Location: Chicago, IL

Client: Dirk Denison Architects

Completed: 2010

Size: 2000 gallons

Photo Credit: Michelle Litvin

This private space designed by Dirk Denison Architects is a 9,700 square foot, single-family home located in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood.  

With our clients, both serious scuba divers and underwater photographers, we engaged in a collaborative exploration that resulted in our team designing seven saltwater and freshwater living environments throughout the residence.

Why seven? Each aquarium referenced a different ecosystem the couple had visited and loved. In effect, we were creating a living, large-scale memory of some of their favorite places.

To support their commitment to animal health and clean living environments, we incorporated three unique life support systems, a laboratory space and an additional quarantine system into the design.

Featured in ARCHITECT magazine, April 2014.