West Village Penthouse
New York, New York
2009
4,400 square feet

A project for a young couple expecting their first child, two top floor apartments are merged into a single residence with access to an expansive rooftop. The apartment is divided into two distinct halves: one public- for entertaining and lounging- and one private- for sleeping, bathing, and dressing. The two halves can become one large whole by opening a large pivoting wall that acts as a threshold between the two.

The scheme revolved around connecting the residential interior to the roof top in two unexpected ways. At the public end of the apartment, a new open-air stair to a rooftop dining area was inserted, enclosed in a delicate steel and glass box. Adjacent to the dining and living room, the box was conceived as a vitrine into which the sun and snow could fall, and serves as a dramatic visible connection to the rooftop and the outdoors. At the private end of the house, a narrow stair at the end of a long hall hints at a space above. Upon ascending the stair, a small studio space unfolds with views of a private planted roof deck and garden. The studio is spare and light with a small sink and wood burning stove.