art collector residence
Location: new york, ny
Area: 4,500 SF
Status: completed 2021
We renovated the 2nd floor of an existing five-story building, designed in 1873 by Griffith Thomas and located in what is now SoHo's landmark cast iron district. The project also involved adding a new terrace at the rear. As part of the renovation, we transformed the loft space to create an environment for the display of art and to respond to specific art pieces that the client, an art collector and historian, wanted to include. This meant adjusting walls, views and circulation, as well as adding an extensive (and concealed) mechanical and humidity infrastructure. It also meant reinforcing the structure, as some pieces - for instance, the Anselmo piece in the Living Room - weigh more than 1 ton each.
Our vision was to create a cohesive environment for the display of a varied art and furniture collection. With a restrained material palette and details, we worked with the existing structure and its spaces to create new conditions and different scales within the interior. We added new interventions in glass, steel and stone to create a dialogue between the old and new.