NOLAN RESIDENCE
Built as a Victorian single-family residence in the 19th century, this Lincoln sanctuary is filled with distinctive handcrafted woodwork. Although the building is not landmarked, its history is significant: in the 1940s, Chicago artist Clive Rickabaugh transformed the deteriorating home into a series of artist studios. Rickabaugh also worked on W. Burton Place alongside artists and designers Edgar Miller and Sol Kogen.
The building’s handcrafted details reflect Chicago’s artist colony movement, but that same character is largely absent from the existing landscape. This project aims to bring artistry outdoors, creating a setting that reflects the craftsmanship and care found inside.
PROJECT ROLES
Creating diagram studies
Developing layout plans and diagrams
Design production from SD - CD
Site visits and mockup prototypes
Design detailing: walls, stairs, paving, etc.
Software used: Hand drawing, AutoCAD, Photoshop, InDesign, SketchUp, Lumion
URBAN OASIS
I often find small spaces more challenging to design than large ones because every detail has a greater impact. For this compact courtyard, the client drew inspiration from The Lord of the Rings and imagined entering through the main gate into a lush landscape shaped by natural wood and stone.
With limited space in the shared courtyard, the design also extends to an existing rooftop deck, giving the client a more private retreat. The renderings below explore how these two spaces could bring their vision to life.
RENDERINGS - SKETCHUP/LUMION
The 3D renderings helped the client envision how their rooftop deck could become a private retreat. Because the deck faced a neighbor’s bedroom, privacy was central to the design. One option paired a metal pergola with a green wall, furnishings, and a glass screen designed to cast colorful shadows across the space.
A second option used a similar layout with a wood pergola that echoed the home’s existing woodwork. The client preferred this version, but a structural review found that the roof would need reinforcement to support it. The client ultimately chose not to pursue that option.
LANDMARK ROADBLOCKS
Review by the Chicago Landmarks Committee became an unexpected factor in the project schedule. Although the residence is not individually landmarked, it sits within a landmark district, so the proposed exterior work required review. After multiple rounds of discussion, the committee did not approve several of the parkway and entry improvements.
The entry fence was a particular point of discussion. Our proposal drew on wood fencing and details elsewhere on the property that predated the existing metal fence, but the committee did not support the change. After more than two years of design work, we are revising much of the plan to focus on the rooftop deck and planting improvements.
