The Bur Oak project is special for many reasons. We found her on life support: active leaks, structural failures, rust, decay and dated finishes. As we uncovered the layers, we found a building that was built to last with a real story to tell. This project was more about allowing the building to present the palette of materials and design more than putting our own vision within it. With a combination of brick, concrete, wood, terrazzo, tile and plaster defining the original construction we had to fit any new materials in sensitively. Naturally, we kept being pulled back to a hand-made, artisan texture to anything that we introduced. If we brought in new wood, we wanted that wood to look used and alive. When we put up new drywall, we covered it by hand with mud and washed it with paint. This project took a slowed down approach with more conversations than black and white plans. In the end, it’s a space we are proud to share.