Skip to content

Woodhouse

Landscape Architecture, Residential
Finely detailed retreat nestled within a busy Chicago neighborhood

The Wood House is located in the iconic Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago. The property has an unusually spacious lot for the densely populated street, where opportunities for privacy and immersion in nature are elusive.

 

Location
Chicago, IL
Timeline
Completed 2014
Collaborators
Brininstool + Lynch
Size
<1 acre

The residence is situated around an interior courtyard that was designed in concert with architectural elements, creating a calming refuge. A custom fence with vertical slats wraps around the property, addressing the client’s desire for privacy and enabling the extension of the living space into the outdoors. The slats are strategically positioned and angled to allow a viewing garden to be seen from the street with varying degrees of visibility to passersby.

The courtyard landscape offers a seamless transition from inside to outside and maximizes opportunities for rest, recreation, and introspection. Paths and adjacent walkways are constructed of dry-laid granite pavers, creating a linear extension of the polished granite floor tiles in the residence’s interior. On one side of a central seating area rises a four-foot sculptural mound covered with sedum; on the other, a lush carpet of long grass provides both visual stimulation and a sense of calm.