This "meticulously maintained" and updated property is close to Lake Michigan and a short distance from downtown Chicago. It's within walking distance to shopping, dining and famous outdoor venues like James Park.

But what really makes this distinctive home stand out is its striking design and unique history: the 1,800-square-foot ranch-style home was built in 1952 by Holocaust survivor and renowned architect Gutnayer.

Born in Poland, Gutnayer and his brother Henry travelled to France after the war to study at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts. While in France, the brothers designed homes for important clients in the art world, including Cubist sculptor Jacques Lipschitz and post-war Parisian painter Robert Herrmann.

After a brief stay in New York, Gutnaye moved to Chicago to become the first faculty member of the architecture department at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

His designs evolved from the avant-garde to the "architect's vernacular." He continued to design into the 1990s, designing single-family homes, motels, and even commercial buildings and high-rises in and around the city. Guttner died in 2004.

The 4,960-square-foot Gutnayer residence at 1617 Brummel Street retains much of Gutnayer's avant-garde style. The home is being sold with an adjacent lot of the same size.

This mid-century modern-style ranch is filled with fascinating details - custom pointed exterior brick, luminous glass block columns, bamboo floors, a spacious sunken living room and 10-foot ceilings.

In addition to the home's many original features, buyers will find several notable upgrades, including new kitchen appliances, energy-efficient recessed lighting, and newly landscaped outdoor spaces.