A Residential Design Award of Excellence is given for the restoration of the Florsheim House. Originally two houses completed in 1938 by architect Andrew Rebori and artisan-builder Edgar Miller, the home is a layered work of twentieth century architecture. In 1946, artist Lillian Florsheim took ownership, and her son-in-law, modernist architect Bertrand Goldberg, added a suspended steel-framed kitchen structure spanning the courtyard, joining the two houses. The gently curving structure is the first instance of Goldberg using the form, which became prevalent in his later work. By 2021, the home had seen many alterations and was in poor condition. The renovation restored the facade to its original condition in meticulous detail, and in compliance with a facade easement held by Landmarks Illinois. This included replacing all lintels, repointing, color correction of mortar, reproducing the carved wood spandrel, repairing the 1951 gate added by Goldberg, repair and replacement of windows to mirror the originals, and all systems were replaced. Principal rooms were restored as close to their 1938 appearance as possible while retaining the 1951 Goldberg additions, with particular care given to the kitchen. New additions were designed to expand the home's functionality while remaining visually consistent with the historic composition, incorporating salvaged materials and carefully concealed connections. 

Robert A. Davies and Alec McAusland

Gunny Harboe, FAIA, Restoration Architect; Claire Halpin, Architect; Christopher Ciraulo, Architect; Fred Harboe, Contractor; Erin Flaum, Lighting Designer