Edgemere Court, Evanston
Describing the construction of the house we erected in Evanston, right on Lake Michigan, was not easy. Due to the degree of advancement of the project, the work was carried out in a rather unusual and unsynchronized manner – this may be reflected in the photographs, which in places are not arranged in chronological order. Over the course of more than 2 years, we took more than 8,000 pictures to document the progress of the work. The house at Edgemere Court, despite its avant-garde aesthetics and many unusual solutions, deserves admiration because it is a marvel of civil engineering – the process of strengthening the bank, draining the plot and erecting a multi-level structure on such a small area could successfully be presented in a TV show for architects. Thus, we are proud to share the results of many months of hard work involving more than 120 people affiliated with Integrity Construction Consulting, which acted as general contractor on this project.
Concept Stage
Already during our first conversation with the client, we understood that we were undertaking an extremely complicated project. The plot of land, located right on the lake, is very narrow and its shoreline is constantly flooded with water. If that wasn’t enough, the new house was to be very technologically advanced and modern. According to our client, before we started working together, he had entered into discussions with many construction contractors, but no one wanted to take on the task. We wouldn’t have been ourselves if we had refused therefore, as soon as it was possible, we cleared the plot and began preparations for construction.
How Did It Start?
The construction process began with leveling the land and preparing the site for the placement of helical piles, which are the foundation for the new structure. Due to the constant influx of water, we were forced to additionally seal the concrete bank, protecting the plot from water. In addition, due to the proximity of the lake, we had to use pumps to remove water at all times.
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Groundwork
Due to the waterlogged nature of the terrain, conventional foundations would not be effective – a house built on them could be unstable. For this reason, we used the already mentioned helical piles. Using 64 metal rods, we created a stable structure, which was poured with concrete in the next stage of the work. The solution we used was the only possible one – in no other way was it possible to erect a one-story house a few meters from the Lake Michigan shore. Screwing the helical piles into the ground took less than 2 weeks.
Concrete Work & Foundations
This is by far the longest phase of the project – it took as much as 8 months. The work took that long for a number of reasons, but water remained the biggest obstacle. Although initially, we strengthened the shoreline and flooded it with special concrete, the ground still remained wet and this could not be remedied. For this reason, we were only able to perform some of the tasks during the driest months of the year – August and September. We also had to make additional reinforcements, because otherwise, the pool dug in the basement could have collapsed. In our opinion, the marvel of engineering is the plot’s drainage system – it extends over a huge area, draining rain directly into the lake. For aesthetic reasons, we buried the pipes deep underground. Before the end of 2021, we managed to erect the foundation walls, insulate them and start preparing for the next stage of construction of this amazing house.
Framing
The next stage of the work was the erection of the framing of the house. This is probably the most spectacular part of the whole project – in 3 months, the landscape on the site changed dramatically. The erected framing also allowed us to begin installation work – as of mid-March, exterior and interior finishing began.
Roof And Window Instalation
The next step was the installation of the windows and roof. Thanks to the cooperation with the leading GAF asphalt shingle installer from Wheeling, the implementation of this step went smoothly and seamlessly. The same company also installed the windows from Pella, as well as other exterior finishing features. At the same time, we also prepared the floors – later, the underfloor heating system pipes were installed on them.
Basement Preparation
After preparing the floors, we could tackle the basement. We installed the central heating ducts, poured epoxy resin over the floor, and erected the room frames. Later, we also installed electrical wiring and pipes, and began the process of HVAC system throughout the house.
Garage
As we have already mentioned, the plot of land on which the house was being built was extremely narrow, which was important – the use of several machines was difficult or even impossible. For this reason, we decided to erect the garage only after we had already installed the windows and knew that there would be no need to use cranes to place structural steel beams and other large, heavy elements. The structure itself is quite simple – the garage holds 3 cars and was placed close to the entrance to the plot.
Insulation Work
Our goal was to prepare the house for interior finishing as soon as possible, so we started insulating the walls as early as August. Due to the house’s proximity to Lake Michigan, we used special insulation membranes to improve the transport of water vapor. Combined with a modern ventilation system, we achieved an energy-efficient, well-insulated and comfortable house.
Interior Finishing
The finishing of the interior was very sophisticated – besides our company, the process involved an interior designer and the owners. Paintings and exclusive furniture were ordered for the decoration of the rooms, and every detail, even the smallest, was analyzed for aesthetics and harmony. Many items, including kitchen countertops, had to be imported from Europe. Particularly impressive is the swimming pool adorned with 10 pots of bamboo bushes – this room, can be viewed from both the upper floors and the side garden. The presence of windows makes the room perfectly illuminated, creating perfect circumstances for relaxation.
Exterior Finishing
The house is not only exclusive interiors – we have made every effort to make the property delightful from the outside as well. The applied plaster perfectly composed with metal accessories and high-quality asphalt shingles. Erecting a tall house on a narrow plot, we made every effort to ensure that the structure was not overwhelming and did not appear heavy, so the designers decided to use bright colors. When later, the plants took their final shape, the property gained even more charm – you can find the final results below.
Final Results
After 3 years of intensive work, which required us to perfectly organize many teams, we are proud to say that in August 2023 we completed work on an unusual house located on Edgemere Court in Evanston. The building is certainly avant-garde – at the beginning of construction, many people were unconvinced by the facade consisting of many geometric figures, 4 stories raised on such a narrow base and the establishment of a garden in a place that was constantly flooded with water. However, we were happy to see that with each week, this house convinced more and more people. Most importantly, the investors are delighted – according to them, the final results were even better than they expected.
