Located on a wide Wicker Park lot, the owners desired a minimal but inviting residence. Completed in less than a year the project benefited from a minimal palette and streamlined structural system. At the center of the structure is the conversation pit. What began as a simple sunken living space, dictated the focus of both the first and second floor. In the same vein, the gathering space of the inner courtyard and the secluded rear yard kids’ park, gives the property a quiet setting while only blocks from the L. The mixed-use of common (pine) and refined (walnut) wood, plays with the notion of a north woods cabin while still maintaining a very urban aesthetic. Designed and built with Norsman Architects and its construction arm, House Plant, Inc.