Basecamp SFH

2017 Builder's Choice & Custom Home Design Awards
Production, Semi-Custom or Spec, More Than 5,000 Square Feet: Merit

Located adjacent to Chicago’s historic Old Irving Park, this enclave of 48 modern homes created a new neighborhood within one of the city’s most treasured communities. Because the houses are geared toward young families and couples, the project team wanted to incorporate contemporary themes at an attainable price point while still respecting the area’s traditional architecture. To this end, the design of the individual homes reinterprets the traditional image of a house, with peaked roof forms and comfortably scaled windows taking cues from modern influences and detailing.

The team at local firm Pappageorge Haymes Partners designed the homes to enhance interactivity, create a sense of community, and promote pride of ownership. A tree-lined street and sidewalks curve through the site alongside a centrally located park, promoting a pedestrian-friendly experience. Exteriors utilize a sophisticated neutral color palette, lending a refined and crisp appearance. Individual lots feature landscaped yards, wide front porches, and two-car detached garages largely accessed via alleys. Each home takes cues from modern lifestyles with an open, loftlike first floor and ample natural light. Floor plans are offered in four- and five-bedroom layouts with 3.5 bathrooms and fully finished basements.

The 4-acre site formerly housed a factory that had been vacant for decades and project planners embraced the opportunity to reuse old materials. Most of the existing structure’s concrete foundations and floor slabs were sifted, crushed, and recycled for use as stone backfill under the streets and homes of the new development. — J.G.

“The architect’s interpretation of the row house form struck me. They reimagined the vernacular in a way that is spatial and material.” -Timothy Lock