Chicago Residence

The clients were intent on creating a large city home for their newborn twins. Their program requirements included a strong view orientation of the outdoor spaces and multiple interior spaces with enough functional separation for the work-at-home parents, children, and caregivers.

The front façade presents a formal face toward the urban setting, while the rear of the home opens onto cascading outdoor spaces. This sense of formal and openness is reflected by the first-floor interior core, which delineates the front, public spaces from the family-oriented back portion of the home. Yet the core is open enough to offer an overall flow between the spaces.

The client was especially taken with contemporary European cabinetry from Poliform, so the design team incorporated numerous millwork elements throughout the home, including a three- story, open-sided bookcase adjacent to the stairwell. This feature links the spaces and floor levels for a strong sense of connective harmony.