A window onto Washington D.C.

Turnberry Residence is a luxurious condominium in the heart of Rosslyn, Virginia, a residential area not far from the US capital’s historic neighbourhood of Georgetown. The project, directed by the Shinberg.Levinas architectural firm with premises in Washington DC and Bethesda, Maryland, won the Residential category of the Tile Competition 2016. The project involved the complete restyling of the interiors, especially the interior surface coverings, the balconies and the furnishings, all of which are Italian, and the choice of a series of artworks.
One of the most unique features of Turnberry Residence is the view from the upper floors of the building, which look out over some of the major landmarks of the city of Washington, including the Potomac River, Arlington, Key Bridge and Georgetown.
“The view was undoubtedly a source of inspiration,” explained architect Salo Levinas. “Our main aim was to create large harmonious spaces that would connect the interiors and exteriors of the apartments without making them cold and anonymous. It was most important that the monuments of Washington, Georgetown and Arlington should remain visible from inside. This was why we chose materials that could be used for both the interiors and exteriors.”
Open, clean and elegant are the three keywords used by the architect to describe this project. “Nature, spaciousness and a modern style were the guidelines we followed to create the spaces,” continued Levinas. The rather minimalist rooms are indeed bright, airy and elegant, with a strong personality that translates into well-defined colours: white, beige, grey and taupe, reflected in the furnishing accessories and artworks.
The tiles chosen for the floors and walls are from Lea Ceramiche, large-format porcelain panels with a thickness of just 3 millimetres from the Slimtech Basaltina Stone Project line. The effect is that of a single natural-coloured surface with minimal, linear and uniform joints. As the architects aimed to create modern and appealing open spaces without sacrificing functionality or liveability, they opted for a flexible ceramic panel in a large size and neutral colours.
“We used the ceramic panels to enhance the sense of contrast between the warmth of the living area and the dark interiors of the bathrooms. The unique flexibility, exceptional elegance and large size of the panels made them ideal for any function, in our case that of connecting the interior of the apartment with the exterior.” The large windows surrounding the apartments and the borderless intercommunicating spaces are one of the hallmarks of these apartments.
Lighting is provided by spotlights of various shapes and sizes set into the false ceiling, a minimal-chic choice in keeping with the spatial geometries and furnishings. One important decision was the role played by the spaces and their surface coverings.
The furnishings were also chosen in keeping with the essential style of the Turnberry residences, described by Levinas as “functional spaces that reflect the clients’ lifestyles”, which with their large balconies appear to be suspended in space.
The earth tones of the furniture – from the leather sofa to the wooden living room table – blend well with the colour of the sky that permeates the entire space. The architects from the practice Shinberg.Levinas maintain that it is “the unique relationship between the building, the surrounding area and the community that models and gives body to a building that is responsive and connected with people”. Turnberry Residence is no exception.