Awards: American Institute of Architects,
Central States Region Honor Award
Chicago
Athenaeum, American Architecture Award
Chicago
Athenaeum, International Architecture Award
Photographer: Robert Shimer, Hedrich Blessing
Project: A new 3,500 square foot residence with a 3-car garage
1. Client
Requests: The client provided a one-page
description of their wishes. They were:
a. Safe
Room/Sauna
b. We
“live” in the master bedroom/bath
c. Informal
living room with piano
d. Re-use
existing art collection
e. Combine
dining/breakfast area
f. 2-person
office with closed bookcases
g. Guest
bedroom with adjacent bath to act as guest powder room.
h. Kitchen
for a professional chef
i. Exercise
room with free weights and machines
j. Laundry
room
k. 3-car
attached garage with storage
l. Natural
landscape
m. Outdoor
“living room”
n. Lap
pool
o. Saltwater
aquarium
2. Unique
Considerations:
a. The
owner was able to convince the developer to allow the construction of a
“modern” house in a proposed “traditional” neighborhood. The conditions were that the modern house had
to be “invisible” from the street and that the design would have to be approved
by the architectural review committee.
b. Care
and access into the house for the two dogs was mandatory. The dogs are family members.
c. Provide
site security.
3. Site
Concept:
a. Provide
a sculptural mailbox at the driveway
entry to begin the entry procession.
b. Provide
a curving/naturally landscaped entry road with a security “art” gate for
monitored access to the house.
c. Remove
as few existing trees as possible and place the structure on a natural land
ridge.
d. Develop
a linear plan that will reduce the mass and build between the trees.
e. Allow
the architecture to “emerge” from
the site.
4. Architectural
Concept:
a. Create
“formless” architecture that arrives
on the site as if a rectangular cut was made in the earth and it pushed up from
below. The red granite gravel under roof edge and a rust colored roof support
the concept. The rusted steel roof vents
suggest natural grass growing through from the earth below.
b. The
horizontal banded rusting steel reveals the earth strata and maintains the red color of the soil.
c. The
linear plan separates, and puts in
sequence, public and private spaces with narrow glass connector spaces stitching it together.
d. The
spaces are created to provide unique personal moments in time. These
experiences include the view of a unique landscape feature from the bathtub or
watching the wildlife from an exposed glass shower or watching a (planned)
sheet of water pour off the roof edge creating a 20’W x 8’ tall waterfall that
you can stand behind.
e. The
thin roof cantilevers 8’ to create pedestrian protection and sun control for all seasons.
f. A
freestanding concrete wall with moveable, colored acrylic rods provides an ever-changing interactive arrival point
at the front door. This, along with a
20’W x 9’ tall yellow steel frame, extends
and captures visual fragments beyond
the glass. The indoors and outdoors blur.
g. The
goal is to blend the site, soil, place and form into an
expression inspired by the unique conditions of this place and time.
h. The
existing art collection has been placed to compliment the scale and natural
light. In reality, the dominant art is
the natural landscape and weather conditions viewed through the
glass. Upon arrival by car the owner
lifts the garage door to park and is greeted by (3) 6’ x 6’ photographs. Even the garage is an art gallery.
i. The
interior finishes include a stained concrete slab the color of the soil as if the site moves through the structure. Spatial warmth is created with surface and
color. Black rugs organize the spaces
and furniture acts as objects within the space.
The rusty red is inspired by the exterior steel. A freestanding 400-gallon saltwater aquarium provides serene movement
between the living room and dining room.
In fact, we view the house as an aquarium with people swimming
about. Above the kitchen counter is a
glowing, lighted opening acting as art, and a man-made reminder of the seasons. Glass acts as an invisible separation to the
natural world beyond regardless of whether it is the shower, toilet, tub or
kitchen. It is truly like living outdoors. The glass
garden on the north provides an unexpected pocket-sized Zen garden
fashioned from recycled glass. Another
“moment” created to offer an opportunity for peace and tranquility.
5. Systems:
a. HVAC:
Gas-fired split system with forced air for heating and electric cooling.
b.
Electrical: Power is provided through the city
utility. Lighting is energy efficient
low voltage and T8 color corrected fluorescent.
The house has a wireless information system.
c.
City water and septic system.
d. Site
security/structure security system.
6. Facts:
a. Site
size: 5 acres
b. Building
size: 3,500 s.f. + 3-car garage.
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