A local Chicago architecture firm has designed an innovative furniture showroom and studio space that uses a distinctive brick screen facade to blend seamlessly with the city's architectural heritage. Range Design & Architecture has completed the headquarters for Nothing Design Co, transforming a narrow infill lot into a striking 3,500-square-foot workshop, office, and event space.
The project, which expands upon an existing vintage structure, showcases the firm's commitment to contextual design by incorporating both new and reclaimed brick materials. The architectural approach draws heavily from Chicago's rich masonry tradition, using brick not only as a structural element but also as a sophisticated screening system that addresses multiple functional needs.
"The brick screen, the primary gesture of the design, nurtures an identity for the studio and provides a pragmatic solution to address privacy, scale and solar shading," Range Design & Architecture explained. The design team specifically referenced Chicago's historical building patterns, where face-brick fronts were commonly paired with common brick sides.
The facade utilizes terra-cotta colored paver bricks arranged as a screen along the street-facing elevation. This strategic design choice creates a contextually appropriate facade that effectively filters natural light while simultaneously reducing the building's cooling load from direct southern exposure. The brick screen serves multiple purposes: it maintains privacy for the interior spaces, creates human-scaled proportions, and provides essential solar shading.
The architectural team extended the existing load-bearing brick walls on the ground floor to support the building's expansion upward by two additional floors. Due to the site's proximity to property lines, the longitudinal walls contain no openings, requiring the building to draw natural light exclusively from the north and south ends. This constraint led to the innovative light-filtering brick screen solution.
Inside the facility, the design preserves the original foundation while creating distinct functional zones. The ground level houses a lobby and workshop area, while the upper level contains office space and an event area. A small mezzanine floats above the event space, maximizing the use of vertical space within the compact footprint.
The brick screening element appears again on the second floor, where it defines the usable edge of a north-facing terrace. This outdoor space is accessed through a rear staircase and bi-folding glazed doors, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor connection for the studio's activities.
The interior material palette consists of brick, white oak, and weathering steel, creating what the architects describe as "the canvas for the activities of the studio." Originally, the design team planned to expose heavy timber beams in the roof structure, but cost considerations led them to use parallel chord roof trusses instead, allowing them to emphasize the building's various interior volumes.
"Engaging the senses of occupants, the materials reflect the passing of time as light animates the brise soleil and dapples the interiors," the studio noted. "In conversation with the face brick, the common brick on the east and west walls, as well as the terrace, tell the story of Chicago masonry and building methods."
The project's sustainability features include high-efficiency mechanical equipment, a highly insulated building envelope, and solar-powered venting skylights. The building's location near public transit and a linear park allows for integration of xeriscape gardens, creating natural habitat spaces within the urban environment.
The design team for the project included lead architects from Range Design & Architecture: Casimir Kujawa, Mason Pritchett, and Luis Vasquez. The project involved collaboration with several specialist consultants, including Louis Shell Structures, Inc. as structural engineer, Edifel Designs for MEP engineering, and Nathan Wright Landscape Design for landscape architecture.
Construction was completed by Formed Space as general contractor, with specialized work by EnZ Masonry Inc. for masonry installation, Estructuras for structural steel, MFabrication for stair fabrication, and Weisfeld Construction, Ltd. for interior casework.
This project represents a growing trend in Chicago architecture where contemporary designs respectfully engage with the city's architectural heritage. The building joins other recent brick projects in the city, including a circular headquarters and field house by John Ronan Architects and a screened suburban home by Brooks & Scarpa and Studio Dwell.
The Nothing Design Co headquarters demonstrates how thoughtful architectural intervention can transform a constrained urban site into a functional and aesthetically compelling workspace. The project's success lies in its ability to address practical concerns such as privacy, solar control, and contextual appropriateness while creating a distinctive identity for the furniture design studio.
The brick screen facade not only serves functional purposes but also creates a dynamic visual experience throughout the day as changing light conditions animate the perforated surface. This interplay between light and shadow brings life to both the interior spaces and the street facade, contributing to the building's role in the urban streetscape.
Photography of the completed project was provided by James John Jetel, documenting how the building successfully integrates into its Chicago context while maintaining a contemporary design sensibility that reflects the creative work happening within its walls.
