2011 AL Design Awards: Art Collector’s Loft, New York

Curvilinear forms and a luminous ceiling plane define this loft that is home to an art collector and his extensive collection of art and rare books. The client’s request to conceal the light fixtures, coupled with a ceiling height of just under 9 feet, created a distinct challenge for the design team. The team’s solution creates a vocabulary of design elements in which the line between residence, gallery, and library is artfully blended into a unified whole.

A sense of height is created by combining layers of warm and cool light. In the main gallery space, dimmable LEDs are located above the translucent portion of the ceiling, a membrane that runs the length of the space. As day turns to night, the light varies in intensity and color. Curving metal lines of track cross the ceiling and are outfitted with jack connectors every 30 inches, positioned for low-voltage halogen accent lights to delicately illuminate sculptures. Low-voltage halogen wallwashers are concealed in the reveal at the ceiling curve, providing soft, even light for large artworks.

A curvilinear wall separates the gallery from the private living areas. Hanging from the ceiling, the wall gradually lifts off the floor at one end, and fluorescent strips on the underside aid in its “floating” appearance. The back side of the wall is a series of shelves, edge-lit on the front with warm-white LEDs. A lensed LED pocket rakes light on the back edge of each shelf for added depth.

Jury Comments: Elegant. • Successfully details all the elements. • A perfectly executed composition. • It’s more impressive each time you look at it.