Harwood-Solon House Renovation

Champaign, Illinois

The Harwood-Solon House is one of the last remaining examples of Italianate-style homes in the center of Champaign, virtually unchanged since its construction in 1865. The house was built by William C. Barrett for Abel Harwood, local merchant and landowner. In 1907 it was purchased by Francis Solon and Abbie Gunning. Their last surviving child lived in the home until 1995.

In 1998 the City of Champaign approved Solon House for landmark designation. The designation protected the property from demolition but could not protect the unoccupied house from the deterioration of time and weather. Finally, in 2005 the family donated the property to the Preservation and Conservation Association (PACA). Over the following decade PACA cleaned, repaired, and stabilized the property as they studied various options for the future of the home.

In 2018 entrepreneur Christopher Knight purchased the property from PACA with the intention of keeping it as a single-family residence. Although the exterior shell was stabilized, the interior required major renovation to repair floors, walls, and ceilings; install electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems; as well as inserting contemporary kitchen and bathroom facilities into the living spaces. These new elements were conceptualized as “rooms within rooms,” distinguished from the original building fabric by contrasting finishes, details, and scales.

In 2024 a garage was developed to the west of the house. This structure was conceived as a garden wall that created privacy to the southwest corner of this urban corner site. The cladding panels change from a brick pattern when view from the street, to a glossy white panel in the protected courtyard space.