FOR THE PAST 23 YEARS, Michael Franck and Art Lohsen have worked together with a dedicated and talented team of professionals as Franck & Lohsen Architects Inc. creating architecture in the realms of ecclesiastical, residential, university, and urban design.

It has been a source of great joy to have created timeless buildings enjoyed by a wide-range of people — from students to homeowners to worshippers; and fortunate to have wonderful clients who placed their trust and vision in our hands — including the peer recognition of the Arthur Ross Award for our body of work.

This September, Franck & Lohsen Architects, Inc. will transform into two new entities. Michael will assume the helm of residential, hospitality and university commissions with Michael M. Franck Architect LLC. Art will assume the helm of ecclesiastical commissions with Bella Chiesa LLC. and, as always, Michael and Art will continue to work in a collaborative spirit which has been a hallmark of their firm.

We are excited about this next chapter as we continue to create enduring architecture.

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Foxhall

WASHINGTON, DC

Located on one of the most well-known residential streets in Washington, this historic stone house had never met its potential and had been the victim to ill-advised additions and curious alterations. Franck & Lohsen was asked not only to return the house to its original grandeur, but also to expand it to meet the needs of an active family.

The first phase of the project was to gut the interior and restore a center hall to the house.  A new grand stair was designed to connect not only to the bedrooms above, but also to a new planned kitchen addition.  By locating this stair off the main axis of the house, the rooms intended for entertaining could be larger and more elegantly connected to each other and to the beautiful gardens.

The new stair is a dramatic vertical space that connects the entire house, while not intruding upon the character of the main center hall. This center hall brings visitors through to an expanded rear terrace with a commanding view over the existing pool and tennis court.  Connections among the terraced garden levels were improved.  A large sun room was added to overlook the gardens.

Upstairs, the entire second floor was turned into a master suite with a comfortable sitting room and large dressing rooms. An attic level contains guest rooms.  New bedroom suites for the children are located above a new kitchen that opens out to an elevated dining terrace with fireplace.

On the front façade, a new entry portico and three new dormer windows complete the transformation of this house from an ugly duckling into a beautiful and grand home.

Decoration: Lauren Liess
Photography: Helen Norman