Shou Sugi Ban & Glass House

Historic Chicago Home Transformed With Charred Wood and Glass Addition
Set on a rare, wide Chicago lot, this renovation transforms a classic Victorian home with a modern addition. The design features a split-level layout with a grand room that unites the kitchen and family room—an ideal space for everyday living and large gatherings with family. The addition clad in shou sugi ban wood creates a striking contrast with the historic structure while preserving its timeless charm.

Split-Level Charred Wood & Glass Addition
In keeping with the spatial logic seen in prior Moss projects, our client's desire for a space optimized for gathering led to a reinterpretation of the split-level concept. The addition, executed as a slab-on-grade volume, houses a new family room and mudroom set four feet below the adjacent kitchen and dining spaces. This elevation shift enhances ceiling height on the lower level. It enables expansive glass walls to usher daylight deep into the home, addressing the darkness of Victorian-era interiors. The split-level condition also fosters visual connectivity between levels, allowing for interaction among family members across different zones.

Consistent with our studio's material language, the exterior envelope is defined by Shou Sugi Ban siding—a charred wood treatment that introduces texture, depth, and tonal contrast. Charred wood wraps the new addition, blending effectively with the black frame design of the doors and windows. The siding is not simply glued to the outside of the building envelope, which is common in less refined construction methods, but instead held off the exterior weather barrier with furring strips. Typically referred to as a 'rainscreen,' the design details allow any moisture behind the siding to drain harmlessly behind the charred wood
material.

Bringing the Outside In with a Folding Glass NanaWall
The transition from interior to terrace is resolved through a 14-foot-wide by 7-foot-tall folding glass NanaWall system. Fully operable, it nests into the corner, eliminating barriers to movement and maximizing flexibility for larger gatherings. To accommodate the climate's demands, an integrated Phantom screen is integrated into a concealed pocket, preserving the visual openness while offering insect protection. Achieving this level of resolution required close coordination with our structural engineer, door supplier, and fabrication partners to ensure that this detail came together seamlessly, allowing the crew to easily construct it at the job site.

Victorian Elegance Meets Modern Minimalism
A common dilemma is that an older, often 100-year-old original structure needs updating or removal of previous additions. How does the old interface work with the new? We prefer to let the new spaces be perceived as new and simply clean up the vintage portion. Especially important for this project was the landmark property tax status that needed to
be maintained. How can we enhance the safety and address code deficiencies of a vintage structure while preserving its historically significant details? We ran into this head-on right as you walked in the front door. The intricately built interior wood stairs needed repair to improve safety, and the stained glass window needed repair.

Our design solution replaced the Newell post, fixed worn-out pickets in the railing system, and maintained the stained glass window. The front parlor, foyer, and fireplaces were maintained and restored. The blending between the older front parts of the structure and modern rear portions happens in the circulation space. The placement of reclaimed interior
doors, lighting, and artwork subtly imply it.

Viewed from the street, the front elevation remains faithful to its original expression. The charred wood addition reveals itself only gradually, first as a glimpse along the sideyard, then more fully as one approaches the terrace—where the massing opens up in the glass and frames the surrounding tree canopy.

Modern Luxury Kitchen Design With Custom Bronze Exhaust Hood
An artisan-made bronze range hood is at the center of the kitchen composition—a sculptural counterpoint to the otherwise monochromatic cabinetry. Off-white lacquered cabinets provide a clean backdrop for bronze fixtures and fittings, with quartz countertops and backsplash reinforcing the material cohesion. A custom bronze band delineates the kitchen island, tying it back to the hood and plumbing fixtures and establishing a tactile rhythm of warm metal within the cooler palette. The result is a space that balances restraint and richness—minimal in form, yet materially expressive.