Flex House 2 | Interface Studio Architects

Flexhouse 2 provides affordable, efficient, contemporary living in an attached row home format - a novelty in the Windy City. This 31-unit development occupies a fullblock site located in the emerging Logan Square neighborhood, just 10 minutes from the Chicago loop.

The project encourages a higher density urban fabric than the typical Chicago single-family house allows, while still providing many of the attractive amenities of suburban living. Each row home has a front and rear yard, as well as two required off-street parking spaces in a private garage accessed through a rear alley. Construction on the Ridgeway Ave row homes has been completed, and row homes on Hamlin Ave will be completed in the spring of 2015.

The continuous row home streetwalls inspired a simple design move to define individual units through varying angled geometries. The variety and visual texture of the facade connects the units as part of an urban block rather than separating them as a series of individual homes.

Unit layouts are tuned to the new normal of the 21st century - modest, energy-efficient designs allow for seamless transitions between live, work, and play. Each three-story home features an open first floor living level with radiant heated concrete floors and a generous backyard. Two bedrooms, a full bath, and a laundry/mechanical room on the second level are arranged for maximum usability. A full-floor master suite on the third level features a walk-in closet and an impressive open bath. Flexible, open interiors throughout respond to the needs of contemporary living.

Principles of sustainable design were integrated throughout the design process, from siting to detailing to landscaping. The compact site plan and attached nature of the homes reduce the exterior building envelope by 50%. The roof - the most significant exposure in terms of heat loss - is robustly insulated using a combination of open and closed cell foam insulation, and the radiant first floors deliver heat in a highly efficient and comfortable manner. Large windows bathe the interiors in natural light and provide natural ventilation, and low VOC paint is used throughout. Energy Star appliances and furnaces are featured in every home, and the front yards are planted exclusively with native species.