On The Boards: Ukrainian Village Lantern House

The Ukrainian Village Lantern House is proof that you can do big things on a small lot. The project presented a variety of challenges including the need for a City of Chicago administrative adjustment for much-needed zoning relief, a plan for integrated building controls technology, the addition of a home theater, and making sense of multiple outdoor spaces – all within our client’s minimalist, modern aesthetic.

The Lantern House exemplifies maximizing space in the urban context and our team spent the better part of the past year designing this exciting 2-flat deconversion. The short lot required intensive, creative problem solving to make the outdoor space work. Technically, the home doesn't have a rear yard. The original 1890s era 2-flat is located on a 24’ x 94’ parcel, which is significantly smaller than the standard 25’ x125’ Chicago lot. We were able to create useful outdoor space in three locations: an exterior deck off the kitchen which connects the main home with the new garage, a garage rooftop deck, and another outdoor deck on the roof of the home with a kitchenette, beverage center, and fire pit. Steel pergolas with automated louvers provide the owner the ability to adjust shade as needed.

View from front Entry

Central to this deconversion project is an existing lightwell at the midpoint of the building, shared with the neighboring building. We took full advantage of this unique feature by removing as much masonry as possible and introducing translucent windows at the first and second floor. Given the building shares a wall with a neighbor, the lightwell was the only source of natural light on the east elevation of the building. Now the home’s focal point, the lightwell adds a soft lantern-like glow during daylight hours. We also worked with lighting designer Kiersten Hoiland of Hoiland Studios to bring the lightwell to life at night by strategically placing lighting at each the exterior of the large format window.

View of kitchen from rear operable window wall

34-TEN is also providing interior services and our team will bring all aesthetic aspects of the home to the finish line. A limited material palette of rift and quartered white oak, white washed exposed masonry, and anthracite accents at select cabinetry results in a serene and calming interior–drawing from German minimalist architecture. The first and second floors are connected visually through an open riser stair, using the same materiality, with treads of rift and quartered white oak.

This project started construction in spring of 2022 with an anticipated completion date in the summer of 2023. Follow us on social media for updates as this unique project unfolds! 

For more great info and advice, check out our free Residential Client Guide. More information specific to deconversions can be found in our Field Note - Deconversions Demystified.