Norsman Architects' addition to an existing Chicago red brick single family home is nearing completion. The building which sits on an oversized Chicago lot is on one of a few streets that does not benefit from a City of Chicago alleyway. The original home utilized valuable green space with a driveway extending to a garage at the rear. By shifting the garage to the front of the lot with the help of a zoning Administrative Adjustment, the substantial rear-yard green-space was reclaimed for our client’s growing family.
The central steel stair is in the process of being installed by Active Alloys and will be a visual anchor at the hinge between the old and new construction. Standing seam exterior siding installed as a rain-screen combined with black stained cedar siding creates a neutral backdrop to the existing construction.
The project eliminates the burden of storm water runoff on the City's storm water collection system by redirecting rainwater to a large undergrond rain garden in the rear. When landscaped, the yard will serve well as an urban wildlife habitat.
Our construction company, House Plant, Inc., is managing the project providing our clients with a design-build option. John Wolters, previously of Studio Gang Architects, has joined our team to provide precision construction management oversight.
