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Lake Forest Residence

  • PROJECT ROLES
  • Jim Olson, Design Principal
  • LOCATION & YEAR
  • Lake Forest, IL, 1992

Project Details

Set in a neighborhood of historic mansions, the house balances contextual scale and color with thoroughly modern materials, including concrete and aluminum. A layering of space begins at the street and continues through an auto-court, the house and into the terrace and landscape beyond. Concrete pavers start outside the entrance, continue through the major circulation and gathering spaces, then extend out to the terraces, reinforcing the nexus between interior and exterior. The central spaces function as galleries and reception areas appropriate for modern art. The spacious terraces, generous glazing and external columns and trellises all act to extend the architecture into the gently rolling landscape.