The Ostico house is a multilayered and compact volume that touches the ground lightly. A set of interchangeable spaces spiral around a stair and core producing an inherently flexible and energy efficient house. The house splits in section bringing unique proportions to each of the spaces. The three different levels of the house are connected through cutouts in floor. The chimney has been banished, symbolically replaced by the effect of the “light chimney” of the stair and railings, while the functional chimney and furnace has been replaced by the “i” of the fresh air outlets at the front façade.
The house is made of thin and thick parts that work together to optimize exchanges and form a resilient structure. Passive House Institute Standards have been used to reach these objectives. The super insulated and sealed envelope creates a constant steady state environment while carefully designed openings and overhangs opportunistically engage the swings of the environment. The result is an ultra simple structure that provides warmth and light at no additional construction costs.
The competition program is met with two permanent bedrooms, two baths, living and dining spaces, laundry and a kitchen. The second floor “loft” can be programmed in a variety of ways – artists’ studio, children’s bunkroom, or the main bedroom (with an optional demising wall). The spaces are shaped to provide different potentials, nooks can be used for storage or daybeds, while ledges can be built upon in many ways depending on the needs of the inhabitant.
And finally, by setting the spiral in the multidirectional cube, the house is easily reoriented onto different sites in and around the Near West Side. A minimum of resources has produced maximum opportunities.