Blue Ocean Development, Inc. and Moment Engineering + Design have a reason to celebrate. Their collaboration at 1800 North Harvard Street in Arlington, Virginia, earned a 2026 Great American Living Award (GALA) for Best Design and Architecture in the Custom Home, Single Lot, 7,001–8,000 sq. ft. category.
The award recognizes a contemporary residence combining 7,223 square feet of living space with a four-story design, elevator access, and net-zero-ready construction. Behind the recognition is a partnership that brings development, engineering, and design expertise to one location.
Custom residential design involves decisions reaching far beyond the exterior. This gorgeous singular design home lies in the coveted Lyon Village neighborhood and exhibits custom across every category…tall ceilings with massive windows allowing abundant natural light, a designer kitchen with a premium appliance package, gorgeous stairs that transcend you from floor to floor, a primary bedroom suite to luxuriate in and celebratory spaces in the lower and upper levels to impress company, and a hardscaped outdoor space to entertain and vibe. Mixed metal finishes throughout create defined spaces that separate but also blend with design and purpose.
At 1800 North Harvard, the collaboration between Blue Ocean Development and Moment Engineering + Design brings complementary expertise to a home with substantial scale and contemporary ambition. The GALA trophy carries both names, recognizing their shared contribution. This partnership gives the home a clear identity: an award-winning expression of design and development working together.
Architecture should establish how a home looks, feels, and functions. Engineering supports the design's physical requirements. Development connects the overall vision with delivery. Each discipline contributes to the experience waiting inside the front door.
The corner lot setting adds another dimension to the architectural presentation. A contemporary home on a corner introduces views from multiple approaches, giving the exterior a prominent role in how the residence meets the street and presents its overall character.
Four Stories with a Purpose
The home's four-story configuration creates a distinctive approach to its 7,223-square-foot scale. Vertical design brings movement between levels into the architectural conversation, making circulation an essential part of the residence.
A built-in elevator adds another connection between floors. In a vertical home, elevator access on each level introduces convenience with lasting relevance, especially as household routines and mobility change.
The elevator also illustrates the partnership between design and engineering. Integrating vertical access requires consideration of space and building requirements together. Here, the feature forms part of the home's architectural offering rather than a future renovation idea. For you, the appeal is straightforward. A generous home should feel accessible across its levels.
Open Design, With Everyday Life in Mind
The flexible open design supports a contemporary approach to living space. Openness brings social activities into a shared setting, with room for conversations, meals, and gatherings to overlap. A home feels welcoming when everyday activities fit naturally within the plan. The kitchen plays a central role in those activities, from the first cup of coffee to the last guest lingering after dinner.
At 1800 North Harvard, a designer kitchen, quartz countertops, and gourmet appliances draw attention to this frequently used space. Hardwood flooring throughout the first floor adds visual continuity. These features give the home's scale a more personal dimension.
Innovation Behind the Finishes
Blue Ocean's net-zero-ready approach makes energy performance a core design priority. Energy-efficient construction and insulation accompany the residence's contemporary architecture, extending attention beyond visible finishes.
Sierra Pacific H3 Series windows and Insul-Stud framing are among the home's specified features. Their inclusion brings windows, framing, and insulation into the discussion of residential innovation.
A home's enclosure separates indoor living spaces from outdoor conditions. Attention to this part of construction matters because comfort depends on more than the thermostat. Windows and wall assemblies belong in the same conversation as heating, cooling, and interior design.
Net-zero readiness also introduces a future-oriented goal: preparing the residence for a potential energy balance. For buyers seeking luxury with attention to building performance, architectural ambition and energy-conscious planning share the same address: 1800 N. Harvard St.
Electrical Planning for Modern Households
The home includes 400-amp electrical service and EV-charging capability, bringing another practical element into its forward-looking design. Electric transportation changes how households think about home infrastructure. Charging becomes part of residential planning, alongside the electrical demands of appliances, lighting, and high-efficiency cooling and heating. Including EV-charging capability connects the home with the routines of buyers considering an electric vehicle. The feature gives transportation a place within the overall residential offering.
Innovation becomes useful when the design anticipates a specific need. Elevator access addresses movement between levels. Electrical provisions address modern equipment and transportation. Net-zero readiness addresses future energy goals. Each feature has a distinct role.
Recognition for Design and Architecture
The 2026 GALA award places 1800 North Harvard in a specific category: custom homes on a single lot, measuring 7,001-8,000 square feet. The recognition celebrates design and architecture at this scale, crediting Blue Ocean Development and Moment Engineering + Design together.
Their winning residence brings several priorities together: contemporary character, substantial living space, convenient vertical access, considered interior finishes, and forward-looking building features.
For Blue Ocean, the award strengthens this Arlington home's story. For Moment, the shared recognition highlights the design and engineering contribution to the collaboration. Both organizations have a reason to celebrate!
Meet the Home Behind the Award
1800 North Harvard Street offers an opportunity to explore an award-winning collaboration through the residence itself. Review the architecture, examine the floor plan, and see how the home's features connect with your priorities. For current property information and to arrange a viewing, please visit Blueoceanhouses.com
