a fire element, and greater usability at night through strategically placed dark bronze finished lighting fixtures.
The client is passionate about sustainability, so any aesthetic part of the design had an active working counterpart that removed invasives, increased biological diversity, managed stormwater responsibly, and used repurposed or local materials - the site plan aimed to balance human use with ecological stewardship. The homeowner wished to keep bees on the property, as well as avoid the use of deer fencing, and perhaps most importantly, the client had plans (which are now in practice) to host summer house concerts, featuring small acts and singer/songwriters.
Design Goals
Additional design goals included being faithful to the mid-century style of the house, incorporating mostly native plants that were deer resistant, providing year-round visual interest including landscape lighting, and encouraging bee habitation, all while framing key views of and from the garden. While many contemporary projects have a somewhat austere plant palette, the design team wanted to create abundance and lushness in the garden, while still complementing the lines of the architecture. This was achieved through a sophisticated plant list that involved the use of spring ephemeral plants which provide interest early in the year and are dormant when the late spring plants emerge.
The design is organized into three distinct landscapes: the front entry, the lower-level garden walk, and the woodland garden.
The front entry garden draws visitors to the front door of the property, through an outdoor corridor of raised beds made with brick from demolished parts of the structure. This corridor links the garage addition on the right to the original house on the left where 14 courtyard path lights were added for wayfinding.The lower-level garden walks out to a pool terrace, lawn area, outdoor kitchen, and fire pit. Here, path LED lights, well lights, and a pool underwater light were specified for use at night.
The intimate woodland garden behind the house is accessible from the kitchen. This space faces the large retaining walls necessary to build the addition, and what could otherwise be a utilitarian, shaft-like space is instead festooned with plants, both climbing and trailing. A soaring stainless-steel sculpture, commissioned by previous owners, is in this garden, catching the light among dwarf river birch and viburnum. This piece was abandoned but is now a focal point that has been illuminated for nighttime use by mini-LED spot lights in a dark bronze finish.
Oversized pieces of thermal-treated bluestone mimic concrete pavers synonymous with mid-century landscapes in warmer climates. Masses of Ostrich Fern and Horsetail Reed provide richness and added dimension to contrast with the otherwise linear site plan. These materials echo the home's historical character while integrating modern functionality. The entry path is planted with delicate native dogwood, faintly uplit, making a dramatic procession to the front door. Planters and other vertical elements are made with original brick.
In the rear, the long, narrow lap pool - which terminates with a spa - is finished with fine aggregate, which is better for catching the light and creating a shimmer. The lap pool, sitting among a flat panel of lawn, was built on fill and created circulation paths that functioned for small gatherings as well as maintenance services. The garden spaces in the rear include viburnum, bottlebrush buckeye, cardinal flower, clethra, and fragrant sumac.
The design team prioritized safe passage at night during the design process. The lighting was placed strategically to create views of the landscape from within the house at night. This helps reduce the feeling of looking at "black glass" or ones on reflection. Instead, the homeowner can see a gently lit landscape. That said, the design team tried to avoid too much uplighting that may interrupt the flow of nocturnal animals like bats and fox. DarkSky compliancy was an important element that was taken into consideration throughout the process.
Further, in addition to using a varied native plant palette, the goal of a sustainable, ecologically responsible landscape was met with a sensitive stormwater plan that captures runoff down the hillside and funnels it in a tiered series of dry wells. This approach addresses water management while reducing erosion and promoting aquifer recharge.
The Landscape Architect worked closely with the civil engineer, builder, landscaper, architect, and pool contractor. An arborist was consulted on locations of fill, utility trenches, and construction access strategies to minimize the impact on the forest trees. These collaborative efforts ensured the design balanced aesthetic aspirations with environmental considerations.
Building off the site's rich history, the design team worked to respect the original vision and to overcome the ecological challenges that they faced.
As seen in LASN magazine, February 2025.
