This project for a fragrance designer and executive, entailed the combination and  complete renovation  of an existing, dark, cramped penthouse apartment and a smaller studio apartment next door into a  pied-a-terre  residence. The units -originally maids’ quarters at the top of a pre-war building- were transformed into larger, open, light-filled spaces by the minimal use of materials, a revised exterior, and the rebuilding of an existing greenhouse at the wrap-around terrace. The owner, who commuted between Paris, NYC and Telluride CO, wanted to blend an ‘Old World’  European  sensibility (incorporating artworks and antiques she had collected while in Europe) with a new, more modern aesthetic akin to her western home.  The plan reconfiguration centered around the introduction of a free-standing streamlined fireplace, which served as a central nexus about which the rooms were organized.  This also allowed for a flexible programming of the adjacent spaces during different seasons.  Two Old Master paintings were given an honorary placement at the chimney. Many difficult co-op and regulatory constraints were surmounted throughout the course of the project; including the introduction of the chimney and the relocation and optimization of the kitchen to the periphery in order to maximize interior space. Finally, the entire exterior envelope was completely reconstructed with stucco- including the addition of new and/or revisions to existing window and door openings.

In collaboration with Selldorf Architects
Photography by Evan Joseph and Lauren Wegel