30 East

Project Details

Project Description

Located in the heart of Chicago’s South Loop, 30 East reflects the new national urban residential trend of co-living. Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB) served as the design architect and interior designer for the 150,000-square-foot, 16-story apartment building. Each of the building’s 134 units feature parity between bedrooms and bathrooms, allowing the one- to four-bedroom, fully-furnished apartments to be leased as a whole or by the bed, appealing to both area students and young professionals alike. The economically-sized units have a loft-like aesthetic with minimal finishes and floor-to-ceiling glass to maximize daylighting and views to the city.

Designed to foster a sense of community among its residents, the building features a robust amenity program with spaces designed to support living, working, and playing. SCB wanted to expand the notion of community beyond the building itself and thus looked-for ways to engage the residents with the larger neighborhood context. As a result, the design team consolidated the major amenities (fitness center, social lounges, kitchen, work spaces) onto the second floor with a generous outdoor terrace along the east and south façades. The brightly lit, modern amenity floor activates the street, while the visual connection to the street energizes the interior social spaces. Complementing the public-facing terrace, the north side of the amenity floor connects to a more private and quiet courtyard. A small outdoor sky lounge at the top of the building with expansive views of Chicago rounds out the building’s amenity offerings.

Due to its proximity to multiple forms of public transportation, the building falls under Chicago’s Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) ordinance. This exempts 30 East from having to provide onsite parking. The building’s western façade is a canvas for the latest mural commissioned by the Wabash Arts Corridor. Located along the El tracks, the mural was completed by local artist Jeff Zimmermann.