DC is buzzing with confidence and enthusiasm. As the new president is ushered in, the city is experiencing a surge of creative swagger. Some of that has resulted in wonderful modern architecture, contemporary DC homes, and evocative design.

One group with its hands in seemingly everything modern is Core Architecture and Design Firm.

The Morganstein Residence:

The generous yet formal plan of this home in an established neighborhood was limiting and didn’t offer ample room to entertain. The empty nesters wanted a master suite that was easily accessible yet private. CORE designed a two-story contemporary-minded addition that paid homage to the home’s original style yet was distinct in character and design. A steel and glass ‘hyphen’ merges the two sections, opening and connecting the different areas of the house with light-filled spaces. The final design was lauded by the community’s review board for being distinctly different without creating obtrusive architecture.

Imagine scenes of British Columbia. What do you see? Snow-capped peaks, glistening rivers, ancient pines bent in the wind? Sure, it’s all here.

Now imagine Vancouver. Do you see a bustling metropolis, gleaming buildings, curved streets and decadent cafes? Sure, that’s all here too.

BC is at once windswept landscape and home to Vancouver’s urban muscle. It is a union of rural and city living. You can find appealing modern architecture and the best of Vancouver’s contemporary homes.

Project: Latitude

by Bozyk Architects

Christopher Bozyk Architects were the prime consultant and architect for this project. It consists of 120 townhomes, each with breathtaking views over Kamloops Lake and the Tabiano Golf course, which was designed by Tom McBroom.

The architecture draws inspiration from the origins of the site by making reference to “ranch” imagery and reinterpreting it in a contemporary form. The townhomes range form single storey 2 bed units to 3 storey 3 bed plus den units.

(Italicized text courtesy of Bozyk Architects)

Long known as an ambassador of style, sophistication and design, San Francisco maintains its vibrant outpouring of architecture and urban planning by working closely with hundreds of local and talented architects. Whether it is in Berkeley, Oakland, or downtown, San Francisco’s contemporary architecture is a widely considered some of the best in the country.

200 Second Street in Oakland by David Baker + Partners Architects

About 200 Second Street:

Innovative planning and artisan touches define 200 Second Street, a high-density urban mixed-use building in Oakland’s Jack London Square neighborhood. Seventy condominiums and four lofty live+work spaces elegantly interlace throughout this six-story building, which is filled with imaginative details.

A custom-crafted steel gate and glass rain awning flank the feng shui-inspired entry court, whose colored exterior pavement carries into the lobby in a terrazzo-style design. The towering lobby is paneled with articulated bamboo and illuminated by colored energy-efficient LED lighting.

Toronto is becoming a global destination. It has an eclectic culture and an array of museums, restaurants, parks, churches and architecture. The city’s center is a hub of activity, but you can walk ten minutes outside of the center and find eyefuls of Toronto modern architecture at its very best.

The 40R Laneway House by superkul architects:

About the home:

Located on a 40’x18’ lot, it is built to the property lines on 3 sides, with 2’ to spare on the fourth. Current zoning regulations don’t allow for additional openings in any of the walls, so the design strategy was to draw additional light, air and views from above. A light shaft topped by skylights runs the length of the west wall of the building, broken only by a courtyard on the second floor. The shaft brings light to the ground floor, and provides passive ventilation. On the second floor, a glass and wood wrapped courtyard separates the two bedrooms. From the courtyard, with its primary view to the sky, there is a small stair up to a roof garden.

Once a blacksmith’s shop, then a horse shed and later an artist’s apartment and studio, this laneway building in Toronto was purchased by its current owners in 2006. Interested both in the character of the building and smaller footprint living, they wanted to convert it into single-family residence—while retaining as much of the character of the existing building as possible.

Portland, OR is growing at a rapid pace. And for good reason. The city is a beacon of creative and sustainable living. It focus on community projects, public transportation and modern architecture make it a destination for many people. the population boom means more people in need of houses and more architects designing projects. The modern Portland home below is a private residence designed by architect Keith Hoelscher.

Hoelscher Architects

From the Web site:

Keith Hoelscher Architect is an award winning, full-service design firm located in Portland, Oregon. His studio is dedicated to providing the highest level of quality in Architecture, Master Planning, Interior Design and Environmental Design. With over 30 years of design experience, Mr. Hoelscher has designed a wide variety of projects throughout the Western United States, including work ranging from commercial office, corporate headquarters, retail and mixed use projects, multi-family and single family residences.

Miami is known for its lavish lifestyle, tropical climate, and modern architecture. Oppenheim Architects are at the forefront of the pack, designing projects that reflect the gloss and aplomb of the Miami aesthetic while continuously pushing the envelope with creative and sustainable architecture. Below is a prime example of a contemporary real estate in Miami.

Villa Allegra

scope: 9,000 SF private residence. Architecture/ Interior Design

date: Project completed 2004

location: Miami Beach, Florida

Multiple rooms, both interior and exterior, have been added to a non-descript, one-story homes transforming it into a receiver of Miami’s tropical climate. While the effect is striking, minimal alterations were made to the existing structure.

In an economy flat-lined by a slumping real estate market, it is refreshing to look at modern architecture in Atlanta. Atlanta has been hit hard by the recession, but judging by the number of contemporary homes in the Atlanta area, when the recession ends, the capital of Georgia will once again be the crown jewel of the southeast.

Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects designed the Bailey House Studio in 2003.

About the Baily House Studio:

Building area:  2,200 square feet (house), 2,000 square feet (studio)

The site is a seven and one half acre hillside in southwest Atlanta. It is heavily wooded, except for a single 50í wide clearing dividing the lot into two halves. There are also several remnants from the Civil War, most notably an overgrown roadbed that led to Willis Mill. The new buildings are situated between these parallel linear cuts.

Denver is the quintessential American city. It was a rugged western city, a pioneer vacation retreat, and now it has refashioned itself as a major 21st century metropolis. Denver’s contemporary homes and the city’s modern architecture reflect an appreciation for the environment and making use of sustainable materials. It also exposes the world to the many creative minds designing and building some of the most appealing modern architecture in Denver.

The Ozowa Residence:

This phased remodel transformed a typical 1950s suburban ranch house into a contemporary neighborhood icon. Definition was added to the low ranch by adding two tall “book end” volumes to each side. The project focused on defining form through materials that both compliment and juxtapose with the existing.

Phase I construction included a garage extension, exercise loft above a new 2 story family room and a 2nd level deck.

Phase II expand the master bedroom into a new master suite; a 2 story volume that captures day light from three directions while providing vistas of the distant lake and the private backyard.

About Roth Sheppard Architects:

Our collaborative design process stimulates exploration of the known and unknown to uncover opportunities. Through rigorous analysis, these opportunities provide the framework for transforming conventional problems into inventive solutions.

While problem solving addresses the pragmatic, innovation allows for discovery of the unknown. From regional police facilities to specialized residential, retail and restaurant environments, each solution ultimately creates unique experiences, strives for excellence and emotes the spirit of place.

The strain of climbing a steep hill is rewarded when you reach the top; the effort is recognized and the relief is appreciated. Imagine, then, climbing a hill in Boston, in Chestnut Hill, toward a home that is uniquely modern, structurally designed to caress the contours of a long hill, and environmentally sound.

You’d have the Chestnut Hill Residence, designed by Jonathan Levi Architects, and a testament to contemporary Boston homes.

From the Web site:

Occupying a wooded site in a suburban location, the maintenance of a number of large tress was a priority of the owners. This led to the formation of a narrow plan, which wraps and incorporates the largest specimen tree – a 42” maple located near the center of the site.

The form of the main building stretches diagonally both in plan and section, conforming to the sloped terrain and stepping back to allow each room a unique relationship to the south facing views. Careful placements of the detached garage and court provide privacy from the abutters as well as an intimate outdoor living space.

Berkeley, CA is a robust city, rich with culture, intellect and ambition. But architecturally speaking, it’s a bit of an anomaly, being at once traditionally conservative and boldly modern.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported on this phenomena recently, delving into one of Berkeley’s most contested debates. That of the “Berkeley Brown Shingle.”

From the article:

Berkeley architect David Trachtenberg is much more precise in describing how his use of brown shingles reflects the design philosophy of the First Bay Tradition, which has inspired his buildings throughout the Bay Area: “When you sheath a building in shingles,” he says, “it gives that building’s smallest gestures unique expression.”

Now he has applied this idea to three townhouses at 1350, 1352 and 1354 Neilson St. in North Berkeley, two of which have just come on the market.

Read more about architect David Trachtenberg.

Trachtenberg Architects was formed in 1991, six years after Trachtenberg graduated from Harvard with a master’s degree in architecture. His firm has designed homes and commercial buildings from Sonoma County to San Jose that have been praised for their aesthetic qualities by critics (including the late Allan Temko) and city planners. Among them: Berkeley landmarks Rose Grocery, Saul’s Delicatessen, Cody’s Bookstore on Fourth Street, Berkeley Bowl Market and the La Farine Building on Solano Avenue.

And, of course, if you’d like to view more of San Francisco’s modern homes, check out Sell Modern’s listings.