Corten Addition Transforms Butcher Shop in Chicago into a Modern Home

There was a time when every street corner had a tiny shop; a local store where everyone went to buy groceries, supplies and pretty much anything else they needed. The shops were part of a large house with the owner living above and running their business on the ground level. Today, such homes are becoming rarer and a project like the Cortez House in Chicago by moss Design brings back a part of this timeless charm. Revamping an old building in a busy Chicago neighborhood that had retail space on the lower floor, the new residence brings the old and the new together in a seamless manner.

Corten rear addition adds additional space to this revamped butcher shop in Chicago












The old sections of the retail outlet were upgraded and enhanced with features like a Bromann Brothers cooler being left untouched to serve the needs of the new homeowners. Beyond this, a more modern home takes over. A smart, space-savvy corten-clad addition now makes up the rear section and this is the block that adds a new upper level master suite that contains two bedrooms and a bathroom. Brick, metal and glass come together effortlessly at this transformed Chicago style that is draped in neutral colors on the inside.

Rear yard offers space for a little bit of gardening
Restored cooler wall dividing the workshop from the main living space
View inside the more modern interior of the Cortez House
Wooden railing for the staircase with dark metallic bars on the edge
Corten steel panels create a greener and more interesting home
Large hallway of the home in white with ample natural light and wood walls for the room

Furring strips were attached to the exterior face so the Corten could be attached to the strips. This system allows for the water that seeps behind the Corten siding to have a drainage plane to get out from behind the wall, instead of inside the building. Aside from the beautiful aesthetics of Corten, the material naturally forms a protective layer of rust that blends nicely over time with the Chicago Common brick on the rest of the building…

Master bedroom of the home on the upper level with glass walls that usher in ample natural light
Small, upper level sitting space and living area of the home with an exposed brick wall
Street facade of the Cortez House
Tiles in black and white add pattern to the bathroom floor
Blue vanity for the bathroom adds color and contrast to the space
Glass shower area for the bathroom in white with a modern appeal
Guest bathroom in white with pops of black and gold that bring contrast
Floor plan of the revamped Cortez Street House

You’re reading Corten Addition Transforms Butcher Shop in Chicago into a Modern Home, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

Similar Posts

  • The Ibiza Campo Loft

    The Ibiza Campo Loft
    A total transformation from an old abandoned warehouse to a dreamy loft on the island of Ibiza. On a remote mountain field in the rugged north of Ibiza lies this beautiful island home. What formerly
    served as a workshop and storage, has now been turned into a contemporary dream house. The owner of
    Ibiza Interiors and the Nieuw developed this 100 year old warehouse into a design guesthouse and
    showcase project. When interior architect Jurjen van Hulzen saw the structure and location of the building, the concept for the design was born. Concrete columns and steel beams were carrying a typical Ibizan ‘sabina beam’ roof. A mix of the industrial structure combined with the rustic roof formed the concept for the rest of the design: an interesting play and contrast between rustic and industrial. That’s also how it’s got the name ‘Campo Loft’, which basically means ‘industrial open living space on the field’. The beautiful traditional building structure has been preserved to keep the character of the typical Ibizan
    architecture. Basic and local materials have been used; a concrete floor, chalk and mud plastered stone
    walls and ‘sabina beams’ made from trees that only grow on the island. A new material that has been
    incorporated into the house is steel. A powdercoated steel is used for the window frames and doors, and
    there’s a custom made raw steel kitchen. The building had been unused for many years, and was in very poor condition. Therefore only the walls and parts of the roof could remain. Electricity, water and sewage were not present, the architects had to add all these things to make it work as a contemporary home. Water comes from a private well and there are solar panels installed for hot water, floor heating and electricity. The house is consequently completely independent of the grid operation and is thus self-sustainable. Owner Jurjen van Hulzen designed a well thought through floor plan, with a big open space on the south
    side of the building, with views all over the valley. The main space is connected to the big private terrace.
    The two bedrooms have been place on the north side corners of the building, to keep them dark and cool.
    Then there’s a dining space with build-in bench and roof light, that really made this ‘lost’ space part of the
    loft. And a bathroom with free standing bath with openable windows, to be able to get a fireplace and
    nature view when you’re bathing. The bathroom has herringbone pattern floor made from terra cotta tiles, a modern interpretation of the traditional Spanish floor. The loft has been designed to become a comfortable and modern space. A house with a basic, natural but high-end character. To finish of the design they have collaborated with their familiar project partners: 100% natural beds from Coco-mat, and all the furniture, lighting, curtains and carpets are from their partner store The Modern in Amsterdam. The urban and rough steel kitchen island with marble top is from Eginstill. And the walls have been decorated with art from gallery Vroom & Varossieau. They’ve used the bath and sink from Not Only White, and the taps and shower are designed by Piet Boon for Cocoon. The result is a fantastic contemporary natural residence where contrast plays a big role; old and new, sleek and rustic, light and dark, rough and soft. At the same time there’s a certain balance as well, and
    everywhere you look something is happening. With an incredible view from the mountain, a yoga platform
    on the roof and many fruit trees and a vegetable garden, this is truly a piece of paradise. The Campo Loft is now being used as a showcase project and guesthouse. A unique place to relax and unwind, designed by and for design lovers.