The Hollin Hills 2012 House & Garden Tour is Saturday, April 28, from 12 to 6 p.m.
Hollin Hills, the mid-century modern neighborhood in Alexandria, hosts its next House & Garden Tour on Saturday, April 28, from noon to 6 p.m.
The self-guided walking tour showcases stunning examples of mid-century modern architecture, furnishings and landscape. The homes have been individually sited to be harmonious with the land and to maximize views and privacy. Large expanses of floor-to-ceiling windows give the homes a sleek appearance and allow for a synergy between exterior and interior spaces.
The community was created by mid-century master architect Charles Goodman, who shared his vision along with developer Robert Davenport of designing and building homes contemporary to the time and with respect for the environment. Homes were nestled into the hillside; wooded areas were preserved. Roads meandered and followed the lay of the land. Landscape plans were designed for each home. Dan Kiley, the preeminent 20th Century landscape architect, was one of the landscape architects who drew up these plans which were presented to each homeowner.
Over the years, homeowners have built additions which have followed the MCM style or extended it. Yet there are many that have kept the original footprint. The tour will have examples of both.
In collaboration with the Tour, the Interior Design department of The Corcoran Gallery of Art, College of Art + Design in Washington, D.C., will host a program entitled “A Community of Vision: Hollin Hills, Modern Then and Now.” This program will take place at 6 p.m. Friday April 27, at the Corcoran, 500 Seventeenth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. Architect, author, critic and native of Hollin Hills, Michael Sorkin (sorkinstudio.com); Landscape architect Dennis Carmichael, FASLA, Principal, Parker-Rodriguez; and Heidi Nasstrom Evans, Ph.D., Corcoran College of Art + Design with special interest in American 20th Century visual culture, will discuss the history and influence of Hollin Hills, Mid-century Modern architecture, landscape and design and its impact today. Program qualifies for CEU credits.
The program will be moderated by Lisa Lipinski, Ph.D., Interim Chair of Arts and Humanities, Corcoran College of Art + Humanities.
On the day of the tour, Thomas Kerns, FAIA, resident and architect, will give a brief history of Hollin Hills and an orientation to the tour. This will be held at 11 a.m. at Hollin Meadows Elementary School at 2310 Nordok Place, Alexandria, where tickets may be picked-up or purchased.
As an added bonus, the tour will include the Hollin Meadows Elementary School Student Garden. The Student Garden is an innovative project that integrates science and art with dynamic hands-on experience. Students’ art and sculpture identifies different sections of the garden. The Garden was visited by First Lady Michelle Obama in 2009.
Tickets are $25 and are no longer available online. They may be purchased on the day of the tour at these locations: Fort Hunt Road and Paul Spring Road (swimming pool area) or Hollin Meadows School at Nordok Place and Range Road.