This modern residence in Chicago offers no less than 9,700 square feet of living space, and it was built in 2014 following a design by Dirk Denison Architects. It was made to accommodate a single family and includes a gorgeous combination of materials and finishes, not to mention the plethora of amenities and facilities found throughout its main living areas.
The abode offers luxurious living conditions to its fortunate owners, and it allows them to store and showcase their impressive art collection and gorgeous aquariums. The 3 levels of the abode are linked by a beautiful staircase that features stainless steel railings. As with most modern residences, this one makes use of certain self-sustainable technologies such as automated shade controls, green roof systems, geothermal cooling and heating and low VOC-emission substrates. The windows boast UV films placed on their interior panes, while the outer panes flaunt a pair of laminated glass layers.
The interior arrangements give off a feeling of comfort and wellness, all thanks to a generous selection of high quality furnishings, comfortable sofas and armchairs and stunning decors.
From the architect:
The design of this single-family home maintains the urban townhouse relationship with its neighbors while exploring a sophisticated logic of materials and construction. Dynamic spatial relationships are created through overlapping materials and the layering of interior and exterior. Visual connections are created from indoor spaces and passages to garden terraces, outdoor landscaping and the adjacent park. Fine articulation and craft of a simple yet rich palette comprise restrained minimal spaces that emphasize the family’s activities, artwork and extensive fish collection in large, integrated aquariums.
From the entrance up through three floors to the roof deck terraces the main stair is the vertical core of the home. At the top of the stair a large light monitor allows natural light deep into the building, while a railing of stainless steel and translucent glazing reflect and diffuse the light, adding to the dynamics of the space. A central pendant light fixture composed of many silken cords each holding a lamp, stretch throughout the stairway, lighting one’s path upward through the home. The solid ash of the floor carries through to the treads of the stair, further connecting each level.
The home utilizes sustainable and environmentally friendly materials and technologies such as green roof systems, automated shade controls, geothermal heating and cooling, a highly insulated building envelope, and low VOC-emission substrates. Windows are fabricated with insulated, low-e coated glazing, with an additional UV film installed on its interior pane. In addition, the outer pane of glass consists of two laminated glass layers, adding to the insulating quality of the glazing while minimizing exterior sound absorption. The shifting volumes and primary southern exposure maximize daylighting throughout the home, minimizing the family’s dependence on artificial lighting. The building’s products and materials inform a responsible and enduring design.
Interior Designer: Dirk Denison Architects
Mechanical Engineer: Building Engineering Systems
Structural Engineer: Thornton-Tomasetti
Electrical Engineer: Building Engineering Systems
General Contractor: Tip Top Builders
Landscape Architect: Hoerr-Schaudt
Lighting Designer: Filament 33, Inc
Area: 9700.0 ft2
Year: 2014
Photographs: The Michelle Litvin Studio
