GREEN HOMES PROJECT
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Design Statement

The majority of the types of housing across all economic strata today are poorly programmed, poorly designed, and poorly constructed. Buildings which are dysfunctional and difficult to maintain quickly turn optimism into decay. Low cost housing eventually becomes high-cost and high-energy.

It is our hope to make something of lasting value. If the places we make are sensible and have integrity, there will be motivation to maintain them. If the buildings last, energy will be saved on many different levels.

We propose a simple, archetypal structure, designed for people. It has places for gathering and solitude. It can accept modifications readily. Natural light and breezes are drawn through the full length of the house. Built with readily available materials, it is detailed with an eye to the past, utilizing masonry lintels and opting for simple forms to shed water. It does, however, take advantage of new technology such as improved insulation, cavity wall ventilation, and rain water reuse for irrigation.

While not a landmark in terms of innovation, the combination of strategies employed on the house is unique. The house is not intended to be a revolutionary design, but rather a straightforward, responsible, and evolutionary design.

More info here.

View from Street

The Keeler Streetscape's drought resistant grasses, indigenous shrubs and trees provide a lush foreground to the home. Recycled rainwater is used to irrigate the vegetation.

Aerial from Rear

The informal backyards explore the mix of hard and soft surfaces and numerous garden opportunities. Not the house on the right is completely accessible.

Site Plan

The three floor plans to the left illustrate the ground floor of an accessible home, the second floor of an accessible home, and the first floor of the base home. The plans to the right illustrate roof plans of the homes on the site.

Floor Plans

Roof, Second and First floor plans of the base home. The second floor provides for three bedrooms, each with cross ventilation. On the first floor, three floating planes distinguish the formal rooms at the street from the informal at the rear.

Elevations and Details

Built of clay brick, the exterior walls are designed to last many generations.

Section and Wall Sections

Note the wall section to the left and building sections to the right.

View of the Kitchen

The spacious rear kitchen and dining space enjoys a close relationship with the backyard.

View of the Living Space

"Floating" walls define the front living space, while allowing unobstructed views through the house.

Upper Landing, Stairs

The skylit second floor stair hall serves as the central home study. Uplighting provides soft indirect artificial lighting in the evening.

Perspective - Stage One

A view of the proposed house from the street. Taken from the Stage One Competition boards.

Plan - Stage One

The Stage One competition floor plans are to the left.

Site Plan - Stage One

The Stage One competition site plan is at the right.

Further Info

On October 18, 2000, Mayor Richard M. Daley announced Wheeler Kearns Architects as one of the winners of Green Homes for Chicago, an international competition to design environmentally friendly, energy-efficient, affordable housing in Chicago.  "With this project, we're getting much more than just interesting, energy-efficient new homes,"  Daley said at a news conference. "We intend to use the homes as an opportunity to make people in Chicago – and across the country – more aware of  the need to protect and respect the environment when we make our housing choices."

The program, known as Green Homes for Chicago, is a joint project of the City's Departments of  Housing and Environment, and is the latest of the City's efforts to promote and demonstrate "green" design.  Daley noted that while many environmentalists "tend to focus on industry, automobiles and big buildings, a lot of energy is consumed right here in Chicago's neighborhoods, in single-family homes and two-flats that were designed for an era when energy costs were low and air-conditioning was uncommon".

WKA's design was selected by a  jury of design and construction professionals from 73 entries from Chicago, other U.S. cities, Italy, Greece and Thailand.  The project will be funded by ComEd through its 1999 settlement agreement with the City.  Each home has a construction budget of $115,000, with up to $10,000 of green upgrades and up to $50,000  of innovative cutting-edge enhancements – for a  maximum total budget of $175,000, not including the value of the lot.

The homes must be energy-efficient, affordable and easily produced by a conventional builder. The  environmental design will make the cost of operating the house, especially heating and cooling it, less than for a conventional house. Construction will begin in early 2001 and be completed by summer. The Department of Housing will incorporate successful features of the pilot homes into the design specifications for its existing affordable housing programs. It eventually will sell the pilot homes and invest the proceeds into more green homes.