SUSTAINABLE DOUBLE LOT ADDITION 2

Renovation & Addition to a Single Family with Side Yard / Chicago, Illinois

Our clients acquired the lot next to their home and asked FDA to help them to design a small addition, a side yard/garden and other upgrades to take full advantage of the extra lot. Single city lots are typically tight and dark, so FDA used the extra space and light provided by the side yard to transform their home. The rear mudroom addition gathers light from the rear yard, connects directly to the basement and provides space and storage for coats and gear. FDA added large patio doors to link the family room (that now incorporates a stone fireplace and chimney) to the stone terrace that extends out into the landscaped side yard/garden. The side yard/garden provides play space for the kids and a beautiful garden experience that our clients and their visitors really appreciate.

New geothermal HVAC systems were added (the wells were drilled in the side yard), and the exterior building envelope was improved by the new energy-efficient windows and the addition of rigid foam insulation (over the existing batt insulation in the exterior walls) and durable fiber cement siding. These modifications nearly doubled the insulative capacity of the walls without the expense and the mess associated with gutting the house.