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DEVELOPMENT OVERVIEW
CASE STUDY HOUSES 2111 | PRESENTED BY DOMAIN 3, LLC
2107, 2109, 2111, 2113 SAINT JOHNS AVENUE, HIGHLAND PARK, IL
The Case Study House program, initiated in 1945 in sustainability and durability. The project contains four single
Los Angeles, remains one of America’s most significant family residences configured around a center auto court.
contributions to architecture at mid-century. The motivating
force behind the program was John Entenza, a champion of Constructed of low or no maintenance materials,
modernism and editor of the avant-garde monthly magazine manageable and usable gardens, and ease of access for
Arts & Architecture. Entenza envisioned the Case Study both residents and visitors. The houses define the auto
effort as a way to offer the public and the building industry court, but also embrace private outdoor rooms that extend
models for alternative housing designs in the modern adjacent interior spaces. These private indoor/outdoor
idiom, foreseeing the coming building boom as inevitable spaces are protected by a permeable, woven patterned
in the wake of the drastic housing shortages during the brick wall, which provides privacy and well as ventilation for
depression and war years. Using the magazine as a vehicle, these spaces. This allows for expanses of picture windows,
Entenza’s goal was to enable architects to design and build doors, and free flowing open plans.
modern houses for actual clients, using innovative materials
from industry and new techniques from manufacturers, and Community is encouraged by the arrangement of spaces
to extensively publish and publicize their efforts. around the auto court, akin to a European piazza, which
allows pedestrian and vehicular access but also acts as a
Contributors to the Case Study House program ranged place to share experiences with neighbors. It is the ultimate
from architects who were to attain international reputations location for a block party.
- Richard Neutra, Charles and Ray Eames, Eero Saarinen,
Ralph Rapson, Craig Ellwood and Pierre Koenig - to those Parking is abundant with six visitor spaces in addition to
whose reputations remain primarily localized, such as each unit having an attached two-car garage, with an
Whitney R. Smith, Thornton Abell, and Rodney Walker. obscured glass door to allow natural light to enliven the
garage interior.
Conceived as experimental modern prototypes, the 36
designs of the program epitomized the aspirations of a A modern lifestyle is reinforced by chef worthy kitchens
generation of modern architects active during the buoyant sharing spaces with dining rooms adjacent to indoor family
years of American’s post-World War II building boom. By its rooms and outdoor lounging areas—lines between indoor
end in 1966, the Case Study House program had succeeded and outdoor are blurred, entertainment is fluid and quality
in producing some of the period’s most important works of life is enhanced. Gardening is manageable; buyers can
of residential architecture. Today, the Case Study Houses develop container gardens in private courtyards or plant
continue to have wide relevance and influence within flower gardens to complement the well-developed base
architectural culture, not only in Los Angeles, but also plantings.
nationally and internationally. These houses, and the spirit
behind them, serve as a model for architects committed to Floor plans are designed for all walks of life, but with special
reductive, yet experimental modes of residential design and attention paid to the aging in place population. First floors
construction. are located at grade level for easy access and contain the
usual living, dining, kitchen, and mudroom that one would
It is with this inspiration that Domain 3, led by Peter Nicholas expect, but also the laundry room and master suites with
of the Nicholas Design Collaborative, take lessons from double bathrooms and closets. Additional bedrooms and
these noble architects and bring them into the creation bathrooms are located on the upper level.
in this project located in Highland Park, Illinois. We share
the spirit of these visionary thinkers and are committed Located within two blocks of downtown Highland Park and
to a reductive, yet experimental residential design and the Metra Line to downtown Chicago, all goods and services
construction. We are also devoted to energy efficiency, imaginable are located within a short walk. Renowned
Highland Park K-12 schools are all located within two blocks
of the site.