Maple Court Apartments

Naperville, IL (AIA Design Award)       

Maple Court Apartments is a three-story 60,000 SF multi-family housing complex.  The Client was a developer who was disabled, and saw a need for better designed accessible housing.  Many accessible housing projects only provide the minimum legal requirements. Thus, the goal was to provide barrier-free housing integrated with fair market value units.

This barrier-free housing was to be designed for mobile and non-mobile tenants. Due to our clients efforts, this project was been designated and has become a national model for this type of integrated housing. The fair market value units are so designed that if conversion to a disabled unit is necessary, it can be accomplished with minimum effort. The kitchens are alike, water, electrical, and appliances are in the exact same locations, so the fair market cabinets could be pulled out and disabled cabinets installed (or vice- versa). Of the 48 units, 20 are barrier-free and 28 are fair market.

The site became a major amenity to the project. Though it sloped down 18' from the rear property line to the entry drive, grading concerns were achieved with the walks and drives for those in wheelchairs. There were 26 existing mature trees that the building and parking were designed around in order to preserve these trees. These trees add a mature park-like character to the 4-1/2 acre site with paths and walkways that were provided for the tenants' pleasure.