DANKE development

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DANKE development DANKE is a custom architecture studio based in Washington DC. We specialize in equestrian properties, luxury residential, and sustainable design.

Every client works directly with Dan Blair from the first conversation to move-in day. Projects nationwide. Exclusive design studio based in the Washington DC area; focused on sustainable solutions for equestrian + residential projects. About me:
linktr.ee/dankedevelopment

The best way to unwind on a fall evening after a long day.
09/29/2026

The best way to unwind on a fall evening after a long day.

08/21/2026

Watching your own house come together is something to experience. I was the architect on this one; I was also the owner.

We replaced a 1939 Craftsman at 1608 N Cleveland Street in Arlington and kept its cedar shingle front porch, added solar and stormwater, and made it our home + studio, our place to enjoy life. Kelly and I made the same decisions here that I now walk clients through, and we live with the results every day.

The clip is animated from our real build photos.

Always looking for inspiration for designs, traveling in northern Italy last month did not disappoint. These exterior do...
08/09/2026

Always looking for inspiration for designs, traveling in northern Italy last month did not disappoint. These exterior doors and framed views were some of our favorites.

Framing the landscape and aligned with the Tuscan summer sunset, Monteriggioni’s west gate framed with flowering vines is just ridiculous. It’s a simple added bonus if you can position your barn correctly.



This small hillside fortress in Tuscany was our Airbnb. The arched gate, vines, and steps up to the residence along the side of the chapel provide an amazing composition.

Courtyard door in Firenze. Framed view of the wood and steel door surrounded by the masonry opening with gravel courtyard enhances the experience of the doors.

Siena’s city hall massive iron-studded wooden doors with a rough stone facade are amazing. The smaller pedestrian doors framed by the iron wall mounted tie-rings on the walls add character.

Shop in Bologna. Using vines and planting surrounding the opening creates a welcoming entry.

Bologna’s porticoes are something to experience. Brick arches, vaulted ceilings, iron details, and the warmth of the plaster provide timeless character while providing shade. They reminded me of the vine covered trellis at Lucky Jack Farm, a project I worked on while an associate with Blackburn Architects.

Layered sightlines in Pienza. Using multiple cased openings and arched colonnade sequentially frames a series of nested views. Aligning the shed row with a view is an excellent way to frame exterior landscapes.

Two barns in Woodside, California.The owners had eight horses boarded across the area and wanted them home. Ten acres; a...
06/16/2026

Two barns in Woodside, California.

The owners had eight horses boarded across the area and wanted them home. Ten acres; a slope; a wetland in back; a town review process that had stopped two prior clients short from designing their dream barn. This one didn't stop.

A pair of low barns. 18'6" tall where the code allowed 24'. Set low against the trees. Quarter-sawn western red cedar. Gray standing-seam metal. A curved barrel-vault roof to echo the residence next door; it also vents the interior the way air moves over a wing.

Seven stalls. Each opens to its own turnout, then on to the larger paddocks. The arena sits out front along the road, putting the finer side of the buildings toward the world.

Built for hunter/jumper and dressage. And for the long ride at the end of the day.
From the Blackburn Green Barns. Hickory model, customized for the site.

Woodside, CA · Restored by Blackburn Architects, with Daniel Blair among the team behind the work · Photography: Cesar Lujan (.leisurely)

Sagamore Farm. Glyndon, Maryland. 1925. Isaac Emerson, the man behind Bromo-Seltzer, bought the land. His grandson, Alfr...
06/12/2026

Sagamore Farm. Glyndon, Maryland. 1925. Isaac Emerson, the man behind Bromo-Seltzer, bought the land. His grandson, Alfred G. Vanderbilt II, got it as a 21st birthday gift in 1933 and built it into a thoroughbred operation that produced Bed o' Roses, Discovery, and Native Dancer - the Gray Ghost. Twenty-one wins in twenty-two starts. The only one that got away was the Kentucky Derby, lost by a head; that head was the whole Triple Crown. When Vanderbilt buried him at Sagamore in 1967, he buried him whole: halter, blanket, a bag of treats.

Kevin Plank bought the farm in 2007. By then the buildings had been quiet for more than a decade. Daniel led the restoration team during his years at Blackburn. The interiors were gutted and two barns rebuilt as mirrors of each other: a 20-stall broodmare barn and 16-stall foaling barn.

The owner forfeited the historical tax credits so the horses could thrive in modern naturally ventilated barns. We modernized air circulation by cutting out the overhead haylofts - removing a fire and a respiratory hazard; adding Dutch doors pull air in low; and installing a vented ridge skylight over the length of each barn - allowing air to expel vertically.

What stayed, stayed on purpose. The 5:12 rooflines. The stucco. The red and white racing colors. The original wood was salvaged and became tack-room millwork. A new 24-stall yearling barn went up on the old footprint, in the same language as the rest. Fourteen miles of white fence were laid out to frame the pastures.

Sagamore Farm · Glyndon, MD · Restoration led by Daniel Blair at Blackburn Architects · Photography: Cesar Lujan (.leisurely)

Two months ago, our beloved mascot and soul of our home and studio passed away.Kelly and I are still devastated, forced ...
06/08/2026

Two months ago, our beloved mascot and soul of our home and studio passed away.

Kelly and I are still devastated, forced into making the tough decision about Findley. For 15+ years he was on watch, protecting our home + studio from package and mail deliveries. Thank you for all the love everyone has shown him over the years, even when he was a grumpy sourpuss

If you're just finding or rediscovering this page, welcome! I'm Daniel Blair, the founder of DANKE, which is German for ...
05/04/2026

If you're just finding or rediscovering this page, welcome! I'm Daniel Blair, the founder of DANKE, which is German for “thank you” and the name of our design studio based in the DC area.

I kept seeing the same problem: clients hand over their vision to an architect; and receive something that felt like it came from someone with their own agenda. I founded our studio with a simple belief that most firms seem to have forgotten: our job is to listen and support the client; not our ego.

We specialize in custom residential, equestrian, and sustainable architecture for clients across the country. If that sounds like what you have been looking for, then you are in the right place - thanks for joining us!

Address

1608 N Cleveland Street
Arlington, VA
22201

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 1:30pm

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