Multimillion-dollar houses coming to a Wicker Park site, each with a pool

Norsman and Pearsall’s solution, four large houses — each about 6,500 square feet — means two will face west, to Hermitage, and two east, to Paulina. “We didn’t want to turn our backs on either of the streets,” said Norsman, who in recent years has designed several contemporary houses in Wicker Park and Bucktown.

The layout also means the quartet of homes will need just two curb cuts, one per street and shared by the two houses that face that street.

In the renderings for the homes, Norsman depicts the exteriors clad with a sustainable wood product called Accoya on the bottom and large ceramic panels on top. Both warm up the contemporary minimalist lines of the exterior and were selected for their longevity, he said, but the materials might change with buyers’ tastes.

Norsman’s design for the interiors shows flat-front kitchen cabinetry, wide glass doors to the terraces, built-in shelves, spa rooms and other warm contemporary finishes.

Each house’s lot will be about 72 feet wide by 65 feet deep, dimensions Norsman says make possible big L-shaped houses with a sizable terrace framed in the L. 

All together, the four houses will essentially create a big square of shelter surrounding the four private back yards. Wide-open passageways from inside to out will make the terraces integral parts of the houses.

“I’m from Wisconsin, so I try to carve out meaningful outdoor spaces in our dense city,” Norsman said.