Inspired by the spirit of repurposing urban spaces in the era of tear-downs, Matt Nardella—who runs the Chicago–based architecture and design studio of moss Design with his wife, Laura Cripe—took an old, abandoned bodega in an urban Chicago neighborhood and completely transformed it into a vibrant, contemporary live/work space.

The 6,000-square-foot complex, which they call Logan Certified, has been arranged into four distinct areas around a courtyard that they inserted into the center of the structure. The space is now home to the duo's newly expanded architecture and design studio, a showroom, a furniture and art gallery, as well as their personal apartment and a rental apartment on the second level—which is a totally new addition.

The firm acted as their own architect, developer, and general contractor on the adaptive reuse project, and Logan Certified represents the first real-estate endeavor for the company. Scroll ahead for a peek at the stylish property with insightful commentary from Nardella's on their work.

The Exterior Before:

The Exterior After:

The Courtyard Before:

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The Courtyard After:

Nardella and Cripe's Apartment Before:

The Apartment After:

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The New Office:

The New Addition on the Second Floor:

"The removal of the roof—which was necessary to create the courtyard—served a dual purpose. Due to the FAR (Floor Area Ratio) limits of the site, the square footage that was removed allowed space for a loft apartment to be constructed, creating a second-floor addition just above the leased commercial space," Nardella explains. "This is the only added structure to the original building. "

The Floor Plans:

Project Credits:

Architect of record: moss Design
Builder/General Contractor: moss Build
Structural Engineer: Rockey Structures
Landscape Design: moss Design
Interior Design: moss Design
Lighting Design: moss Design
Cabinetry Design/Installation: Fricano Custom Cabinetry
Solar Panels: Earth, Wind, and Solar

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Before & After: A Rundown Bodega in Chicago Is Reimagined Into a Vibrant Live/Work Space