Chicago, Illinois, USA
Situated in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood, Studio Dwell’s House 1909 is a modest residence, nestled within a rich architecturally diverse neighborhood, comprised of a series of stacked metal-clad boxes, designed by Studio Dwell’s design principal Mark Peters.
This private residence consists of a first-floor “public” box, a second-floor “private” box, and a penthouse-level “green” box.
Due to its “sharp” design, House 1909 has recently been awarded a 2022 American Architecture Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
The first floor contains full-height glass on both ends and glass slots on the sides.
The second-floor cantilevers over the first floor provide shade.
The penthouse level is reduced to allow for front and back landscaped terraces.
Given the limited site, the program elements are tight together and reduced in size.
To offset this, the first-floor plan was opened up with natural light sources throughout.
Since the garage necessitated being tight to the house, the garage roof was sloped to allow for a direct angle of sunlight into the residence while still allowing vehicles to fit underneath.
From the front, one enters through the cor-ten steel gate, landscaped paving, up stone treads, past board-formed concrete walls and planters to the recessed stone landing and walnut door.
Following the concrete wall into the foyer, the interior is contrasted in white surfaces, glass partitions, and a 2-story space to allow light to spread.
The penthouse level with front and back landscaped terraces has full sliding glass walls to blur the line between the interior built and the exterior natural environments.
Separated from the street, this level provides a calming experience complete with views of the city skyline.
Project: House 1909
Architects: Studio Dwell Inc.
Lead Architect: Mark Peters
General Contractor: Product Construction Corp
Client: Private
Photographers: Marty Peters Photography
