The Enterprise Companies
109 Units, 6 Stories
Chicago, IL

At the edge of a progressive neighborhood, abutting a rail line, Regal Lofts is formerly the site of an antiquated manufacturing facility. The demolition of three adjoining buildings preserved a 5-story timber and masonry structure ideally suited for adaptive reuse conversion. Its orientation to views, fenestration patterns, and interior character and scale, responded to the criteria for lively, bright, and expressive residential lofts. A newly constructed addition, equaling the original building in size, is configured as both a horizontal extension of the existing floor plate and a vertical expansion atop the existing building where a setback yields expansive terraces and the side addition respects the original cornice line. Synthetic stucco with seemingly random (but required) joints and a sympathetic field color are dashed with panels of vibrant color, resulting in a composition that is declarative, bold and playful.