Architecture
Friedewald Residence
What does a 1912 building want this room to be?
Two simple elements - sliding panels and a custom wood storage wall - will help transform the tight rear kitchen of a condominium built in 1912 into a more generous, naturally-lit center of the home. Staying a little flexible during construction sometimes helps the design when dealing with undiscovered conditions, as will be seen.
A wall containing pantry and closet which separates the existing kitchen and spare room was removed and the pantry relocated and its capacity increased by 50% by its placement in the existing vestibule adjoining the guest bathroom.
Natural light and air from the existing operable west window will improve light and ventilation in the kitchen. Conditioned air flow will also be greatly improved to both spaces by the placement of low-profile slot diffusers in the high recessed area above the built-in cabinets.
Along the south (north is up, which is typical in architect’s drawings), the custom wood storage wall containing built-in desk, cabinets, and shelves, will match the style and color of the existing kitchen cabinets to harmonize the new with the old. Balancing informality with the needs of a working family, home office equipment will be consolidated (at left) in the guest bedroom/office and bookshelves for cookbooks and a television will extend into the kitchen (at right).
When closed, the sliding panels will allow for a quiet home office or guest room. When open, the panels will stack neatly and unobtrusively against the north wall and effectively double the perceived area of the kitchen.
As construction progresses daily, cues are taken while uncovering the older construction. For example, an inactive waste pipe eliminated the need for a boxed enclosure; noticing the existing conditions, the client requested that the sliding panels coincide with the centerline of an existing steel beam found in the ceiling, letting a natural division of the old space inform the new.
* Architect Dave Hampton
* MEP consultant Alan Chalifoux, ETA Engineers
* Location Chicago, IL
* Design 2005-2006
* Construction 2006
* General contractor Unlimited Woodworks, Inc.