The 100 year old two-story masonry structure in Chicago’s North Center/St. Ben’s neighborhood was renovated to a single-family residence. The project revolved around the client’s wish for the front bay window to house a baby grand piano. The connecting stair provides an unexpected vertical shaft of light with a window facing the north and a skylight. A level change between the kitchen and the family room with generous windows and the covered deck create a focused transition between the interior living spaces and the outside garden. The new steel front stair and canopy contrast with the existing traditional brick and stone building.