8 East Huron

In 2012, CA Ventures began to develop a luxury residential project on the edge of the River North neighborhood of Chicago. The clients envisioned a sleek glass building with boutique units and amenities worthy of the modern idea of luxury. From its inception, the program required a single unit on the top floor, a penthouse suite, that the owner would occupy. During the early stages of design, other architects had struggled to fit the intended program on such a small footprint. Valerio Dewalt Train was consequently brought on to solve the complexities of the site and to achieve the client’s goals within the existing parameters.

As seen from the street, the completed 26-story residential tower is wrapped in glazing with accents of white Ceramitex sintered paneling. Protruding rows of balconies are semi-enclosed by the window wall, which continues above the roofline and is architecturally expressed on the amenity level. To achieve its sleek aesthetic, the concrete structure is tucked behind the glass, and all lateral members are placed in a hidden level below the pool among the building’s mechanical systems.

The residence houses 101 rentable units, which are distributed into three tiers. The first is a seven-unit floor with two studios, a two-bedroom and three one-bedroom apartments. The second, holds four two-bedroom units; leaving the more exclusive third tier with just two three-bedroom suites. As originally intended, the top floor of the building is a single penthouse, privately accessible through the building’s two elevators. The apartments are designed with high end finishes and floor to ceiling windows that provide breathtaking views of the city.