Chicago Residential Architects

To design your dream home

We create uniquely personal living spaces for your family's dream home
Residential Animation

Our homes are crucial. Change feels bewildering.
Reluctance is understandable.

Are you feeling lost? Or, are you unsure where to start? Perhaps you’re worried about cost and demands on your time? It is time to design your family’s new dream home. Trouble is, you’ve heard the horror stories.

That beautiful home you’ve been dreaming of occupies your every thought, and that of your family.

You won’t feel satisfied until your home reflects your personal style and fulfills your family’s dreams.

I’ve helped dozens of families, like yours, express their uniquely-personal style and realize their vision.

Together, we will create or transform your environment into the home you’ve always dreamed of.
(And yes, we can help you to impress your friends and family.)

Book your Clarity Call today

“Mark was terrific in all aspects for our major home reconstruction. Of all the architects interviewed, he was by far the best. We give him our highest recommendation.”

Caryn AltmanHomeowner, Highland Park Remodel & Addition

Services to benefit every home design

  • Creative Design: solutions to enhance and maximize every space
  • Visual Communication: homes are complex, they require clarity and consensus
  • Interactive Design: your input during design accelerates progress
  • Collaborative Team: every home has unique qualities and a team solution

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Big picture success plan

Chicago Residential Architects understand your home is much more than simply shelter for your family

While the origin of our homes arose from simple shelters, today’s homes are responsible for much more. Our homes enrich our lives, offer comfort from extremes, security from unknowns, and the feeling of achievement. As Chicago residential architects, we help you to craft every space to harmoniously meet the needs of your entire family now and into the future.

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Step 1

Clarity Call

A free 15-minute call to explore your project goals and determine the fit for us to work together in the creation of your new dream home.

Step 2

ClearScope Review

Here we get organized and lay the groundwork for success. Our goal is for you to create your dream home on-time and on-budget.

Step 3

Pre-Design

Here we flesh-out the wish list, determine the boundaries for development, identify the design and build team, and prepare to begin design.

Step 6

Construction Documents

Things are really looking good now, adding fine details and descriptions of the work as well as incorporating consultant work.

Step 5

Design Development

At this stage, we have a solid direction and now begin to flesh out the details that will contribute to your enjoyment and value of your home.

Step 4

Schematic Design

With a clear understanding of the development boundaries, we now begin to exercise options and design solutions.

Don’t Settle

It’s Your Home

A home that confines your options, or worse, one that neglects your values, fails your family, preventing them from living their full potential.

The right home makes the most of you –
Let’s get you into the right home.

You’ll not only be surrounded by beauty you’ve dreamed of,
you’ll also be proud to show it off.

Keys to your success, serenity, and joy

Every home design is created using powerful tools and methods to ensure clear understanding and positive results

Quality Design

  • Building Information Modeling (BIM)
  • Coordinated & Curated Team
  • Long Design Experience
  • Practical Construction
  • Interactive Design

Advanced Communication

  • Digital Design Communication
  • Online Design Research
  • Custom Client Portal
  • Independent Cost Estimates
Book you Clarity Call today

Frequently Asked Questions

Unsure about how a Chicago residential architect helps you to design your perfect home?

There are so many architects

Why not just select the cheapest?

Choose Value

One of the most frequently asked questions. Cheapest doesn’t necessarily mean the best value. Rarely does it. Your architect amplifies your investments of time and money maximizing the home’s value. Investments in proper planning, drive up your home’s value.

What Question

do most architects fail to ask which takes your home from good to great?

How

should this space feel?

Will you help me

with the building permit?

Yes

You will need architectural drawings to obtain a building permit. We know the municipal (zoning & building) codes, the code officials, the rules and standards, and the process to expedite rapidly through the permit review phases.

What does

an architect do, anyway?

Partner and collaborator

in creating your new home. Spaces are aligned with your program in the optimal arrangement. Then communicate the design, procuring the building permit, and supporting your builder.

Won't my home cost more

if I hire an architect?

Budget is controlled by you,

not the architect. In reality, the architect works with you to meet all of your goals, including design, budget, and schedule to reveal the very best value.

Will I be working with you,

or a staff member?

I am personally involved,

with every project at every stage and commit to giving each project the time and creative attention required for a successful outcome. Some may assign projects to less experienced staff members.

Can you help us

find the right builder?

You bet

I am happy to introduce you to the excellent builders on my pre-qualified list of General Contractors

How are fees

determined for my project?

We have options

Architects usually charge a percentage of the total project cost, anywhere from 5%-20%. We may also consider fees based on square footage or on a time & materials basis.

Do I need

3D design for my home?

Don’t design without 3D

Traditional 2D architectural drawings require skill and experience to fully understand. 3D tools enable clear communication without having to learn a foreign language.

Ok, I'm ready. What are the next steps?

Great, you’re ready to begin designing your new custom home. We need to gather your inspiration and goals. You may have already begun to assemble some of these items:

  • Sketches
  • Plat of survey
  • Floor plans
  • Photographs
  • More

Begin to formulate your budget and timeline expectations. We’ll work with you to bring these into focus. Check out this Rapid Project Planning Pack to ready for the first steps.

Download, complete the workbook, and book your free 15-minute Clarity Call.

Book your Clarity Call today

It is Often Said That 1 Picture = 10,000 Words

So by extension, a 60-sec Animation = 18,000,000+ Words

make sure your family and design/build team have the very best picture of your custom home that is possible

It is generally understood that one picture is equal to ten thousand words. This is proof positive of the power of visual communication. Now consider movies or animations that are made up of multiple images every second. So a sixty-second animation’s worth is more than eighteen million words. Imagine the clarity of communicating in this way, saving time, eliminating errors, and getting it right the first time. Why risk communicating using only traditional methods?

As Chicago residential architects, it is our mission on every custom home that they are delivered both on-time and on-budget.

Click below to view a sample custom home animation.

Bridgewater New Jersey Residence