Rather than demolish a dated lakeside house, the owners asked us to keep what worked and rebuild the rest.
The brief
The clients came to the studio with a site in Oak Brook, Illinois, a fixed budget and a long list of the ways they wanted to live or work there. We spent the first weeks on site, recording sun paths, views, neighbours and drainage before drawing a single line.
The design
We kept the foundations and main walls, removed the dark internal partitions and wrapped the house in a new insulated skin with long views to the lake.
Materials and light
Charred timber cladding, triple glazing and a heat-pump system; the original stone fireplace was kept as the heart of the plan.
The Lakeview Residence was delivered on the agreed fee schedule, with the same lead architect from the first sketch to the final walkthrough.
