A Stainless Steel Apartment

Chicago, IL

Awards

AIA Chicago Citation of Merit, 1994

AIA Chicago Citation of Merit, 1993

Photography: Marco Lorenzetti | Hedrich Blessing

860-880 Lakeshore Drive — two 1951 landmark Mies van der Rohe steel-and-glass apartment towers have magnificent Lake Michigan views and the city. Desiring a minimally furnished and dynamically detailed space that would reflect and extend this classic building's architecture, a young family of four purchased a two-story duplex space on the top floor of building 860.

The only two-story space in either tower, unity between the two floors, was achieved through an elongated central stair, which provides dramatic views of the lake while creating a unique opportunity to experience Mies' curtainwall from the inside.

A formal living area, along with a study and master bedroom, is located on the upper level, linked through a stair to the informal living spaces — kitchen, dining, study, and children’s bedrooms below.

A sense of delicacy and texture is realized through durable, easy-to-maintaining materials of stainless steel, glass, and terrazzo. The result is an exploration and creative expansion of many modern principles, and a living experience tailor-made for the family.