Projects

STAIR DETAIL

This loft renovation, located in New York City's West Village, demonstrates a discrete addition placed into a context rather than a complete makeover of an entire space. Although modest in size, the existing loft has an exceptional feeling of openness, making it feel spacious and airy. The design approach respects the original character and charm of the loft while introducing new elements that enhance its functionality and aesthetic appeal.

The client, a photographer, his wife, and their young child, have many design requests, including separate bedrooms, closets, desk spaces, and storage cabinets. The layout of these new elements is positioned to take full advantage of expansive city views provided by the loft’s large existing windows. 

The amenities requested by client are accommodated in a new structure positioned next to the interior demising wall of the loft and is designed to appear disengaged from the existing walls. The resulting freestanding character of the new structure enhances its perception as a distinct object inserted into the overall volume of the loft, reinforcing the continuity and openness of the existing space.

The generous height of the loft allows for the stacking of new bedrooms, conserving valuable floor space in the public living areas. This vertical arrangement maximizes the use of the loft's height, creating an efficient and spacious layout, which preserves existing unique architectural qualities while providing the necessary functionality required by the client.

The new upper level is accessed by a minimalist stair that ascends past a grand existing column and is delineated by an open frame at its front wall. The open frame maintains the city views, and its extension to the lower level creates a visual connection between the upper and lower levels, uniting the composition as a whole.

The thoughtful integration of the client’s wish list of new amenities with the existing space enhances the loft's functionality while preserving its open and airy feel, creating a cohesive and harmonious living environment.



WESTBETH LOFT

EXTERIOR VIEW LOOKING SOUTH/EAST

Nestled in the rugged landscape of Twentynine Palms, CA, this desert retreat incorporates both traditional and modern forms to create a domestic sanctuary offering shelter and tranquility.

The house features an open-plan concept that blends indoor and outdoor living utilizing large accordion windows and glass doors that connect the indoor living area to a generous, shaded, west-facing patio. With a modest interior area of 1,150 square feet, the house includes two cozy bedrooms and one bathroom.

The design approach facilitates phased construction, which accommodates starting small with a cabin-like primary living space and expanding as needed. Wood trusses carry a pitched roof over the main living area to provide an infrastructure for an off-grid solar array. Passive climate control is achieved by providing large south-facing roof overhangs, thermal mass, and strategically placed operable windows.

A rustic materials palette, featuring a corten metal roof, wood trusses, beams and columns, concrete masonry unit blocks, and weathered grey wood siding, coexists seamlessly with the desert surroundings.

DESERT RETREAT

KITCHEN DETAIL

This kitchen and bathroom project for a Craftsman-style residence in the San Francisco/Oakland Bay Area breathes new life into an outdated kitchen and underutilized storage area, and incorporates a new bathroom for the family's convenience and comfort.

The remodel, involving the renovation of approximately one-fifth of the floor area of the existing house required a full gut-renovation of the affected areas. The new kitchen layout with reorganized counters and cabinets, understated finishes and strategic lighting, along with state-of-the-art fixtures and appliances, provides expanded utility and a fresh, contemporary look for the residence's interior.

An updated stacked washer/dryer arrangement allows for an efficient new cabinet design with extra storage capacity, making the utility/storage space more functional and organized.

KITCHEN RENOVATION

INTERIOR VISUALIZATION

This rear-yard addition to a residential building in the Soho district of New York City presents several challenges. The owner of the building seeks to increase the square footage of each of the four existing floor-through apartments and provide substantially more daylight to them. Additionally, construction is to be expeditious, cost-effective, and enhance the industrial/warehouse quality of the building.

A zoning study reveals that the building has an "as of right" extension of approximately 12 feet for all floors which enables an increase of 800 square feet of habitable floor area for the building. This zoning advantage ensures that the project can proceed without the need for special permits or variances, allowing for a smoother project timeline.

The rear wall of the new structure is configured in a “greenhouse” arrangement with modular, prefabricated glass-wall infill units, which speed construction time, provide maximum light to the living units, and are cost-effective. Large portions of the building’s existing exterior wall are to be removed at each level, and the remaining large openings supported with new steel beams and columns in order to take full advantage of the daylight provided by the new glass exterior wall configuration. The utilitarian combination of glass and steel elements elegantly satisfies programmatic requirements and complements and enhances the industrial character of the building.

BUILDING ADDITION

The renovation of this top-floor, mini-loft, located in New York City's Bowery district, is to be completed in two phases, Phase 1 creates an entirely new interior for the existing 900 square-foot loft space, and Phase 2 incorporates a new stair, skylights, and a fully developed private roof terrace.

The client, a young couple, requires a design that creates private sleeping quarters and maintains the raw, loft-like feeling of the space. The design approach strives to accomplish these goals by preserving the ‘shoe box’ volume of the existing space allowing only one interruption at its center; a bathroom/kitchen core. The configuration of the core is compact and efficient while the varied articulation of materials and surfaces enhances a sense of fragmentation and transparency, making the intrusion into the space discrete, yet sculptural.

BOWERY LOFT

INTERIOR DETAIL

Renovations for Videology Bar & Cinema, located in Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood, required a seamless transformation of its existing video store into a multi-faceted venue featuring an independent micro-cinema and events space with food and drink service during events, and a separate bar-café area with its own cinematic appeal. Alongside the new functions of the establishment, DVD rentals were to retain a presence in the final build-out and remain viable and accessible to the local community throughout the makeover process.

Renovations were undertaken and realized on a design-build basis. Special care was taken to dovetail design concepts with building techniques sensitive to the ongoing video store business. Through strategic planning and phasing, the renovations were accomplished with only one week of downtime to the business prior to its relaunch.

Phase 1 began the process by transforming a once uninhabitable basement into an efficient facility to accommodate bar and kitchen back-of-house storage and refrigeration needs, a small office, and storage-retrieval for nearly 35,000 DVDs. Completion of Phase 1 allowed the office functions of the DVD rental business and half of the DVD collection to be moved from the ground floor to the basement, freeing up half of the floor for ground floor renovations to begin.

Phase 2 focused on the build-out of a multi-use events space in the newly vacated portion of the ground floor while the other half of the floor continued to operate as a video store. Once the events space was completed, the video rental operation was moved (overnight) into the events space and continued to operate there for the duration of Phase 3 work, which included the build-out of the bar, kitchen, sound lock, toilets, and a new DVD checkout desk and box office booth.

A modest budget, along with an indigenous warehouse vernacular, inspired a rustic saloon aesthetic for the project, creating a warm, relaxed atmosphere for the consumption of archival film footage, food, and libations. Among a handful of custom items required for the project were wood sound-lock doors, which were inexpensively fabricated on-site using common materials and basic construction techniques. These doors, used in conjunction with acoustic curtains, provided a sound-lock between the bar area and the screening room-event space.

The sound-lock, when fully closed, achieved an STC rating of approximately 70, allowing simultaneous adjacent functions to coexist; when fully open the sound-lock created a portal uniting the bar and events space for larger, less formal functions. Upon the completion of its renovations and relaunch, Videology Bar & Cinema became home to daily programmed film screenings and events, informal bar gatherings, and continued the tradition of brick-and-mortar video store renting.

VIDEOLOGY BAR & CINEMA

CHECKOUT DESK

This design/build project for an independent video store in Brooklyn’s up-and-coming Williamsburg neighborhood utilizes custom furnishings, custom lighting, and industrial detailing to set a new standard for boutique video stores in the area. The renovation converts a residential apartment in the front half of the property in Phase 1 of the project and a garage in the rear half in Phase 2.

A generous ‘portal’ connection created between the front and rear portions of the space enhances the spaciousness of the store and allows the establishment to function as one entity, maintaining good sight lines from front to back. Removal of existing finishes during construction revealed a heavy timber and brick bearing wall between the existing garage and residential space that was in poor repair and needed repair.

Repair of the bearing wall required underpinning, demolition, concrete reinforcement of the foundation, and the installation of new framing. Reclaimed lumber, ripped and planed to size, was used to replace the wall's wood framing, and the existing brick was carefully removed, washed, and relaid in order to restore the wall. In keeping with the existing construction system of the building, heavy timber beams and columns were configured with blackened, custom-fabricated steel angles and plates to support the large opening created between the front and rear spaces. The existing garage door was removed and replaced with a new glass and aluminum storefront allowing natural light to fill the space.

VIDEOLOGY DVD RENTALS

ENTRY HALL

The creation of a new suite of offices for Media 3 Ltd at its midtown Manhattan location in New York City is part of an overall expansion of the company across two floors, providing much-needed administrative space for the growing company. Media 3 Ltd broadcasts live video 'Head Shots' to television stations and internet companies around the world. The design for the new offices creates an efficient ensemble of spaces that are modest in scale and budget, yet inviting and rich with color and natural light.

The floor plan is arranged to include a reception area, a small pantry, two offices, a lounge, and a maintenance room for broadcast equipment; each area is designed to maximize functionality while creating a welcoming atmosphere. The reception area serves as the first point of contact, designed to make a strong, positive impression on visitors.

The reception area and pantry anchor the design at its center, allowing natural light to flow in through full glass sliding doors that open to the surrounding spaces. This central positioning ensures both the reception area and pantry are easily accessible, enhancing the overall functionality. Full glass sliding doors maximize natural light and create a seamless connection between the interior and exterior. Saturated colors are used to create a satisfying contrast between this vibrant centerpiece and the neutral context of the perimeter, drawing attention to the heart of the office.

Bright, bold colors in the reception area and pantry make the space welcoming and energetic. The surrounding spaces, with their neutral tones, provide a calm and focused atmosphere for work, highlighting the central areas as lively hubs. This use of color and natural light enhances aesthetic appeal and promotes balance and harmony throughout the office.

MEDIA 3 LTD

EXISTING REAR YARD

This project, for a vibrant restaurant in the fashionable Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY, involves the design of a custom retractable awning and supporting structure for its rear yard to facilitate the owner’s vision of an all-weather enclosure to provide additional seating for the venue.

The awning and its structure are designed to provide a sense of privacy and intimacy for guests dining in the garden, which is in close proximity to neighboring buildings. In keeping with the rustic European vibe of the restaurant, the proposal for the awning includes a sloped structure of reclaimed heavy timber beams carrying open-web steel joists and fittings with corten finish. Components, featuring fixed, wire-reinforced glass elements, copper gutters, downspouts, and flashing work together to enhance the aesthetic and functional aspects of the outdoor dining area.

FIORE RESTAURANT / GARDEN

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