LANTERN HOUSE

This 1890s Chicago two-flat was deconverted into a 4,000-square-foot live-work residence, pairing historic architecture with contemporary technology.  Hoiland Studios developed an integrated lighting design that brings together tunable white and color-changing light to support everyday living, creative work, and entertaining.  At the center of the residence, a vertical light well draws daylight deep into the interior alongside an open-riser stair, reinterpreting a familiar feature of historic Chicago lot-line buildings.  After dark, concealed RGBW lighting between the floors transforms the light well into a glowing architectural “lantern,” giving the home’s central feature a new presence at night. In the theater, concealed linear lighting behind offset vertical wall panels emphasizes their depth and rhythm.  Linear fixtures with black lenses virtually disappear against the black ceilings of both the theater and gym when turned off, preserving the spaces’ clean appearance. Throughout the home, integrated millwork lighting and carefully selected decorative fixtures create layers of light tailored to each space.  Ketra lighting allows these spaces to shift from cooler light during the day to a warmer, more intimate atmosphere in the evening.  Outside, concealed linear lighting grazes the brick wall, revealing its texture and extending the lighting design into the outdoor spaces. From the illuminated light well to the smallest millwork detail, lighting is woven into the architecture, shaping how the home feels and functions throughout the day and into the night.