Each year, a panel of building-industry professionals chooses nominees for the Great American Living Awards. Sponsored by the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association, the Washington Metropolitan Sales & Marketing Council and the Maryland Building Industry Association, the GALA Awards—held last fall at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner—honor excellence in new home architecture, interior design, sales and marketing in the Mid-Atlantic region. The 2018 entries filled 45 categories; those pertaining to architecture and design included single- and multi-family homes, townhomes and condominiums, and custom-home and remodeling projects. On the following pages, we spotlight the Grand award winners in custom building, residential architecture and design.

CUSTOM BUILDER AWARDS

CUSTOM HOME OF THE YEAR—THE LEXINGTON, Aldie, Virginia. Novella Homes, Lessard Design, also winner of Design + Architecture, Custom Home, Single Lot, 5,001 – 7,000 square feet.

DESIGN + ARCHITECTURE, CUSTOM HOME, SINGLE LOT 
Under 3,000 square feet  SHENANDOAH RIVER COTTAGE, Strasburg, Virginia. Beall’s Remodeling & Construction, W.C. Ralston Architects.
3,000 – 5,000 square feet  36TH STREET, Arlington, Virginia. Artisan Homes, James McDonald Associate Architects.
Over 7,000 square feet  OLD TOLSON MILL, McLean, Virginia, The Building Group, James McDonald Associate Architects.

DESIGN + ARCHITECTURE, CUSTOM OR CUSTOMIZED INFILL HOME
3,000 – 5,000 square feet  2822 23RD N, Arlington, Virginia. Sarantis Properties, Sutton Yantis Associates Architects.
5,001 – 7,000 square feet  BULL NECK NEWPORT, McLean, Virginia. Artisan Homes, James McDonald Associate Architects.
Over 7,000 square feet  732 LAWTON STREET, McLean, Virginia. Bethesda Builders, GTM Architects.

DESIGN +  ARCHITECTURE, RENOVATIONS OR ADDITIONS
Under $500,000  INDUSTRIAL CHIC ROW, Washington, DC. BOWA.
$500,000 - $1,000,000  EATON DRIVE, McLean, Virginia. GNC Construction Company, James McDonald Associate Architects.
Over $1,000,000  KENNEDY DRIVE, Chevy Chase, Maryland. BOWA, Kramer Architects.

ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN WINNERS

HOME OF THE YEAR—OPAL AT CLUSS COURT CAR BARN | CAPITOL HILL, Washington, DC. OPaL, GPS Designs, also winner of Design + Architecture, Multifamily, Boutique Construction and Design + Architecture, Best Adaptive Reuse.

COMMUNITY OF THE YEAR—TEN AT CLARENDON, Arlington, Virginia. Clark Builders Group, Bonstra | Haresign Architects.

DESIGN + ARCHITECTURE, DETACHED HOME (lots under 7,000 square feet)
$700,001 - $850,000—THE ARIA AT BRAMBLETON WEST PARK, Ashburn, Virginia. Miller & Smith, W.C. Ralston Architects.
Over $850,000—OPAL AT THE MANORS SINGLE FAMILY, Cabin John, Maryland. OPaL, GPS Designs.

DESIGN + ARCHITECTURE, DETACHED HOME (lots 7,000 square feet and over)
$500,001 - $600,000—THE TORRINGTON AT POTOMAC SHORES, Dumfries, Virginia. Brookfield Residential, W.C. Ralston Architects.
$600,001 - $700,000—THE MACARTHUR AT WESTBURY GLEN, Aldie, Virginia. Lennar, Lessard Design.
$700,001 - $850,000—THE GLENFIELD AT BLACK OAK CREEK, Purcellville, Virginia. Carrington Homes, James McDonald Associate Architects.
$850,001 - $1,000,000—THE ASHFORD AT LAYTONSVILLE GROVE, Laytonsville, Maryland. Lennar, Devereaux & Associates.
$1,000,001 - $1,400,000—THE WINDERMERE AT LENAH MILL, Aldie, Virginia. Toll Brothers.
Over $1,400,000—THE BENTLEY AT RIVERMONT, Great Falls, Virginia. Basheer & Edgemoore, Smith & Associates Architects.

DESIGN + ARCHITECTURE, MULTIFAMILY RENOVATION OR CONVERSION—2HOPKINS, Baltimore, Maryland. Berman Enterprises, BCT Architects.

DESIGN + ARCHITECTURE, ATTACHED HOME
$300,000 - $350,000—THE AVON AT NEW POST, Fredericksburg, Virginia. Drees Homes.
$350,001 - $400,000—THE ADAMS AT GEORGIA ROW AT WALTER REED, Washington, DC. Craftmark Homes, Lessard Design. $400,001 - $500,000—THE GRAMERCY AT RIVER PLACE, Frederick, Maryland. Wormald Homes.
$500,001 - $600,000—THE MAYFAIR AT BRAMBLETON GARDEN DISTRICT, Ashburn, Virginia. Miller & Smith, W.C. Ralston Architects.
$600,001 - $700,000—THE ROCKLAND AT BRAMBLETON TOWN CENTER, Ashburn, Virginia. Knutson Companies, Lessard Design.
$700,001 - $850,000—THE BELGRAVE AT BRAMBLETON GARDEN DISTRICT, Ashburn, Virginia. Miller & Smith, W.C. Ralston Architects.
Over $850,000—1LX AT UPPER WEST AT ONE LOUDOUN, Ashburn, Virginia. Miller & Smith, The Eisen Group.

DESIGN + ARCHITECTURE, MULTIFAMILY
New Construction—AVA NOMA, Washington, DC. AvalonBay Communities, KTGY.
Boutique Construction—OPAL AT CLUSS COURT CAR BARN | CAPITOL HILL, Washington, DC. OPaL, GPS Designs.
Mixed-Use—THE DALEY AT SHADY GROVE METRO, Rockville, Maryland. Bozzuto Homes, KTGY.

DESIGN + ARCHITECTURE, ADAPTIVE REUSE—OPAL AT CLUSS COURT CAR BARN | CAPITOL HILL, Washington, DC. OPaL, GPS Designs.

INNOVATIVE LAND PLANNING
Residential—RIVERMONT, Great Falls, Virginia. Basheer & Edgemoore, Christopher Consultants.
Mixed-Use—ONE LOUDOUN, Ashburn, Virginia. Miller & Smith, One Loudoun, The Eisen Group.