Project Description
Our challenge for this project was to create spatial continuity within a narrow historic
townhouse in the Upper West Side of New York City.
Inspired by the client’s loft-friendly lifestyle, our design concept for their new home was to transform the traditional character of an Upper West Side townhouse into a continuous vertical floor-through space. Our design intention was to adapt and reinterpret the concept of a loft. In our case a vertical loft. To emphasize this feeling of ‘ openness’, we had to work simultaneously on a horizontal and vertical plane.
We therefore introduced the spatial concept of the loft, in this case a vertical loft.
By conceptualizing the ’grand stair’ as a “snake”-like coil, we were able to open up the house vertically with a dynamic light well.
At the top floors the coil of the stair is in a tight U-shape, providing maximum floor area for the private spaces, where the bedrooms, bathrooms and study spaces are located.
As the stair descends into the lower levels, where the most public spaces such as the entry hall, kitchen and living room are located, the coil loosens, opening generously into its surroundings and allowing the most light through. The light filters down to the ground floor as it is reflected off of the smooth white curves of the handrail creating a modern sense of openness and fluidity and uniting all 5 floors.
Horizontally we enlarged the first two levels towards the rear garden and fully glazed the
back facade to provide seamlessly continuity between the interior and exterior. The semi-recessed cellar level was extended by a light well to bring in natural air and light.
On the fifth floor, a new addition accommodates a private entertainment lounge room with uninterrupted views of both north and south Manhattan.