DC Modern Penthouse

       The design features of this home are striking and beautiful; from authentic monolithic fossils that are thousands of years old, a sauna room patterned in true Japanese fashion, a personal library with thousands of volumes, to the most modern design appointments available today. With this brilliant aesthetic chosen for the design of the home, the technology had to perfectly match and complement the unique design. The control platform of choice, Crestron, made this an effortless task by designing products that are sleek, modern and exciting. The technological elements chosen for the home blended competently with the décor and expertly maintained the overall aesthetic of the home.
In addition, there were several integration challenges that the control system needed to be programmed for. The client had several specific product requests including a rare Bang and Olufsen TV controlled with a proprietary rotary remote, a custom input panel hidden in a flip top touch panel for gaming entertainment, customized security entry, camera mounts and more. The control system provided a seamless way of integrating all of these components reliably and with an intuitive end-user experience. Controlling this home is a simple and thoroughly enjoyable experience.

       This home is truly stunning in so many ways. The penthouse suite sits atop a high-rise apartment located in Rosslyn, VA. The immense, panoramic view encompasses all of Washington, DC; from Georgetown to the North to the pentagon and Arlington Cemetery to the South. This encapsulating view of our nation’s capital literally cannot be seen from any other vantage point. It is a unique perspective that this homeowner, and this home owner alone, indulges in daily. The open floor plan and 180 degrees of floor-to-ceiling windows provide an apt looking glass for this spectacular view.
The technology in this home is no less spectacular and perfectly complements the space. There were several unique pieces of technology that are fluidly controlled. First, a massive 85” Bang and Olufsen imported TV on a proprietary swivel mount. The client specifically requested this TV and asked that it be controlled via the B&O Essence rotary remote. This is an audio remote which through software was converted into a TV remote with some clever programming. Because the remote can only communicate through a proprietary companion gateway, it meant that to control it there needed to be an intricate, highly tuned, complex web of infrastructure. Not only were the connections for this remote complex, but the program written to command it was equally complex; essentially turning a traditional step menu into one that can be controlled via rotary commands.
The client also requested to play retro gaming consoles on this TV. These consoles connect to outmoded displays via outmoded analog connections that literally don’t exist as features on modern digital displays. As a result, there needed to be a custom flip top touch panel that contained these old input connections into one custom input panel. In addition, there needed to be an RF demodulator that simulated an analog TV setting on a modern digital one. This complicated, unique interaction was handled competently by the control system.
In the traditional Japanese sauna room, there is a special audio consideration. There are painted glass panels in the ceiling that the designer specifically added as a stylish aesthetic. This made in-ceiling speakers impossible. The clever adaptation implemented to overcome this constraint was to use the glass panels themselves to reproduce the sound. This was accomplished via Sold Drive sound transducers which effectively transform the glass panels into massive speakers.
Entry to the space is provided by a custom door station manufactured by the German company Siedle. This station allows for camera viewing, talkback, keyless entry and more. When the doorbell is pressed, the various Crestron touch panels in the home display the camera view from the Siedle door station. The user can then automate the door lock. It is a very versatile and valuable integration.

       Custom programming, when implemented properly, the end user receives an increased benefit as the level of customization increases. This is a beautiful thing to experience and the clients derive considerable joy from being able to request features that are specifically designed for their personal lifestyles.
This project is a perfect example of how a custom program allowed the client to experience rare benefits. First, the customer could request all the specific technological products that they enjoy, knowing they could later be seamlessly integrated. This flexibility allowed the client to create the perfect dream home outfitted with their absolute favorite technologies. This helped maintain the brilliant aesthetic of the home across all its accoutrements; it is really a sight to behold. With a limitless world of products to choose from, the client could dream up a home that is a true marvel. Without a custom program, these items could never have been assembled together in this unique way.
The client is also a programmer by trade and board-game designer by hobby with several titles in mass-production. This love of gaming also feeds an interest in retro video gaming consoles and the client has assembled one of the most complete collections of home consoles on the planet. A clean and simple solution for control of these consoles was provided making them easily accessible in the home. For someone that has such deep roots in games, this is an unparalleled achievement and something that can be thoroughly enjoyed on a daily basis.
In addition, there are several other subsystems in the home at the client's fingertips that are benefited from daily. The house audio for example, consists of in-ceiling, architectural series speakers (including an array of in-ceiling sub-woofers). This home has massive sound with plenty of balanced low-range frequencies, multiple zones of audio, streaming capabilities, and more.
It is important to specifically mention the shade control of this home. The shades go hand in hand with the view from the apartment suite. The view is majestic, historic, iconic and absolutely beautiful. The space is wall-to-wall, ceiling-to-ceiling glass throughout and as such creates an immersive experience. The windows help to plunge the viewer into the surrounding environment and give a sensation of floating on top of the city of Washington. With these glass windows comes the necessity for light and climate control. That is where shade design and control comes in. Effortless, reliable control of the shades gives the user the ability to customize that breathtaking view all day long, whether that be starting the day to a sunrise or creating ambience for a socialite cocktail party in the evening.