Barry House

Under Construction Chicago 2024 -

Originally a typical Chicago flat, the second floor of this 130-year-old masonry structure had been divided into two small units over its life. When unintended functions are forced (with little thought) onto spaces with intended purposes, we can feel the discomfort as we move through it: an awkwardly positioned kitchen, a wall that hits mid-skylight. Like life’s serendipitous twists, we were destined to bring this flat full circle, reuniting the two halves back into a whole once more.

Early on, we imagined a dramatic 70-foot long space—lounging, eating, cooking, sleeping—all happening within a grand room. The thought of walking up a set of traditional Chicago two-flat stairs and arriving at an unexpected space like this brought us delight. Removing the walls that once separated the two units would reveal an uninterrupted exterior wall, a mosaic of varying-sized windows alluding to the rooms they once served. A flat white wall running the entire length of the room acts a backdrop for the tree-filtered light that hangs in space like framed pieces of art revealed only at sunset.

There was beauty beneath all the modifications that happened over time. A long sigh of relief will echo through the space.