News

What is the Property Tax Assessment Freeze and How Can it Benefit Historic Homeowners?

Executive Spotlight: Edward Twohey

Meet Erin Morgani

2024 Summer Project Tours

Meet Nick Moorhouse

Habitat Build Day 2024

Meet Monica Musialowski

Can I Lower My Floor to Improve My Basement?

Columbus, Indiana Trip

Bricks, Inc Tour + Demo

Mentoring Millwork Design

Celebrating 30 Years of Inspired Spaces

Collaborating on Luxury Kitchen Trends

Finding Famous Architecture in a Cemetery

BBA Architects Continue to Educate

Don’t Demolish that house. Dismantle it.

Habitat for Humanity Build Day 2022

Modern Luxury Interiors North Shore

Aspire Design and Home Magazine

Historic Shaw Remodel

Modern River Cottage

Creating Outdoor Spaces

Deconstruct & Re-Use

Tribute to Broad Shoulders 2022

Lincoln Park Transformation

High Gables

Allison Henry Interiors Alliance

Elmhurst Historic Preservation Commission

New Homes on the Boards in 2021

Should You Hire an Interior Designer?

Employee Spotlight - Erica Blawat, AIA

Pool House

Classicist, No. 16.

Meet Maggie Willse

De-code Electronics In Your Home

North Side River Home Taking Shape

bba Architects Habitat Build Day

Building Code Undergoing a Major Change

Meet Jack Callahan

Golf Course Home Update

Building a Traditional Jewel Box

Tudor Kitchen Renovation

Building at the water's edge

North Center Craftsman

Employee Spotlight - Jennifer Hense, AIA

Renovate or Detonate

Luxury remodel of Lake Geneva home

Raising the Roof

1880’s Historic Queen Anne

Home in Berlin, Germany Comes to Fruition.

Beer Tasting + Design Presentation

Urban Deep Dig #1

An Excellent Italian Adventure

Gary Beyerl on Oct 27, 2020

Orchard Home Begins Construction

Early this year, our clients, who reside on the north side of Chicago, contacted us about building a weekend vacation house that may eventually become a permanent home on a rural site in northern Indiana. They had acquired a large site, featuring an expansive meadow on high ground surrounded by a dense hardwood forest on all sides. The woodland border of the meadow contained a few substantial oak trees, and at the south end on high ground, a retired orchard with a still significant grid of European Chestnut trees that created a magical understory expanse. 

Initially, the client envisioned placing the home in a low area at the southeast corner of the meadow. After some consideration, we discovered that nestling the home in the back edge of the orchard, just north of the deep woods, would create the most dynamic views from the house, and the trees would become a natural extension of the outdoor rooms we planned to create. 

For the architectural design inspiration, the client imagined a contemporary, Northern California-style shed-roof design with flexible and open interior spaces on a single level, with a modest open loft space above. They requested broad roof overhangs and envisioned lots of outdoor living. The design that was developed has achieved and exceeded all expectations. At approximately 3,000 s.f on one level, BBA created three connected volumes, forming a semi-enclosure focusing on the orchard. The balanced masses have shed roofs on each end, and a tall central roof in the center section to contain the primary living space. 

The substantially sized wooded site required all new services and infrastructure prior to building. Throughout the design process, the owner has been working with BBA to sensitively place these elements in the natural setting to be invisible, and allow the natural beauty of the site to be the true star of the show.  

Site prep work has been underway, and we expect to see foundation work commencing shortly. Check back here for updates, as the building begins to rise in this gorgeous chestnut orchard in northern Indiana.