UNLIKE THE TYPICAL CHICAGO HOUSE, THE PROJECT’S ENTIRE GROUND FLOOR IS DEDICATED TO A COLLECTIVE YET PRIVATE GARDEN THAT MAINTAINS THE QUALITIES OF AN EMPTY LOT. IN ORDER TO REACH ONE’S UNIT, EACH OCCUPANT MUST FIRST MAKE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE LOT AREA WHICH IS GIVEN BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, THEN TRANSGRESS THROUGH THE GARDEN AND DESCEND INTO THEIR UNITS. A SINGLE SUNKEN ENTRANCE IS PLACED ALONG THE FACADE WALL, SUGGESTING THE START OF PRIVATE SPACE.
THE PROJECT IS A DIRECT CRITIQUE OF THE TYPICAL CHICAGO LOT. INCENTIVIZED BY THE HIGH COST OF LAND, BUILDERS AND DESIGNERS CONSISTENTLY MAXIMIZE EVERY SQUARE FOOT FOR PRIVATE SPACE, RESULTING IN A STRICT DIVIDE BETWEEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE. LIKEWISE, THE TYPICAL LOT OWNER WILL ALWAYS BUILD ON THE ENTIRE BUILDABLE AREA, FORGETTING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MAXIMIZING IMPORTANT ELEMENTS TO LIVING SUCH AS ACCESS TO SUNLIGHT AS WELL AS PROVIDING A CONNECTION TO OUTDOOR SPACE.
BELOW GROUND, EACH UNIT CONTAINS THE SAME EXACT CHARACTERISTICS THAT MAKE THE GARDEN SO DESIRABLE. 1) ACCESS TO SUNLIGHT, ALLOWING FOR OCCUPANTS TO ENJOY NATURAL LIGHT DESPITE LIVING BELOW GROUND. 2) OPEN SPACE, CONCENTRATING MANY OF THE BUILDING’S PROGRAMS INTO A SMALL RECTANGULAR BLOCK THE DESIGN IS ABLE TO DEVOTE A MAJORITY OF THE PRIVATE SPACE TO LIVING AND EATING SPACES. 3) FRESH AIR, PLACING SPACES ON CONTRASTING ENDS OF EACH APARTMENT SPACE, WE ARE ABLE TO CREATE A FLOW OF WIND MIMICKING THE CONDITIONS OF THE ABOVE GARDEN.
