999 Residence
Type: Residential-Interior
Program: High-Rise Condo Unit
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Construction: Withheld
Status: In Construction
Brief: Combination and Renovation of two units into a single 6,000 SF dwelling, including custom cabinetry
Project Location
Organization Sketches
Millwork Study
Organization Diagram
Existing Plan
Proposed Plan
Existing Conditions
Construction
Construction
Construction
Millwork Details Mock Up
Construction
Construction
Study Model
Proposed plan
Millwork details
Millwork Pattern Iteration
Construction
Island Detail © Mike Schwartz
Kitchen © Mike Schwartz
Stair Composition © Mike Schwartz
Stair Detail © Mike Schwartz
Utility Volume © Mike Schwartz
Entry Millwork © Mike Schwartz
Entry Millwork © Mike Schwartz
Millwork Detail © Mike Schwartz
Between the Millwork © Mike Schwartz
Historical reference: 1900' Chicago Surface Lines
Avenue Layout Diagram
Avenue Section Today
Avenue Section Proposed
Avenue Section Proposed
The Avenue Can Grow
The Avenue Can Transform
The Avenue Can Connect Us
Plan View
Construction Drawings
Construction Drawings
Construction
Assembly
Components
Bar Detail
Seating Detail
Evaluation
Testing
Testing
Alien Reflection
Design Approach Study Models
Existing Plan
Proposed Plan
Diagrams
Elevations
Existing Conditions
Construction
Construction
Entry © Mike Schwartz
Kitchen & Dining Area © Mike Schwartz
Living Area © Mike Schwartz
Kitchen © Mike Schwartz
Millwork © Mike Schwartz
Living Area © Mike Schwartz
Millwork Details
Sleeping Area © Mike Schwartz
Sleeping Area © Mike Schwartz
Bathroom © Mike Schwartz
Bathroom © Mike Schwartz
Bathroom © Mike Schwartz
Bathroom © Mike Schwartz
Sleeping Area © Mike Schwartz
Towards 860/880 © Mike Schwartz
Parti
Site Location
Organization Model
Organization Diagram
Organization Diagram
Street Elevation
Proposed Street View
Lower Unit Floor Plan
Penthouse Floor Plan
Interior View: Lower Unit
Interior View: Lower Unit
Interior View: Penthouse
Construction Drawing: North-South Section
Construction: Site Excavation
Construction: Foundation & Shoring
Construction: Concrete
Construction: Masonry and Steel
Construction: Masonry and Steel
Construction: Masonry and Steel
Construction: Interior
Construction: Topping out
Components
Process
Drawings
Connections
Model
Prototype
Mock-up
Site Location
Organization Model
Organization Diagram
Site Plan
Longitudinal Section
Cross Section
Building Materials
Proposed Street View
Lower Units Interior View
Lower Units Interior View
Lower Units Interior View
Upper Units Interior View
Lower Units Floor Plan
Lower Units Floor Plan
Upper Units Floor Plan
Construction: Excavation
Construction: Foundation
Construction: Masonry
Construction: Masonry
South Facade Day © JC Buck
South Facade Dusk © JC Buck
East Facade © JC Buck
East Facade © JC Buck
East Entry © JC Buck
Northeast Corner © JC Buck
South Facade © JC Buck
View from Roofdeck © Mike Schwartz
Common Stair © Mike Schwartz
Upper Unit Deck © Mike Schwartz
Upper Unit Deck © Mike Schwartz
Lower Unit Kitchen © Mike Schwartz
Upper Unit Bedroom © Mike Schwartz
Northwest Corner © Mike Schwartz
Organization Diagram
Interior Elevation
Section
Main Level Floor Plan
Upper Level Floor Plans
Prior Construction
Demolition
Construction
Mezzanine Detail
Main Level © Mike Schwartz
Kitchen © Mike Schwartz
Toward Entry © Mike Schwartz
Sleeping Volume © Mike Schwartz
Living Room © Mike Schwartz
Master Bedroom © Mike Schwartz
Master Bedroom © Mike Schwartz
Master Bathroom © Mike Schwartz
Stair Composition © Mike Schwartz
Utility Volume © Mike Schwartz
To Mezzanine © Mike Schwartz
From Mezzanine © Mike Schwartz
Mezzanine © Mike Schwartz
Mezzanine Bathroom © Mike Schwartz
Loft © Mike Schwartz
Living Room at Dusk © Mike Schwartz
Parti Model
Partition Studies
Intervention Diagram
Interior Elevations
Proposed Plan
Interior Model
Building Artifact
Construction: Framing
Construction: Transformation
Column to Enclosure © Mike Schwartz
Column to Opening © Mike Schwartz
Column to Space © Mike Schwartz
Column to Entry © Mike Schwartz
Column to Circulation © Mike Schwartz
Open Workspace © Mike Schwartz
Suspended Storage © Mike Schwartz
Column to Storage © Mike Schwartz
Planting Screen Detail © Mike Schwartz
Private Office © Mike Schwartz
Office Lounge © Mike Schwartz
Private Office © Mike Schwartz
Views Through © Mike Schwartz
Entry © Mike Schwartz
Threshold © Mike Schwartz
Concept Study Models
Proposed Section
Proposed Plans
Existing Conditions: Exterior
Existing Conditions: Interior
Construction: Excavation and Underpinning
Construction: New Aperture
Main Stair © Mike Schwartz
Main Stair © Mike Schwartz
First Floor © Mike Schwartz
Living Area © Mike Schwartz
Kitchen © Mike Schwartz
View of Second Floor © Mike Schwartz
View of Third Floor © Mike Schwartz
Second Floor © Mike Schwartz
Third Floor © Mike Schwartz
Third Floor Office View © Mike Schwartz
Black Facade © Mike Schwartz
Canopy Detail © Vladimir Radutny Architects
Existing Conditions
Proposed Site Plan
Study Model of Stair Assembly
Final Model of Deck
Deck Assembly Diagram and Material
Deck and Screen Section
Construction
Detail View of Stair Assembly
View of Deck
View of Screen
View of Deck
Existing Conditions: Exterior
Existing Conditions: Interior
Proposed Plan: First Floor
Proposed Plan: Second Floor
Proposed Section
Skylight Study Model
Stair Assembly Diagram
Stair Construction
Stair Profile Mike Schwartz
Greeting at Entry Mike Schwartz
Kitchen View Mike Schwartz
Kitchen Detail Mike Schwartz
Towards Front Entry © Mike Schwartz
Upper Level Landing © Mike Schwartz
Upper Level Landing © Mike Schwartz
Upper Level Landing © Mike Schwartz
Upper Level Landing © Mike Schwartz
Master Bedroom Storage © Mike Schwartz
Maser Bedroom Entry Detail © Mike Schwartz
Master Bathroom © Mike Schwartz
Front Entry © Mike Schwartz
Front Elevation © Mike Schwartz
Program Components
Existing Plan
Proposed Plan
Diagrams
Interior Elevations
Pre-Existing Conditions
Construction: Layers
Construction: Bathroom
Construction: Touch Ups
Living Space © Bill Zbaren
Towards Kitchen © Bill Zbaren
Island Detail © Bill Zbaren
From Entry © Bill Zbaren
Island Corner © Bill Zbaren
Towards Sleeping Area © Bill Zbaren
Bathroom Wet Area © Bill Zbaren
From Shower © Bill Zbaren
Inside Sleeping Area © Bill Zbaren
Existing Conditions: Exterior
Existing Conditions: Interior
Study Model: Beginning
Study Model: Parti
Organization Diagram
Proposed Site Plan
Proposed Floor Plan
Perspective Section
Wall Section Detail
Proposed Site Section
Proposed Exterior
Proposed Entry Sequence
Proposed Living and Dining
Proposed Kitchen
Proposed Master Bedroom
Concept Sketch
Concept Model
Existing/Proposed Plans
Intervention Diagram
Study Model
Intersection Study
Inner Plywood Profiles
Existing Conditions
Construction Process
View from Corridor © Mike Schwartz
Main Space © Mike Schwartz
Detail View of Wall © Mike Schwartz
Utility Core © Mike Schwartz
Inside the Core © Mike Schwartz
Main Space with Equipment © Mike Schwartz
Towards Entry © Mike Schwartz
An idea
Exploring Connections
Exploring Connections
Developing an idea
Studying the Form
Finalizing the Proportions
Refining at 1 to 1
Refining at 1 to 1
Symbi in situ
Symbi in situ
Symbi Detail
Artist Benjamin Bellas
Site Plan
Building Envelope Strategy
Program Allocation
Proposed Floor Plan
Model Development
Proposed Section
Seasons
Interior View
Interior View
Approach
Concept Sketches
Study Model
Existing Plan
Proposed Plan
Enlarged Study Model
Pre-Existing Conditions
Construction: Shelving Detail
View of Living Space © Bill Zbaren
View of Dining Space © Bill Zbaren
View of Kitchen © Bill Zbaren
View of Storage Volume © Bill Zbaren
View Towards Sleeping © Bill Zbaren
View of Sleeping Area © Bill Zbaren
Glass Partition Detail © Bill Zbaren
View from Kitchen © Bill Zbaren
View Inside Bathroom © Bill Zbaren
Bathroom Detail © Bill Zbaren
Bathroom Entry © Bill Zbaren
Entry Door Detail © Bill Zbaren
Facade Diagram
Organization Diagram
Proposed Exterior View
Proposed View of the Main Floor
Proposed View of the Main Floor
Proposed Floor Plans
Proposed Elevations
View of the Front Facade
View of the Main Floor
Detail View of Stair
View of Kitchen
View of Lower Level
Design Approach Study Models
Office Organization Model
Floor Plan Before
Floor Plan After
Diagram: Binding Partition
Study: Screen Pattern
Open Workspace Elevations and Details
Previous Conditions: Exterior
Previous Conditions: Interior
Demolition
Demolition
Construction Transformation
View of Entrance Elevation © Mike Schwartz
View of Binding Partition © Mike Schwartz
View of Private Office © Mike Schwartz
Detail View of Desk © Mike Schwartz
View of Office from the Garage © Mike Schwartz
Garage View © Mike Schwartz
View of Open Workspace © Mike Schwartz
Detail View of the Screen © Mike Schwartz
Concept Sketches
Study Models: Site and Form Development
Facade Studies
Circulation and Sustainable Features Diagram
Site Section
Site Plan
Model: Program Animation
Ground Level Floor Plan
Lower Level Floor Plan
Rendering View of Main Entrance
Rendering View from Rear Plaza
Rendering View Inside the Shul
Concept Sketch of Exterior Solution
Study Models of Exterior Deck and Trellis
Deck and Trellis Final Model
Prior Exterior Condition
Construction Progress
View from Lower Landing @ Mike Schwartz
View of Eating Landing @ Mike Schwartz
Trellis Detail @ Mike Schwartz
Lower Landing
Area of Work_Kitchen, Dining, Living
Study Model of Main Level
Floor Plans of Main Level
Prior Main Level Conditions
Construction of Main Level Renovation
Glass Steel Support Detail
View of Completed Renovation @ Mike Schwartz
View of Kitchen Island @ Mike Schwartz
Kitchen from Side Entry @ Mike Schwartz
Kitchen Cabinets Detail @ Mike Schwartz
Shelf Detail @ Mike Schwartz
Area of Work_Basement
Prior Basement Conditions
Basement Remodel
Living Area_Basement @ Mike Schwartz
Sleeping Platform @ Mike Schwartz
Shower and Vanity @ Mike Schwartz
Vanity Detail @ Mike Schwartz
Saving Prentice Exhibition Board
Existing Conditions: Exterior
Existing Conditions: Interior
Proposed Site Plan
Design Development Process
Proposed Section and Plan
Construction
Construction: Interior Skylight Framing
Detail View of Exterior Wall © Chris Bradley
Evening View of Addition © Chris Bradley
Morning View of Addition © Chris Bradley
View Inside the Mikveh Pool © Chris Bradley
Detail View of the Bookshelf © Chris Bradley
View of the Bookshelves © Chris Bradley
View of the Sanctuary Space © Chris Bradley
View of the Sanctuary Space © Chris Bradley
Study Models: Circulation and Form Development
Study Model: Program Diagram
Project Parti Diagram: Parts
Project Parti Diagram: Parts Assembled
Study Model: View at Grade Level
Floor Plans
Elevations
Rendering View from Garden
Rendering View at Upper Deck Level
Rendering View Inside the Studio
Existing Conditions
Existing Conditions
Construction
Construction: View Inside the Office Looking East
View of West Deck
View of Upper Deck
Interior Ceiling Detail
View of Stepped Garden
View of Swimming Pool
Initial Impressions: Views of The Landscape
Concept Sketch and Model
Boundary, Raised Platform Studies
Axonometric Organization Diagram
Floor Plan
Existing Conditions
Construction: Defining the Kitchen Volume
Entry: Clad with Black Metal Doors, Enclosing Mechanical Room, Laundry and Guest Bathroom
Sitting Area
Guest Bathroom Enclosure
Guest Bathroom Enclosure: Privacy Configuration
Main Living Space
Built-Out Wall: Looking North
Living Area
Master Bathroom
Study Model: View Towards the Enclosure
Iterative Study of Skin Pattern
Wood Wall Pattern Mock-up
Floor Plan: Previous
Floor Plan: Executed
Enlarged Detail of Wall
Existing Conditions
Existing Conditions
Construction: Framing
Construction: Door Detail
Construction: Door Detail
Concealed Bedroom Door
View of New Bedroom Enclosure
View of Bedroom Enclosure
View Inside Transition Corridor
Bedroom Wall from Inside the Room
Bedroom Wall Detail
View of Wall Inside the Second Bedroom
Wall Detail
View of Models: Initial Sexy Tables
View of Model: First Sexy Standing
View of Model: Sexy Legs
View of Model: Mature Sexy
View of Model: Big Sexy Standing
Sexy Drawings
View of Sexy Mock-Up
Construction: Sexy Body
Construction: Sexy Foot Detail
Construction: Sexy Underbelly
View of Big Sexy Standing
View of Big Sexy Rear
View of Big Sexy in Sitting Position
Chicago's Historic Motor Row on South Michigan Avenue
Locomobile Lofts Building
Wayfinding Strategy Concept
Address Signage Perforation Study
CNC Panel Fabrication
Wood Panel Layering and Assembly
Material Palette
Vestibule Prior to Construction
Construction of the Lobby Ceiling
Construction: Signage Panels
View Inside the Vestibule © Renae Lillie
View of Vestibule Cladding © Renae Lillie
Cladding Detail
Hallway Views from East and West © Renae Lillie
View From the Elevator
View From the Outside © Renae Lillie
Concept Diagram
Process Sketch
Wood Screen Walls: Geometry
Diagrams: Ceiling Enclosure
Proposed Plan
Existing Conditions
Building Up the Screen Walls
Building Up the Screen Walls
Materials and Texture
View From Entry © Nathan Kirkman
View Toward Washroom © Nathan Kirkman
View Toward Bar © Nathan Kirkman
View of Bedroom © Nathan Kirkman
View of Wall Detail © Nathan Kirkman
View Inside the Yoga Room © Nathan Kirkman
Concept: Parts Study
View of Models: Assembly Results
View of Model: Assembly Sequence
View of Model: Material Choice
In-Progress Fabrication
View of Table
Table Detail
Initial Impressions: Montage View From Unit
Process Sketches
Unit Elevation and Plan
Demolition
Construction Sequence
Completed Project © Candice C. Cusic
View of Living/Sleeping Area © Candice C. Cusic
View Toward Entry Corridor © Candice C. Cusic
West Art Wall: One Cent Life Portfolio © Candice C. Cusic
View of Hinged Art Frame: Robert Indiana - Four Winds © Candice C. Cusic
View From Entry © Candice C. Cusic
View From Bathroom © Candice C. Cusic
View of Living Area © Candice C. Cusic
Kitchen Cabinet Enclosure
Floor Edge Detail
View at Entry: Storage Enclosure © Candice C. Cusic
View Toward the City © Candice C. Cusic
TV Enclosure Pattern © Candice C. Cusic
Sun Path
Process Sketches
Drawings: Elevations
Prior Condition
Axonometric View of Assembly Sequence
View Toward the House
View Under the Canopy
Railing Detail Connections: Outside and Inside Corners
Column Detail Connections: Deck and Canopy
View Under the Canopy
Detail: Beam to Column Connection
Concept Sketch
![[S]Table](https://www.radutny.com/images/work/S-TABLE_01_1000A.jpg)
Line Drawings
![[S]Table](https://www.radutny.com/images/work/S-TABLE_02_1000A.jpg)
View of Table
![[S]Table](https://www.radutny.com/images/work/S-TABLE_03_1000.jpg)
View of Table
![[S]Table](https://www.radutny.com/images/work/S-TABLE_04_1000.jpg)
Table Leg Detail
![[S]Table](https://www.radutny.com/images/work/S-TABLE_05_1000.jpg)
Concept Diagram
Piece Index
Assembly Sequence
Rendering View of Table
Rendering View of Table
Table Leg Detail
View of Table
View of Table
City Block Diagram
Parti
Passive Strategy: Light and Air Optimization
Building Model: Birds Eye View
Building Model: Elevation View
Building Model: Axonometric View
Floor Plans
Exterior Rendering
Interior Rendering: Lower Level
Interior Rendering: Upper Level
Exterior Rendering
Project Location
Schematic Rendering: View From Outside
Original Plan
Schematic Plan
Construction Plan
Interior Elevations
Demo
View of Kitchen
View Inside Kitchen
Kitchen Island Detail
Living Room
View Toward Bedroom
Bedroom View
Glass Partition Detail
Glass Partition Detail
Bathroom View
Vanity Detail
Concept Diagram
Building Model: Plan View
Upper Level Plan
Ground Level Plan
Lower Level Plan
Sections
Color Inspiration: Marc Chagall Le Coq Blanc Les Deux Amants
View Toward North
View Toward South
View Toward East
View Inside the Sanctuary
View From Entry
Concept Image: Catalyst for Imagination
Design Evolution
Birdseye Model View
Aerial View: Project Location
Diagram: Skin and Structure
Program Description
Compression Space: View Looking Up
Floor Plans: Street Level Plans
Compression Space: View Toward the Unknown
Compression Space: View Toward the Mysterious
Compression Space: View Toward the Bathroom Pod
Section: Through the Transition Space
Diagrams: Enclosure, Water Harvesting, Daylight Collectors
Exterior View from City Garden
Exterior View of the Release Space
Section: Through the Release Space
Release Space: View Toward the City
Exterior View from the Chicago River
Exterior View Looking North
Exterior View Toward TOSI
Diagrams
Box Transformation
Renderings
Jewelry Box Interior
Jewelry Box Closed
Form Studies
Plywood Sheet
Chair Arm Detail
View of Chair
Concept
Concept Studies
Final Product
Drawings
Details
View of Stand
Model
Model
Plan: Initial Sheet Metal Profile
Elevations
View of Table
Rendering of Table
Elevations
Table Assembly Drawings
Table Leg Detail
View of Table
Elevations
Top View
Detail of Amber Connection
Front View
Stonehenge
Ponte di Rialto: Venice
United Kingdom Parliament
London Eye
Big Ben
London Streetscape
Thames Barriers: England
Roman Baths: England
Mevaggissey: England
Greenwich: England
Eden Project: England
Dutch Landscape
Odeonsplatz: Munich
Olympic Village: Munich
Barcelona
Bilbao Streetscape
Guggenheim Museum: Bilbao
Guggenheim Museum: Bilbao
Parthenon: Athens
Posing a simple question, “What if there were no cars?” inspired us to imagine “Our Avenue” as something far greater than the traffic-centric corridor it is today. We propose creating zones of pedestrian mobility based on one’s desired speed of travel, in addition to rewriting the current zoning regulations for new and existing buildings along the avenue. By requiring carved facades, continuous overhead protection is provided for pedestrians throughout the year. Additionally, revitalization of our local ecology is achieved through the reconstitution of native landscapes and localized storm water management systems as well as harvesting and storing clean energy for the avenue and its adjacencies. Consequently, significant reduction in light pollution, noise, and heat island effect will provide physical and mental health improvements alongside cleaner air and clearer skies.
We can change our city’s fabric and trajectory by embracing the opportunities this proposal seeks, following in the steps of "Make no little plans.”
At entry, a tall white oak element welcomes you, concealing variety of daily functions within its tight grain clad walls. The opposing horizontal kitchen section compliments the tall millwork, extending visually into the mirrored backsplash niche. Shelves disappear and reemerge behind the delicate walls, creating a backdrop for everyday living things. These floating black lines organize the primary living space and become visually lighter as they elevate vertically above the ground plane. This play on visual continuity is employed throughout, where reflectivity creates illusions and connections between architectural elements and the spaces that they support.
The long east wall separates the bathroom as well as hides the primary storage. Its white reflective surface captures the urban setting and pulls the light further into the space. Once the white reflective separation ends, an absorbent material surface takes over on its opposing side. This change in material and texture is meant to evoke a greater sense of intimacy towards the more private areas of the apartment, while also forming a visual dialogue with the palette used inside the main room.
Where the opaque wall terminates it gives way to layers of fabric, echoing nature’s transition of water meeting sky. The curtain "wall" filters light and creates privacy as needed, allowing one to fully open the apartment towards the lakefront and the iconic 860/880 apartments across the way. Theatrically draped across the wood floor the fabric softens the refined ensemble, keeping the overall composition together as an enlivened, cohesive whole.
This intervention within the Mies Van Der Rohe designed apartment buildings embodies material restraint and highlights the precision of craft. It evokes a tranquil sense of place inside the historic context while focusing on the memorable city views and dynamic lakefront, capturing ephemeral qualities of natural light as it changes throughout each day.
The building is organized as a small community of individual dwelling units wrapped in one contiguous skin. Unlike a single-family home, each residence is designed with at least three distinct orientations and abundance of outdoor space, maximizing daylight and cross breezes throughout the day. The outward appearance of this project is a direct result of the strategic interior planning, with two large cubic voids defining large terraces at the second floor. In these voids, the articulated steel balconies and stairs are nested, echoing Chicago’s infamous fire escapes and adding visual relief at the SE and NW corners of the site. Individual, large window openings in the building’s corrugated metal skin appear more as perforations within the overall mass, perceptively reducing the building scale among its fellow neighbors. Selected for its reflective qualities, the exterior cladding produces a dynamic play of light and shadow across the façades, highlighting atmospheric changes brought forth by the seasons and throughout the day.
This contemporary building development attempts to mark its place in time, exemplifying architecture expression for its immediate surrounding as well as the greater city context.
Now, as one enters this dwelling through a low, wood clad transition zone the overwhelming feeling of being inside a large industrial room is very much subdued. Scaled architectural components, material restraint and theatrical lighting throughout, lessens the overall spatial dominance, while openness and clarity of space is maintained. Living functions such as laundry, mechanicals and storage are integrated within the built-in cabinetry and dispersed strategically throughout the space. Kitchen elements are treated similarly and placed atop the raised platform to elevate one’s experience during preparation of meals with views in a direction of our city’s most iconic street, Michigan Avenue. The continuous wood platform organizes the vastness of the open room, providing an edge for more intimate furniture arrangement and a backdrop for plants and life objects collected throughout our client’s lives. Clad in black steel, the sleeping cube is situated away from the perimeter for greater noise and temperature control. Acting as a visual anchor atop a platform, it is fully programed, the metal skin transforms as panels open up, revealing one of many uses contained within. While its main purpose echoes a primal cave for sleeping, lined in wood paneling with borrowed daylight forms an oasis within.
As one moves between levels, a variety of unexpected vantage points and views are revealed. These upper levels function as sleeping space for visitors and couple’s work zones, enabling open living to have both separation and connectivity throughout the day. At the upper loft, where one finally comes close with the concrete ceiling, a doorway leads to a vast outdoor garden with views of our city’s majestic skyline.
These meandering spaces are three dimensionally distributed and yet assembled as a one cohesive home inside a raw industrial cloak.
The development of the office plan yielded a choreographed configuration of heavy posts in various proximity to new partitions, openings, and circulation. Blank white walls weave in and out of the building’s columnar forest, like a sculptural installation, reflecting light and absorbing shadows. Offices with greater privacy needs are separated and pulled away from the adjacent exposures, forming a light-filled lounge at a corner pivot space. Extra-large openings are cut out in the new walls, enabling a direct working connection between the partners and their supporting legal team. Underlined in blackened steel these large apertures act as visual conduits towards the exterior and facilitate direct daylight deep into the inner working zones.
The heart of the office environment is anchored by plant life, via a delicate field of ivy, serving as a separation between work space and the kitchenette. Within the main storage element, the translucent green screen lightens the massiveness of this object visually suspending it from the heavy timber beam. Unlike the storage element, the block like desks anchor the work area. Intended for flexible use, and are oriented in the direction to maximize city views both through and in between the perimeter white walls.
Spatial design opportunities within timeworn structure exemplifies how thoughtful planning and organization is able to enrich the daily experiences of the individuals using their workspace.
The existing conditions were dismal, nothing was level while dark interior, low ceilings and lack of connectivity between floor plates added to the complexity for the desired outcome. During design process we determined to eliminate everything within, leaving the exterior load bearing shell in-tact while strategically puncturing the envelope for added daylight and views. We then stitched all new building levels together utilizing an articulated stair within a contiguous void. Pulling natural daylight down at each floor and connecting spaces via light and shadow throughout the day. Furthermore, the neighboring exterior common brick walls now become the backdrop for the interior, as spaces are visually stretched outwards, blurring the boundary between the interior and the outside as we selectively kept some brick as finish material on the inside of the home as well.
While the front of the house remained intact, the rear embraces the alley and the elevated train. Clad in narrow ship-lap siding from cut down standard fiber-cement boards adds texture and depth as the South sun rakes across the surfaces. Traditionally the rear of these buildings along the tracks have been very much a non-design priority, however to us and to our clients this elevation was as equally important as the front, offering a new vantage for those passengers that ride the EL.
The principal element of this landscape project is the back yard, where the new sculpted deck transforms it into a place for gathering, refuge and play. Composed of cascading cedar platforms, the homes main living floor extends and gradually descends to grade. Each step widens and turns, letting the imagination run wild with its myriad functions. The oversized privacy screen is integrated into the overall composition such that it is not perceived as a wall to the neighbor on the North, but as a new shared elevation in between. Treating the overlap and density of wood elements similar at both sides allows for light and shadow to be mutually appreciated. Over time, the planted “Virginia Creeper” ivy will take over the screen, eventually climbing the guide wire and transforming the deck into a gazebo, adding extra shade and privacy as well as additional backyard splendor for all to admire.
Furthermore, our interest in "phenomenal transparency” as a space-organizing strategy was tested here both in section and plan. Newly-introduced walnut millwork elements were programmed as stairs, walls and storage; these elements physically and visually cut through space, connecting rooms and their adjacent zones. Salvaged old doors, hardware, and trim were seamlessly integrated with the new architectural language, keeping the design composition cohesive, and merging past and present together as one articulated thought. The result is a home that is light, connected, and fully functional for a growing family. The project thus introduces new spatial meaning into an early 20th century building, melding qualities from the past with a design logic and lifestyle for today.
At the entry, while drawing direct connections with the lake, we added an open kitchen creating a multi-functional space. To the right, the carefully placed floating mass welcomes you, gesturing towards the main room. As it extends deeper into the living space, a reading nook is formed at the back of the projection, offering a sense of refuge inside of an open plan. When sitting, this projected element transforms, reflecting the adjacent spaces within its carved niche.
The integration of a seemingly continuous glass plane provides privacy between the two primary living zones. However, its true function is to create a backdrop of illusion, capturing the expansiveness of the exterior, as well as the dynamic mood changes of the Great Lake.
In re-orienting the plumbing-dependent elements of both the kitchen and bath towards the lake, we physically and visually connected them with adjacently shared zones. Now, one can admire the sunrise while showering and absorbing the horizontal morning light.
While placing emphasis on the refined expression of the building’s minimalist tradition, a quiet living space is formed for contemplation and refuge in the sky.
The building extends to the lot lines on three sides and amidst the rezoning process, the municipality mandated these three visible facades were to be kept. As such, we used this directive as an opportunity to resolve the two key elements the existing configuration lacked -privacy and daylight. Thus, we looked to the existing roof as a solution to create an interior courtyard. In cutting away the existing roof along the southern and eastern exterior walls, a newly formed semi-private space becomes a living threshold between the street’s hard edge and a new glass enclosure. Now, the sun’s rays are able to penetrate deep into the footprint of the home, revealing the poetic qualities of these masonry walls, which also serve as a new elevation seen from within.
The overall plan is anchored by the introduction of three multi-purpose, wood clad volumes, defining the sleeping areas along one side and the flexible family functions on the other. The placement of the garage in close proximity of the primary structure, together with its direct link to an integrated workspace defines another type of courtyard, opening up to the most intimate room of the home, the master suite. This auxiliary structure adds to the reinforcement of the interior and exterior organization while providing privacy from adjacent lots.
Overall, this project exemplifies the opportunities existing structures offer, in opposition to most buildings, which are razed in disregard.
Strategically, the fitness room needed a revised entry sequence, distinguished from the existing unit doors. In creating a large cut and a subtle angle within the common wall, we formalized a polarizing entry along the context of the narrow, and long hall. Within this formed transition space, a large glass door acts as an aperture, providing a greater sense of comfort and security from within. On the inside of the room, we re-appropriated the non-fitness related functions, stacking them upward inside the reflective core. This new found verticality, literally, created much needed breathing room, while gaining the extra area at the main floor. An energy recovery ventilator was part of the new integrated mechanical system, offsetting energy use while enhancing the air quality for all.
A modular, undulating cladding strategy was employed as an exploration of how one comfortably occupies an inside corner within a small cube-like room. As a result, the perimeter becomes more flexible with greater freedom to place objects and supporting functions along the continuous wall. We utilized CNC technology for increased efficiency and fluidity, highlighting quality and craftsmanship, which the prior space severely lacked.
This dynamic space is a new chapter to building’s historic existence, and with the tenant’s increased awareness of improved spatial qualities, we hold confident it will withstand time and add an intrinsic value for all to share.
The primary work area is located within an implied viewing tube of inspiration, defined by partial height walls inside a rectangular cedar clad enclosure. The plan contains double-sided display walls, desk space, distinct working zones and back of house storage, all within one open space. A wood-burning fireplace exists at the hinge point inside, keeping the space functional during the cold winter months.
The studio, though small has multiple states of existence. The dappling of light, dynamic casts of shadows, the sound of rain hitting the metal roof, the feeling of cross breezes are the materials of inspiration for the artist in his domain.
First, the sleeping and living arrangements were re-configured and separated with a floor to ceiling glass wall. The inherent properties of the material enables one to see the lake at any given time, either in the reflection or directly through. The applied gradient pattern in the glass adds a sense of privacy within this fully open plan. To further maintain the sight lines, we hid the large living clutter, integrating it within the perimeter demising zones. Behind what appears as a continuous wood wall, an abundance of storage space is allocated, while the floating shelves and low profile millwork add a sense cohesive stitching between the various living zones. Even in the selection of the furnishings we tried to keep the views clear choosing elements that are not opaque or solid. In the kitchen, the deepest and darkest area of the apartment we borrowed natural daylight through the bathroom space, by creating a direct aperture towards the lake through the layers of “smart” glass enclosure in the shower wall.
As a result, we achieved our initial intent, while paying subtle tribute to the building’s refined clarity and to its architecture master of less is more.
An oversized communal desk with integrated storage was placed in the center of the room. Structurally supported by two thin perforated metal screens, the desks appear to be cut into smaller segments, defining multiple work areas needed within the single shared space. These striking sheets of metal are designed to be visually intriguing, enhancing the raw qualities of an existing skin. To further separate the office from its adjacent zones, we introduced a continuous black “binding wall” snaking through various programmatic needs. Storage, mechanical closet and a private office are carefully sculpted within this single move. The lack of natural daylight in the space was solved through the placement of large panes of glass as separating walls, borrowing light and adding views throughout. In challenging the notion of private space, a sense of community is achieved, providing a collaborative environment within a shared workplace. Now the occupants are more connected with their immediate surroundings and feel much less divided and contained.
The overall building form is the result of a rotation in the upper programmed volume. This shift allows the Center to face directly east, optimizing the direction of daily prayers. This configuration enables the complex to appear as though it opens-up and reaches-out, similar to Chabad's role within the Toledo community. To further reinforce the inviting character of this facility, the proposed façade treatment softens the building’s rigid form. It evokes a sense of change and gentleness via the interplay of light and shadow on its rippling wood-clad folds.
On the interior, the main building’s program is arranged in such a way that each element functions as an independent part. Each takes part in defining the large multipurpose space, yet this organization allows for smaller functions to coexist within the overall open room. Colorful sliding glass partitions are inserted for greater visual intrigue and flexibility in subdividing the spaces further. In providing an uninterrupted visual connection with the outside combined with an abundance of daylight from all directions, a desired feeling of a spiritual home is attained. Providing a sense of place for the constituents of Chabad.
AWARDS
2015 AIA Chicago Citation of Merit Award
EXHIBIT
2015 The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design.
To maximize the use of this tight area, a series of cascading landings were introduced to subtly separate the functions of outdoor eating, relaxation and play. From the inside of the house, the exterior room was designed to appear as an extension of the interior. As one steps outside, they are enveloped by the surrounding trellis. Its aluminum tubular structure further reinforces a sense of enclosure, complementing the geometric fanning of the stacking decks. Once the vining plants make their way up the diagonal guide wires, they will provide additional shade, offer greater privacy and enhance the experience via the aromas of the flowering plants.
PRESS
2016 Builder Magazine
2014 Crain's Chicago Business
EXHIBIT
2015 The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design.
Through the removal of most of the interior walls and the strategic placement of the living elements, we created openness and added an abundance of natural light. In doing so, we formed opportunities for movement throughout the most active part of this home. To further underscore the circulation, emphasis was placed on the visual and physical connections between the newly-defined kitchen, dining and family areas. The result is a light, contemporary expression placed in subtle contrast to the rest of the home, marking a significant moment in the thoughtful evolution of its interior.
The second part of our involvement was to create a guest suite in the unfinished part of the basement. As with the renovation to the upper level, the theme of continuity persists. However, the individual challenges of this particular space resulted in a slightly different expression. In configuring the space, we worked around the existing structural elements, incorporating them into the project to every extent possible and finding design opportunities amidst the awkward quirks. The uneven foundation walls, sloping floors and old, painted beams were the catalysts for the precise solutions that now appear coordinated and well arranged. In this simple juxtaposition of materials, color and natural light, we were able to compliment the natural beauty of some of these hundred-year-old building components, making the newly created guest suite feel as an oasis from the rest of the home above.
PRESS
2016 Builder Magazine
2014 Crain's Chicago Business
2014 Houzz
EXHIBIT
2015 The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design.
The government-endorsed push to demolish Prentice is a significant current event. Sadly, however, it represents just one in a much longer sequence of short-sighted actions. These tragedies have been repeated by a city which has all-too-often prioritized the rapid development of the 'new' over the thoughtful integration of the 'old.' Too many times in Chicago's short history, significant buildings have been hastily razed, leaving only quiet echoes of the great lessons they once offered. Many have fallen; few have been saved, but the sad and tenuous appreciation for Chicago's architectural history remains unchanged.
Our image does not aspire to answer the difficult question of how to breathe new life into this magnificent structure. It is instead a thoughtful gesture, hinged on history, meant to fuel the fight to keep it alive. How can we begin to assign new purpose to a building without first securing the commitment of its primary stakeholders? Before we speculate - before we create - it is imperative that a dedication to preserve our city’s history is elicited from these parties. They must realize the value of the treasure they hold in their hands and it is our job, as advocates for preservation, to harness all resources at our disposal to convince them. It is only then, with all parties devoted to a singular purpose, that the creative forces of the design community may be channeled into a newly-imagined future for Prentice.
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Chicago Architecture Club-Exhibition Link
Chicago Architecture Club-Competition Link
Chicago Architecture Foundation Link
The organization of this newly renovated building was thought of in three parts, two service zones that flank the sanctuary space at the east and west sides. This resulted in a square plan for the main gathering space, providing greater flexibility for various functions and events. A new large skylight was inserted into the space to add much needed ceiling height for the ritual raising of the Torah (Hebrew Bible Scroll) during prayers. Book shelves wrap the space and are arranged in a diagonal pattern, subtly echoing the lines in the Star of David. Their placement is meant to be a reminder to the occupants that this religious center is not only a place for prayer but a sanctuary for learning as well.
Because the rear of the building is in close proximity to its neighbors, we wanted to reduce the scale and appearance of this newly added structure. It therefore sits in subtle contrast to the existing building configuration in geometry and material and is meant to read as an insertion rather than an addition. What appears as a kink in the rear façade, is a response to a strict build able area requirements. This architectural gesture forms a new entry and re-appropriates square footage to the zones in the building which need it more.
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2012 Daily Herald
2014 Architect Magazine
EXHIBIT
2015 The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design.
Atop the pool, a mixed-use upper floor is formed. A stepped garden links the upper level of the existing home to the lower landing level of the rear stair. From this newly created exit door, a translucent passageway leads to a detached office space. Sitting perched on a plinth clad in Brazilian Ash (Garapa) the work space is wrapped in standing seam zinc panels with full height glass walls defining the other 3 sides. While seated at his desk like a captain of his ship the connection to the outside is unobstructed. The neighborhood appears to be brought inside with vegetables and flowering plants cloaking the periphery. Light and air fully permeates the space and with a few extensions of the exterior materials being pulled inside, the office area accomplishes a greater sense of visual expansion. The methods used to integrate this unique program within the constraint parameters of city lot resulted in new areas for gardening and refuge that were not possible to have before.
The decision was made to completely build out the viewing perimeter in order to transform it into one continuous, floating picture plane. As it wraps the existing interior, a series of ocular zones are created at each of the window openings, adding discreet spaces within this new wall. To re-capturing some of the lost square footage due to the new built-out wall we incorporated household functions within its depth at various strategic locations. This loft is further transformed with a raised wood platform, running continuously around the entire Northwest perimeter; it subtly defines a new zone within this seemingly open plan.
To underline the openness of this apartment, the majority of the existing partitions were removed. The entry sequence is reconfigured and is clad with black metal door panels enclosing two service areas. These large panels can be positioned in such a way as to provide a common hand washing area or a private second bath.
Formerly segregated, the main sleeping and bathroom areas are no longer visually disconnected. With the elimination of the existing partition wall and the removal of the dropped ceiling over the bathing area, more natural light fills the space. As one steps into the shower, the mountains at the North are in clear view and at no point are you disconnected from seeing the outside world. Separating the sleeping area is the new screen wall. Constructed from hanging ropes and varying wood end pieces, it appears dynamic and light. Its intent is to provide a sense of enclosure amidst an open plan while echoing the undulation of the desert landscape beyond.
The new enclosure for the main sleeping zone is meant to read as an inserted-mass. After entering the space through a concealed door, one realizes that the mass is just a simple composition of two delicate, L-shaped walls. One of which is clad with alternating vertical
oak strips providing visual depth within. Both natural and artificial light brings out the resulting pattern and the intended articulation of the clad wall.
Ultimately, the small intervention has transcended the simplicity of its function (to separate) to become the main binding-element of the loft space, stitching together surrounding spaces and blurring the boundaries in between.
PRESS
2011 Houzz
In 2010, we were commissioned to create a new spatial identity. By reconfiguring the existing boundaries and establishing new thresholds in the sequence of movement, the renovation of the common spaces tries to marry the historical identity with the building’s present use. Moreover, it seeks to reemphasize the urban presence of the building by empowering the entry lobby, creating a bold, yet respectful presence along Michigan Avenue. By implementing new perforated wood cladding around the interior perimeter of the entry vestibule, the space becomes a discreet, welcoming threshold along a larger cohesive sequence of entry.
Large, backlit address signage illuminates the space, projecting its colored light onto the street. The rhythm of new floor & wall finishes, together with varying ceiling heights, complements an elaborate arrangement of new lights and wood panels. With the introduction of these new elements, the imbalance in scale between the former industrial function of the building and its current residential use is mediated. This renovation adds a new chapter in the historic timeline of the Locomobile building.
AWARDS
2013 AIA Chicago Small Firm / Small Project Award, Citation of Merit Award
PRESS
2012 AIA Young Architects Forum, "Evolution of an IDE..."
2011 Tatlin News
2011 Design Home Online
2011 Style of Design
2011 Archfreeze
The fluid arrangement of spaces and the tectonic assembly of materials are in contrast to the rest of the house, thus providing a greater sense of transition from the everyday indoor environment. The conventional language of privacy enclosures is replaced with screening elements, typically found in the Eastern world. The partial height screens provide substantial visual privacy yet allow for light and air to permeate through the resultant voids. Drawing on the horizontality of plywood, the walls are assembled to appear woven. Each rectangular piece of Baltic birch plywood is placed individually, not unlike the tedious assembly of the hand-crafted water hyacinth furniture housed in the space.
The ceiling soffit adds an organizational framework between the vertical variation in the ceiling height and the overall plan. Its geometry is derived from the boundaries of existing infrastructural elements and runs counter to the direction of the spatial flow. The new vegetation embraces the walls, transforming the space and in time, enriches the planted environment.
AWARDS
2013 AIA Chicago Small Project Honor Award
PRESS
2016 Custom Builder, "Separate but Equal" , (PDF)
2013 Modern Luxury Interiors, "Curve Appeal"
2012 AIA Young Architects Forum, "Evolution of an IDE..."
2012 M^2 Interior Design 4
2011 AEC Cafe
2011 Tatlin News
2011 Studs in Design
2011 Chicago Architect, "Hooray for Bali Wood"
2011 Karmatrendz
2011 Tistory
2011 Architizer
2011
2011 Archimodes
2011
2011
In order to achieve a functional purpose for this table, a rectangular piece of glass is placed on top of the base. A dialogue between the sculptural base and the rectangular top is created via the cutout within the glass. Mimicking the profile of the structure below, the resultant void provides a functional area for a flower vase. Fresh flowers emerge out of the base, complementing the organic nature of the table form.
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2012 Cool Entrepreneurs
2011 Design Milk
The unit’s only aperture opens to the north, framing Chicago's iconic Lake Shore Drive; a view which seams together the dynamic composition of the undulating high-rise buildings with the fluidity of Lake Michigan. The image of these two worlds drove the organization of the unit’s interior. The sculptural interweaving of form and space speaks of the incidental voids amidst the City’s oscillating texture below.
Alternatively, the Client’s art collection is choreographed along the space’s west wall, becoming a spectacle of tranquility, a moment of pause similar to the calm found in looking onto the lake. The rare 2-sided lithographs are wall-mounted on hinged frames, offering the Client and his guests the ability to take all fragments in at once. Each time the work is engaged, the configuration changes. Over time, the wall shifts, adjusts and moves, becoming a real-time expression of the interplay between the viewer and his/her surroundings.
AWARDS
2013 AIA Chicago Small Firm / Small Project Award, Citation of Merit Award
PRESS
2013 Rohous
2011 Tatlin News
2011 TheArchHive
2010 Arch Daily
2010 Chicago Architect Magazine, "A Lesson in Less"
2010 Architizer
PRESS
2010 Home Decoring
PRESS
2010 DeTnk
2009 Fold Magazine
2009 Design Milk
2009 Design Dose
The project prides itself on efficiency, both spatially and environmentally. It begins with an awareness of its immediate surrounding, employing an integrated assembly of sustainable systems, passive strategies and recycled materials. Spatially, the house reclaims the full extent of interior space, eliminating the redundancy of circulation space which allows spaces to flow seamlessly, one to the next. Public and private zones are interactive, the qualities of each reinforcing the character of the other. The perimeter envelope adjusts along its length, creating a blurred relationship between interior and exterior spaces. It results in a streaming interior, rich with natural light, unobstructed views and connectivity to the neighborhood that it resides within.
The primary partition between the living and bedroom is built using two glass types. Translucent glass providing privacy to the bedroom sits atop a clear section which allows for an uninterrupted visual continuity between the adjacent spaces. The exterior glass wall of the apartment has an inherent reflective quality at night. To stress the illusion of a space flowing out into the city, emphasis was placed on the perpendicular orientation of the ceiling lights as well as the floor pattern. This reinforced a mirror effect, making the space appear larger than it actually is. Polished slate stone tiles in wet areas provide ease of maintenance and create a subtle zone differentiation within the open space. Direct rays of sunlight wash the rest of the cleft tiles evoking the natural beauty of the slate strata. In the warm months the slate stays cool to the touch while during the cold season it retains the heat from the building's radiant heating system.
A concrete shell unifies the two wings, its form echoing the folds of the Talis garment used by a married man during prayer. The sunken base of the building opens up to the west and houses a large dining area with an adjacent bath house wing. The base of the building is meant to function independently of the main body above yet activities overlap regularly. The building embodies openness and embrace, welcoming people of all ages to gather, pray, learn and rest.
PRESS
2005 Architecture List
TOSI is an attempt to create a place where architecture evokes the imagination of its users by creating a link between the city and its people. It introduces a new architectural language into its context as well as a variation of extreme architectural experiences for its inhabitants.
During the evolution of the design, a pedestrian bridge emerged as a segment of a larger entity; a phenomenal link between inhabitants of the project and the street.