Located on a 1/3 acre within the historic Chatham Arch Neighborhood in Indianapolis, Indiana, eleven blocks north of Monument Circle stands a contemporary new home that redefines urban infill. Complementing the context of the surrounding homes, the City Cottage, through key visual connections, respects the past while writing its own future. The street’s north façade evokes a strong vertical presence relating to the repetitive cadence of the adjacent properties masonry piers. The design provides a layer of privacy for the homeowners, while the solid massing peels away to large expanses of glazing, framing intended view sheds both inward and outward. Along with its verticality, the home pulls key horizontal elements from the established neighborhood rhythm, specifically the eaves and elevated floor lines.

Implementing a linear footprint, an organized functional plan was conceived by focusing the core functions of a home at the center. These functional spaces, anchored by “transitions” allowed for the common spaces to flow between each other. With this, a void was cut from the footprint providing a private vegetated courtyard sheltered from the urban street by the stair massing and steel gate. A Zen-like plunge pool situates itself at the corner of the court, visible from many areas of the house and welcomes guests along their entry journey. Through the calculated use of oversized glazing elements, natural light is maximized and infiltrates deep into the interior spaces. The visual openness and centralized courtyard blur the boundaries of exterior and interior, which creates a peaceful respite within the urban setting.