Remodeling Guides
Architecture
Modern Architecture
Innovative Details: Letting in the Light
Modern Design Lights Up the Lobby in Historic New York Apartment Building
For a 2009 project in Manhattan’s Tribeca neighborhood, New York firm Workshop/apd was charged with renovating a historic condominium’s dark and unappealing lobby. With custom, neon-green wallpaper and the natural play of light from new floor-to-ceiling windows and exterior louvers, the designers created a light and welcoming space for residents, while paying homage to the architecture of a historic Tribeca loft.
Designing a modern and airy entrance per the wishes of the building’s owner, while complying with the strict regulations and careful supervision of the Landmarks Preservation Commission and local community board, proved to be an exercise in compromise. The result is an airy design that nods to the building’s past while projecting a clear vision of modernity.
The inspiration for the facade design stemmed from necessity. “The first goal was to bring as much daylight and a light lofty atmosphere into the existing tight and dark space," says architect Stephan Thimme. "Once that was achieved, by maximizing glazing and the colored wallpaper in the upper walls, the exterior louvers were added for shading and security." The louvers were designed to resemble the metal roller shutters that are characteristic of original Tribeca cast iron buildings.
Choosing to work with the sunlight, Workshop had the building number cut into the powder coated aluminum and steel louvers above the lobby door.
The passage of the day and the movement of the sun is documented as the projection of the address moves along the walls of the lobby. The effect is an active and almost entrancing wall decor that efficiently and artistically brings natural light into the space.
While the glazing may bring light into the lobby, it is the wallpaper that really brings life. Custom designed in house for this project, the bold swirls of green animate and awaken the space.
“The floor and lower walls are held in calm tones to go with the exterior of the building and the street. The bright green wallpaper on the upper walls brings a light and fresh accent that also reminds of trees which are completely missing on this block," continues Thimme.
The light and airy experience of the loft lobby is a subtle elegance not easily achieved. “Downtown NYC is more known for its dark shadowed canyons of narrow streets between tall buildings. To have successfully completed a project that plays with the sunlight without forcing it, can be considered quite an achievement.”
"The important move was to keep a clear separation in order to let historic and new elements complement each other," notes Thimme. "The strategy was not to modify but to enhance as much as possible the original cast-iron facade elements and use the contemporary pieces merely as inserts and counterpoints.”
Clear distinction is a skillful way to approach conflicting design styles. Pairing opposites side-by-side not only highlights how they are different, but also reveals what makes them unique and beautiful.
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More innovation:
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