The Netsch Residence in Chicago, renovated by SOM, honors the late SOM design partner Walter Netsch while adding in a modern twist. Photo by Dave Burk
Story at a glance:
- The Netsch Residence, home of a celebrated architect, pays tribute to the old while embracing the new in Chicago.
- The original house was sustainable to begin with due to a low window-wall ratio.
- Renovations include LED lighting and new efficient heating, cooling, and water systems.
The renovation of the late SOM design partner Walter Netsch’s house in Chicago involved a delicate balance between preservation and design updates. New homeowners Will Forrest and Mark Smithe wanted to preserve the sensibility of the original house while also making it their own.
Brian Lee, the design partner at SOM who led the project team, renovated the space with a light touch to preserve as much as possible. “We wanted to match what Will and Mark believed in, being stewards of the house and developing something that was sensitive to the original intent,” Lee says.
Photo by Dave Burk
Netsch, who’s known for designing the Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel in Colorado Springs, built his house in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood in 1974 with geometry at the forefront. “Netsch developed a design concept that is loosely tied to field theory, which is really about geometry as a driving force in the design process,” Lee says.
The house is an economical cubic form based on a 40-by-40-foot square and rotating squares. In the center of the residence is the service core, with the kitchen, bathrooms, and utilities. Rotating around the service core is a series of trays for various living spaces that step up or step down, forming a corkscrew-like shape. “The trays act as a series of platforms that are open to each other, supporting his idea of ‘one big space,’” Lee says.
Forrest and Smithe were very pleased with the renovations and have hosted a number of events in the house since. For what would have been Walter’s 100th birthday, the couple organized a symposium with the nonprofit MAS Context, a Chicago-based nonprofit that addresses issues that affect urban context. The project itself exhibits the respect the new homeowners have for their home’s legacy and history. Lee asked Forrest and Smithe what they wanted to name the residence. “I asked, ‘Should we call it the Forrest/Smithe house?’ And they said, ‘No. Let’s call it the Netsch House.’”
Photo by Dave Burk
The original house was sustainable to begin with due to its small surface area and efficient exterior wall made of concrete block with a brick face. “Because the window-wall ratio is quite low, the efficiency of the building envelope is high,” Lee says. After the renovations, the house is even more sustainable with LED lighting and new efficient heating, cooling, and water systems.
Photo by Dave Burk
Netsch used natural light to animate the space, positioning windows in room corners to allow direct and indirect light to bounce off the walls.
Photo by Dave Burk
A skylight on cross diagonals also tracks the unique geometry of the house. Netsch also deftly placed windows to frame selected views, including the beautiful St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Old Town.
Photo by Dave Burk
SOM preserved Netsch Residence’s natural lighting but upgraded to higher performing windows.
Photo by Dave Burk
Netsch originally included plenty of wall space to showcase his art collection, but Forrest and Smithe wanted more of a clean space to appreciate the beauty of the light, the walls, and the house itself, Lee says. Tying Netsch’s love of art together with the new couple’s love of technology, they commissioned Chicago-based Luftwerk to create a digital art installation. “The house was painted all white, so it really becomes a theatrical backdrop/screen for this digital piece that can work during both the day and evening,” Lee says.
Photo by Dave Burk
SOM brought life into the kitchen and two bathrooms with new cabinetry, lighting, smart appliances, and countertops.
Photo by Dave Burk
Inspired by Netsch’s powerful use of simple, modest materials, SOM used a single 22-foot piece of oakfor one of the kitchen countertops. SOM also redid the floors and put in new trim. Minimalist railings were installed for safety, and concealed sliding doors were de- signed and installed in the master bedroom to enhance privacy without sacrificing the open concept floor plan.
The Netsch Residence in the 1970s. Archive photo by William Lukes
The Netsch Residence in the 1970s. Archive photo by William Lukes
Courtesy of SOM
Project: Netsch Residence Location: Chicago, IL Completion: 2019 Size: 3,500 square feet Architect: SOM Interior Design: SOM
