Elemental Kitchen

Elemental Kitchen

Glass, stainless steel, and marble define the kitchen for a private residence in Chicago.

  • Type Residential
  • Location River North, Chicago
  • Author MAS Studio
  • Team Iker Gil, Julie Michiels, and André Corrêa
  • General Contractor Ulrich and Associates Construction LLC
  • Cabinetry and Glass Creative Wood Concepts
  • Metal Fabrication Taylor Street Fabrication
  • Electrical Cauraun Electrical Inc.
  • Plumbing Sabres Plumbing
  • Client Private
  • Year 2014
  • Status Completed
  • Photography Iker Gil
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About

Glass, stainless steel, and marble. These three elements define the kitchen for a private residence in Chicago. With a carefully selected palette of materials, we explore concealment, light, and tactility.

Back-painted glass is used across all vertical surfaces, concealing cabinets and appliances such as the dishwasher, fridge, and ovens. With no visible hardware (a custom-designed solution conceals narrow finger pulls behind the glass), it becomes a continuous surface that varies as the light conditions change. The acid-etched glass backsplash conceals LED light fixtures, becoming a frameless, seamless glowing surface.

Stainless steel creates a continuous countertop and seamlessly integrated sink with a non-directional finish, lending a softness and glow to its appearance. Tactility and functionality define the different edge conditions: sometimes smooth, sometimes sharp.

Marble is used to clad the ample kitchen island, visually becoming a solid and warm surface that can be used as part of the kitchen as well as other home functions (eating, socializing…). Like in the rest of the kitchen, the island glass doors conceal two ovens, drawers, and extra storage.

While the palette of elements used in the kitchen is minimum, their textures, application, and relationship create a space that is complex and rich in qualities. Visually and physically, the kitchen becomes the central focus of the house.

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Awards

  • Citation of Merit in the 2015 AIA Chicago Small Projects Awards