Yao Residence Winner

When called in to "redefine" an existing home on a horrendously noisy site 30 feet from a CTA Elevated train platform, the architects turned their backs—or rather, they turned the house's back. They wrapped nearly the entire train-facing side of the house with a standing-seam metal panel wall that is filled with open-cells pray foam insulation that dramatically cuts noise penetration to the interior. The result is a tightly wrapped west wall, with just one window; a large skylight that slices through the top of the house compensates for the loss of light. "That is such an iconic house," one juror said. "It responded to the location. Another agreed, and pointed to the lone opening on that wall: "There is a poetic aspect to the one singular window."

Category

Small Project Structures

Architect

Perimeter Architects

General contractor

Tuscany Builders

Cost

$485,000

Location

Chicago, IL, USA

Year completed

2010