AV Apartment
Set within the historic fabric of Tribeca, the apartment unfolds as a dialogue between contemporary domesticity and the architectural language of New York’s Art Deco era. Conceived for a culturally dynamic couple, a multidisciplinary creative and a DJ, the project explores a refined balance between preservation and transformation, where restored historic references coexist with restrained contemporary interventions.
The apartment is organized as a sequence of interconnected spaces, articulated through original oak paneling, leaded glass, parchment, lacquered surfaces and natural stone. Taking inspiration by the craftsmanship and geometric sensibility of early twentieth-century interiors, mouth-blown leaded glass doors were introduced to diffuse light throughout the space or act as flexible, foldable decorative doors in the kitchen. Silver leaf details and softly reflective finishes introduce a subtle luminosity to the interior, recalling the material richness and decorative restraint characteristic of the Art Deco period.
The design sought to preserve the original architectural character of the apartment while introducing a clearer spatial hierarchy and a more contemporary way of inhabiting the space. DSA completely re-designed the layout of the space in the back of the home, while still preserving the original layout and proportions of the front part of this historical home. Superfluous elements were removed. Functional interventions, storage, cabinetry and technical components were integrated within the architecture itself, concealed behind paneled surfaces in order to maintain visual clarity and preserve the integrity of the original proportions.
At the center of the apartment, the corridor was reconfigured to establish a stronger sense of symmetry and rhythm. Previously fragmented and darkened by heavy cladding, the space was now cladded in an european limestone and geometrically simplified, allowing circulation, light and views to extend more fluidly throughout the interior. Concealed doors integrated within the stone paneling continue the architectural language of hidden thresholds found in historic Art Deco residences, reinforcing the sense of cohesion throughout the home.
Materiality became central to the architectural expression of the project. Lacquered finishes, parchment-clad elements, and silver leaf surfaces were combined with tactile natural stone to create an atmosphere that feels both intimate and refined. In the bathrooms, custom mosaic stone floors draw references from traditional Art Deco geometries, while introducing texture and ornament through a restrained and contemporary palette. A new mantelpiece, conceived as an architectural focal point within the living space, reinterprets the proportion and permanence of historic fireplaces through simplified lines and carefully crafted stone detailing.
Light became a defining architectural element within the project. Softly illuminated ceiling panels evoke the atmospheric quality of traditional skylights and early Art Deco public interiors, introducing a diffuse luminosity into the deeper areas of the home while reinforcing the material palette.
Throughout the project, architectural interventions were conceived as an extension of the existing structure rather than as contrast. Materials were selected for their tactility and permanence, allowing the apartment to retain a sense of time from the past, balancing conteporary restraint, while accommodating the art of living. The result is an interior defined by the past, proportion and restraint, an architectural environment where historical references are reinterpreted through a contemporary lens.