LIVE /WORK PROJECT
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 1993

Sited within a typical 125' x 25' Chicago city lot, this two story precast building houses both the home and office of two graphic designers. The building structure was erected within three days by means of precast concrete grade beams, wall panels and floor panels.

The wall panels were fabricated with an interior layer of foam insulation. Interior finishes are spartan, highlighted by naturally colored MDF trim, pigmented concrete floors, and brightly colored gypsum board walls.

Photos by William Kildow. General Contractor was Firehouse Construction, now known as South Chicago Workforce. Precast concrete was provided by Spancrete.

Office

Illustrating all of the major interior finishes of the project, this view is taken from inside the office half of the building.

Facade

The facade is a straightforward composition of the concrete panels, inset aluminum windows, and bent steel plate canopies.

Rear Elevation

The rear elevation viewed from the back yard at night.

Second Floor Hall

A view of the second floor hall. The pivoting doors can be seen in the distance.

Facade, Oblique

A view of the main facade, with a view down the entry gangway.

Living Space

A view of the living half of the building.

Office

A view of the office on the second floor, overlooking the street.

Pivot Panels

Large pivoting panels of oiled MDF allow the owners to alter the privacy between halves of the building.

View to Rear Yard

A view from the living space out toward the rear yard. A bright yellow trellis can be seen at the garage volume.

Exhibit

This full-size model was constructed to illustrate the construction methodology of the project. The model was on exhibit at the University of Chicago campus.