Professor Sarah Dunn, co-founder of UrbanLab, received a Citation of Merit from AIA Chicago's 2023 Design Excellence Awards for the project Medill House.
Designed for a couple with two children, Medill House is conceived as a singular volume carved to create a series of linked spaces. The partially below-ground lowest level maintains a direct connection to the garden landscape with grass and concrete terraces. The first floor is set back from the levels above and below to dissolve its mass. Tall operable glass sliding doors surround communal living spaces that run the entire width of the first floor. A chunk of the upper floor is removed to create a courtyard that adds privacy and exterior space for the main bedroom.
Image credit: Bob Coscarelli