Thomson & Cooke Architects

1. Overview

Thomson & Cooke Architects is a residential architecture firm based in Washington, D.C. The practice was founded by Neal Thomson, AIA, and Patrick Cooke, RA, and serves clients throughout the Washington metropolitan area and along the Chesapeake Bay. The firm designs custom homes and residential renovations with an emphasis on collaboration, craftsmanship, and attention to detail.

Thomson & Cooke Architects balances the simplicity of traditional American residential design with a contemporary, stylish aesthetic. Its work combines classic design principles with current building practices to create homes that are comfortable, sensible, beautiful, and responsive to modern life. The firm works on both new construction and existing homes, including urban and suburban residences, historic properties, additions, and conversions.

Patrick Cooke, RA, is a native Washingtonian whose design sensibility is rooted in craftsmanship and attention to detail. Neal Thomson, AIA, draws on his appreciation for the romantic architecture of his hometown, Shaker Heights, Ohio, and employs classically scaled architecture alongside principles of modern living to create refined, functional spaces.

The firm has been recognized by Home & Design Magazine’s Designers’ Choice Awards, including the Architecture Firm category in 2022 and, in a tie, in 2018. Thomson & Cooke Architects has also been featured by District Home Magazine as an “Up & Coming” firm and has appeared in Home & Design’s annual 100 Top Designers portfolio. The firm maintains professional membership with the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICAA), and its residential work has been featured in industry publications, including coverage of “An Invisible Transformation,” a modernization of a 1908 Victorian home.

2. Areas Served

Thomson & Cooke Architects serves clients in Washington, D.C., and throughout the surrounding metropolitan area. The firm’s service area includes nearby Maryland and Virginia communities, including Bethesda, Chevy Chase, and Potomac.

The practice also designs and renovates residential properties along the Chesapeake Bay. Its work encompasses urban row houses, suburban residences, waterfront properties, historic homes, and other single-family residential settings throughout the region.

3. Services

Thomson & Cooke Architects provides residential architecture and related design services from initial project planning through construction and move-in. Services may include site evaluation, project planning, schematic design, architectural drawings, construction documents, permit coordination, and collaboration with builders and other project professionals.

The firm also coordinates interior layouts, materials, finishes, and stylistic details as part of an integrated residential design process. During construction, Thomson & Cooke Architects provides project oversight and manages the design and construction process through completion, helping ensure that the finished home reflects the client’s needs, the character of the property, and the firm’s commitment to comfortable, functional design.

Residential Project Types

  • Custom new homes: Bespoke single-family residences designed around the site, the client’s lifestyle, and the principles of enduring residential architecture.
  • Remodeling and renovations: Updates to existing urban and suburban homes, including kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and other living spaces.
  • Home additions: Expanded living areas designed to accommodate changing household needs while complementing the existing home.
  • Historic restorations and conversions: Sensitive improvements to historic properties and residential conversions that balance preservation with modern living requirements.
  • Accessory dwelling units: Detached or attached secondary residences designed to provide flexible additional housing.
Great Fall Residence
Elegant living room with large windows, neutral-toned furniture, two horse portraits, chandeliers, a wooden dining table with chairs, vases of pink flowers, books, light curtains, green rug, and natural light illuminating the space.
Kenwood Residence
Modern living room with large grid windows, cream curtains, a gray chaise lounge, red accent chair, arc floor lamp, and a large abstract painting. The glass door opens to a sunny garden with stone walls and lush greenery visible outside.
Primrose Residence
O Street Residence
30th Street Residence
A modern entryway with a black-framed glass divider, a potted leafy tree, light wood floors, white walls, a staircase with a black railing, and soft natural light from windows covered by sheer curtains.
A large two-story white house with black shutters, dormer windows, and a central front door under a small portico. A stone walkway leads through a manicured lawn with shrubs and plants. Blue sky with clouds above.
Spring Valley Residence
A cozy corner nook with a blue plaid L-shaped sofa, round black table, and single black chair sits by two windows. Dark walls, a stone fireplace, wall sconce, and a vase of red flowers create a warm, stylish atmosphere.