The Carderock Springs House and Garden Tour is a periodic opportunity to get renovation and design ideas from others who have your model home, see the benefits of the Architectural Review Committee, plus it's a chance to meet and greet neighbors.
Tickets are available at the clubhouse on the day of the tour and are limited to adult residents of the community. Plan to walk, bike or car-pool. Proceeds from the tour benefit the CSCA and are used for beautification projects in the community.
To put the House and Garden Tour in perspective, historically Carderock Springs was developed in the 1960’s by the Bennett Construction Company and designed by Washington, DC architects, Keyes, Lethbridge & Condon. In 2009, the neighborhood was officially listed on the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places as a prime example of situated modernism where houses complement and blend in with the natural landscape. The Architectural Vision Statement adopted by the Carderock Springs Citizens Association (CSCA) is that as Carderock residents, we will do the following:
- Respect the tradition of simple buildings of modest homes;
- Be conscious of and deferential to existing proportion of openings, horizontality and projection of roof lines, and relationships of windows and walls;
- Enhance the heritage of the vegetation of our neighborhood, preserving the valuable natural hardwood forest growth;
- Extend the modern tradition by insisting on contemporary design, while avoiding the overtly decorative.
Virtually all of the approximately 360 lots in Carderock Springs are subject to one or more recorded Declarations that impose certain covenants and restrictions. Among the requirements of these covenants is that any exterior modifications to a Carderock home must be reviewed and approved in advance of construction by the CSCA Architectural Review Committee (ARC). Blending new construction and alterations with the original architecture is critical to maintaining the character of Carderock Springs and a requirement of the deeded Declarations.
The nine homes on the 2015 house tour were selected for different reasons. Some were improved after following the ARC process of consultation and approval which participating homeowners found to be informative and helpful. Others employ rain garden landscaping, and one home features George Nakashima furniture. We hope you find the tour interesting and inspiring.
Edmund Bennett originally named and showcased nine different models, five of which are on the tour. Members of the ARC have extensive experience working with these original Bennett models and can advise on design and structure. Four of the homes recently installed rain gardens with plantings and drainage systems to help absorb and diffuse storm water that runs off from impermeable structures and uphill properties. The design of these gardens helps to control erosion and protect water quality by filtering pollutants. In support of Chesapeake Bay clean-up, the County has established a rebate program designed to encourage homeowners to take these ecological measures.
Carderock Springs Architectural Review Committee (ARC)
The ARC is comprised of several neighborhood volunteers who possess architectural, design, and construction expertise. They regularly meet on the first Wednesday of each month at the Clubhouse and welcome any residents of the community seeking to make exterior modifications to their properties, including fences, sheds, patios, and decks.
Applications to the ARC should be submitted to the ARC Chair, Scott Wilets, AIA (scott@wiletsarchitecture.com) with two sets of plans by the 20th of the month prior to the monthly meeting.