Tour St. Joseph House!

How does L’Arche Chicago design a home? We include everyone.

Through conversations with caregiving staff, core members, parents, and leadership, we created a home that reflects the needs and wishes of our community. Designed with accessibility and care in mind, the home features easy-to-maintain surfaces, flooring, and plumbing, allowing our caregiving staff to focus on care and building relationships instead of facility concerns.

Published 4 December 2024

Walk Through With Us

First Floor

The first floor of the home has 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, our dining room, kitchen with pantry, a home office, a chapel space, and living area.

Jack and Jill Bathrooms 

Our house has 5 full bathrooms to provide easy access for any of the 4 residents at any time. Each bathroom was thoughtfully designed with roll-in showers, roll up sinks, bidets, grab bars, lower-height sinks and plenty of storage, to ensure core member comfort. Jack & Jill bathrooms also provide additional privacy for core members.

Bedroom Closets

There are 2 bedrooms on the first floor that feature low hanging rods and shelves for those who use mobility devices, placing personal items within arm’s reach.

Patio

Nearly every space in our home is treated to the natural light, foliage, and expansive space of the outdoors from our center patio. This thoughtful design ensures residents stay connected to the outdoors and never feel isolated.

Home Office 

One of our core values is to provide care that offers dignity. Our home office creates a private space for medication administration and staff members to work.

Kitchen

As a community, we love to gather for shared meals. The lower island counter and roll up sink make it easy for everyone to participate in meal preparation. With multiple dishwashers, sinks, and refrigerators, hosting and welcoming guests becomes a seamless and joyful experience.

Second Floor

The second floor of the home includes our laundry room, 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 living areas, a craft space, and an outdoor deck area.

Laundry Room

With 7 people (4 residents & 3 staff members) living in the home, laundry is a daily task. These electric, commercial-quality washer and dryer sets allow everyone to be able to do their laundry at a time they choose.

Upstairs Deck

L’Arche loves spaces for friends to gather. This deck provides another beautiful gathering space. The deck’s roof serves as a solar canopy that generates clean energy that supplies nearly 100% of the home’s electrical usage.

Elevator

A commercial-grade vertical platform lift ensures full accessibility throughout the house, allowing everyone who enters our home to move freely throughout. This key feature supports our commitment to creating a truly universally designed space.

Commitment to Sustainability

At L’Arche, we strive to be good neighbors – both to those next door and our broader community.

Our commitment to sustainability is reflected in our 92 solar panels generating nearly 100% of electricity use, 33 geothermal wells for heating and cooling, all-electric appliances reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and triple-pane windows with high-efficiency, closed cell insulation. Together, these features reflect our care for the environment and those with whom we share it.