Design Solutions - Fall 2008 - (Page 12) Private Residence, Chicago When the warehouse was turned into an apartment building, the owners say they “hoped to use wood to warm the industrial feel of the space which has retained its original board form concrete ceilings and concrete columns.” The 5,400 square foot loft was designed by Vincent James associates architects, Chicago, and the architectural woodwork fabricated and installed by aWI member firm Bernhard Woodwork ltd, Northbrook, Illinois. “The loft apartment was designed to preserve the expansive spatial qualities of the original building, while providing a comfortable environment in which to live,” explains Karen lu of the architectural firm. The major gathering places include the living room, dining area and kitchen, which are combined to provide a spacious central space modulated by the existing bellcap columns. Private spaces include a master bedroom suite, office, two additional bedrooms, and an informal media lounge. “The design employs a deliberately simple palette of Hickory wood floors and paneling,” continues lu, “and plaster walls in a complementary relationship with the original board-formed slabs and concrete columns. The rich and varied imperfections of the concrete surfaces were considered an essential aesthetic component of the design.” “Plain-sliced Hickory with its light sapwood, dark heartwood and varied grain, echoes these surfaces with the warmth of wood,” she continues. Other materials used in the project include glass tile, concrete countertops and stainless steel – mainly used in the kitchen and bathrooms. Tongue and groove according to Bernhard Woodwork’s Brian lowry, 25,000 linear feet of quarter-inch by 1.5-inch plain sliced, tongue and groove Hickory was incorporated in wall paneling, ceiling planking, doors and cabinetry. “The planking aligned at all treads and risers ceilings, corners and cabinetry throughout the space,” he says. Full height doors at the entry closet and mechanical room are clad with planking in order to visually disappear within plank walls. Cabinet doors and drawer fronts are also constructed to have planking align with adjacent cabinet frames and walls. In addition, says lowry, Bernhard provided and installed large slab doors with concealed hinges. One door measures 8’5/8” by 11 feet high with odd pair leaves; and the other is 4’8” by 11” with a structural I-beam installed floor to ceiling. Other woodwork components include Hickory veneer closet shelving, cabinets with concealed in-wall brackets, bathroom vanities, medicine cabinets and a stainless steel hood surround for the kitchen. all wall and ceiling planking was machined at the same time as the flooring to maintain tight tolerances and alignments. Flooring consists of 50,000 linear feet (approximately 9.5 miles) of plain sliced, tongue and groove Hickory. “Wall planking at exposed ends features stopped tongue and groove planking to achieve the clean appearance of the finger-jointed corner,” adds lowry. “We could not be more pleased with the result,” note the apartment owners. “We chose Hickory because of its varied color and used planking to surround volumes and create cabinets.” Working TogeTher The planking was by far the most intricate and difficult aspect of the project, continue the owners, because each plank had to be laid in by hand, and was selected for color. “It was done extremely beautifully and we could not have asked for better workmanship. The woodwork defines the space and gives it a rich, textured feel.” Together with Bernhard Woodwork, we made every effort to maintain the 4The simple paleTTe of hickory wood floors and paneling form a comple- mentary relationship with the original board-formed slabs and concrete columns. 12 DESIgN SoLUTIoNS I FaLL 2008
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