Project Description
This project was an addition to, and renovation of, a unique home. Designed by an architect who had trained with Frank Lloyd Wright, it is a classic of early modern prairie-style architecture. The design attempts to preserve the integrity of the original building while nearly doubling the space available to the owners. The addition uses the existing style, but contrasts with the predominantly horizontal emphasis of the original by centering the new spaces around four vertical towers. The connection between old and new is made tenuous by a nearly all glass hallway, allowing the original building to read in its entirety. The existing kitchen and dining areas were renovated to alleviate a heavy feeling caused by the unrelievedly low ceilings. By opening up space within an original vertical tower element which served to house skylights, the ceiling height over the kitchen was raised. This contrast with the original ceiling heights emphasized the horizontality of the original while providing a greater sense of space and light.