Renovating this SoHo Loft Interior Architecture in Manhattan, New York in a Historic District
Located in the SoHo Cast Iron Historic District, the building was designed by Lam and Wheller and completed in 1882 as a mercantile building. While the ground floor remained a store through time with its entry on Broadway, the upper floors had been converted to Work-Live units in THE 1990’s, as part of the neighborhood’s rezoning process, which began in the 1970’s. While the two Work-Live units on the 6th floor had been vacant from the time of the conversion, this project became a continuation of the adaptive re-use of this building within a historic district.
The NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission noted “that the building’s style, scale, materials, and details are among the features that contribute to the special architectural and historic character of the historic SOHO district”. As such, the project allowed the typology of the building to remain and be preserved. The renovation of the interior is conceived to enhance the SoHo- Loft typology while transforming it as well. The opportunity of incorporating the unused roofscapes as a series of urban garden terraces was maximized. The project in this sense is an extension of the evolution of the entire neighborhood.
With the exterior façades significant architectural elements were preserved, along with all the historic windows on the exterior and interior on the Broadway and Crosby Street facades and as well along the unique and uncharacteristic light well on the South. The windows that had been added along the South lot lines during the 1990’s were replaced to match the historic character of the main facades and incorporated with a high performance glazing and energy efficient window film assembly.
Preserving the character of the building and the open spatial SoHo-Loft layout, while fulfilling the programmatic needs of the client, allowed us to explore the relationship of history and modernity in the evolution of a historic district. We are interested in what we call “Design Memory”, referring to the continual interplay between old and new, past and present, which pervades the modern city and its inhabitants.
We seek to burnish and reveal the legacy of historic buildings and interior spaces – yet without nostalgia and always embedded with a sense of modernity. To restore a space whether its form, function, or both is to revive its presence within memory and therefore allow it to participate in the present day. One way of highlighting the present reality is to also imagine possibilities for the future, by linking the past with an unwavering eye for the influence of architectural design as a catalyst of change.
Program
While the design concept preserves the loft’s intrinsic spatial continuity and generous proportions, the essential openness is overlaid with a diverse domestic program focused around the client’s specific needs and activities. Residential design is about creating a living environment that fits the client as closely as a made-to-measure suit. We strived to provide a design excellence framework through selective problem solving – mainly how to coalesce the programmatic puzzle of this family – consisting of a professional couple, one American, the other a native from Denmark, and their three young children.
The design reflects a balance between American and Scandinavian sensibilities, functional preferences and models of domestic living. The client is a strong proponent of Scandinavian design, known for its humanistic design values, and always at the forefront of modernity. The Scandinavian childrearing model, which advocates children and parents having their own private spaces, also shaped the program for the space. The model encourages children to become more independent over time by having their own area. Shared family areas, adjacent to the private spaces, allow them to re-engage throughout the day. As children grow and mature they are more integrated into the family space, becomes a framework for growth and evolution.
Considering the functional elements of living and the public or social aspects of home life —Lounging, Relaxing, Socializing, Cooking, Dining, Working, Studying, Playing, Sleeping, Bathing, Dressing – we developed a spatial vocabulary that responds to the specific programmatic requirements of this family, while exploring the ways in which space may be molded to elevate and enhance the basic pleasures of daily activities and the rituals of living and working in an urban residential environment.
Spatial Composition and Circulation
The continuously open floor-through space has been punctuated by two atriums or vertical light wells. The existing storage mezzanine was completely reconfigured to allow the master suite area to become a floating platform that helps define the public areas and private areas. With a sensibility to lightness and openness, the new design emphasizes spatial fluidity, permeability and flexibility and is influenced by the client’s programmatic requests, where philosophically, the lines of separation between public and private, children and adult areas were to be blurred.
Within the essential architectural volumes, a proportional and functional logic among the interior spaces was carefully considered to provide enough variety of spatial options to satisfy the diverse needs of each family member. Private and public spaces have been arranged and developed into an ideal spatial performance for this clients’ desired home life.
A volumetric way to travel from inside to outside, from public to private spaces was orchestrated where the relationship to the city and its views defines the focus of the apertures. The Light Apertures emphasize a unique urban visual interaction with the local weather and changing skies, where an aspect of nature is brought inside the home, visually and conceptually.
A sequence of distinct living areas moves subtly from most public on the East side off Crosby, to most
private on the Western side off Broadway within the meandering open space. The generous U-shape
kitchen configuration includes a family breakfast seating group, which creates a family gathering area. It is used from morning to evening as one of the home’s primary communal spaces as it also connects to the adjacent family lounge area. The centrally located dining room has a direct, fluid connection with the kitchen, family lounge and the unfolding living room.
At the center of the loft where the existing light well was located, two atria have been enlarged and designed both as light wells and as the vertical circulation to the mezzanine and the roof terraces. At this nexus, the space is subtly distinguished by a raised floor platform, where the more semi-private areas of home office, library, and AV family rooms are located. The adjoining sequence, the most private, where the children’s bedrooms, playroom and the private gym are located, is defined by fully-retractable, translucent glass doors, allowing flexibility to expand or contract the space as desired. Children’s bedrooms are organized along the South lot-line windows, with interior translucent glass clerestory windows into the play room areas.
Master bedroom suite has been located at the mezzanine level, designed as a floating platform, suspended between the two atria. Centrally located, this space is the most private area in the loft, but also the most public, as it connects the stairs to the roof terraces. Within the master suite, bathing activities and dressing areas are separated from the open bedroom plan by translucent glass screens carefully placed to allow moments of privacy. The bathroom is conceived as a sensorial micro-climate which stimulates the senses of thermal, optical, and sonic activity, bathed in natural light via the introduction of skylights.
Storage areas, and all services are efficiently organized along the North side of the loft, helping to define architectural volumes bathed in daylight as well as providing for the optimal sequential storage needs area by area.
Roof garden terraces: Three platforms of lush grasses, flowering ground covers, varieties of Juniper and crepe myrtle trees and vegetable gardens, transform the roof scape creating an extension to the live-work- play activities.
Our process for this project began to fuse site, program, and client’s specificities with environmental aspects such as light, form, proportion, landscape, color, and materials.
Space and Light
Light, considered as a material substance with tangible qualities in and of itself, is the premise on which the spatial and program organizations are based on. The existing loft’s asset of uninterrupted daylight streaming from the East, South and Western exposures and the panoramic views of all of Lower Manhattan were enhanced by adding a series of light apertures throughout the space. The two existing skylights were reconfigured as two stair atria with clear glass clerestory windows, acting as triple height light wells and connecting the roof terraces and mezzanine.
A series of operable, translucent glass skylights were inserted, and translucent glass clerestory windows through the office and children’s bedrooms allow diffused light into the Family Room and the Play Room. Thresholds between public and private areas are defined by sliding translucent doors, acting as light filters, while providing flexibility of use. The contrasting and harsh glare typical of punched windows was resolved with the use of technical fabric scrims to diffuse light. Inspired by James Turrell’s ‘Mendotta stoppages’, these breathing light apertures help balance and diffuse daylight throughout the loft, and reinforce the concept of enhanced perception of the ever-changing light cycles, from day to night. The Lighting concept consists of complementing the natural light with artificial lighting after dusk. This includes ambient light slots, glowing glass volumes and planes and carefully orchestrated accent and task lighting for the display of art.
Art
The architectural design of the loft acts as a spatial backdrop and frame to life’s daily activities. A very important aspect of this family’s lifestyle is collecting art from International contemporary artists. As such, there is a very specific visual connection with the collection as it inhabits the space. Collecting in depth, they are interested in enabling an artist’s career to grow. The loft acts as a supplemental gallery, revolving over time with new collections of works being brought in, allowing for groupings and compositions to change throughout the spaces. This enables a deep seeded visual language for the loft’s environment. The concept of developing walls as planes for the display of art, layered with ambient natural light, fuses the integration of art within an enhanced spatial environment.
Furnishings
Considering Furnishings as an extension of the functional necessities, not just as decoration, helped define and mold the spatial layout. These are thought of as essential instruments of comfort in elevating the function of the program areas, and how they are used throughout the day. Selected, refurbished or custom designed, they were chosen to create a diverse mix based on the clients’ needs and taste. The specific mix of Scandinavian, European and American design, both modern and vintage, represents a curated approach to create a sense of comfort and intimacy within the living environment.
For the interiors, selections of both natural and technical fabrics for furnishings and upholstery were based on their fiber composition. Natural linens, cottons and wools were throughout, combined with fabrics made of the post-agricultural waste of banana silk, and rapidly renewing bamboo. Technical fabrics, such as Xorel wall coverings are PVC-free and Cradle-to Cradle Certified, and the Greenguard certified Euro-Veil window shades were used throughout the loft.
Materials
The interior of the loft is unified by a reduced tonal palette and edited material selection. The sustainably harvested Danish Douglas Fir wood flooring is featured on floors, walls and ceilings, including the floating staircases and the mezzanine level Master Bedroom Suite platform. Washed in a lye and soap solution, the natural colored wood lends warmth to an otherwise graphically white interior, avoiding harsh synthetic chemicals. This simple indigenous wood was chosen for the emotional connection the client has to the traditional and vernacular Danish residential interiors. The quality of the interior environment is enhanced by artisan plaster walls, selected for their artisanal beauty as well as operating as a breathable material, which absorbs humidity in summer and releases moisture in winter. This neutral material palette is complimented by the natural stone hearth and bench in honed Pietra Cardosa. Honed Sivec white marble and plaster bathrooms create a harmonic counterpoint to the more embellished palette which lies adjacent to it. Translucent light diffusing glass is used as sliding doors and partitions allowing for the separation of space as needed, and clear low iron glass used on stair and balcony railings throughout. Gypsum board ceilings are painted in zero VOC paints. Built-in millwork is finished in VOC-free, non-toxic water based paint.
The exterior palate is also carefully edited to create the twin urban garden roof terraces. The Ipe hardwood, selected for all deck areas and walls, was chosen for its longevity, durability and weathering to a gray color aesthetic, so refinishing with sealers will not be necessary. Oxidized steel planters and clear glass railings complete the material selection.
Sustainability
The sustainable design intent of this residence was guided by the principle of a ‘less is more’ approach to construction and material selection. The quality of simplicity in this space actually results from a meticulous layering of lighting, materials, and technical infrastructure. We look more deeply into the basic and cutting edge technologies and properties of water, air, light, and sound in order to elevate the level of everyday comfort. Through a seamless sleight of hand, machinery is concealed out of sight and out of mind. No ductwork interrupts any surface; climate systems were carefully designed to disappear beneath the raised floor platforms, wall volumes and floating ceilings. The main features include:
Increased daylight throughout the loft, by the creation of new operable skylights and added clerestory windows which minimize energy usage during the day
Superior glazing performance through high performance glazing assemblies, energy efficient window films to historic windows and operable shading devices throughout.
The existing masonry shell was fully insulated for both maximum energy conservation and thermal comfort throughout the year.
Creation of roof gardens with more than 720 sq. ft of permanent and loose planters with indigenous or well adapted species, which require minimum irrigation while attracting local fauna. On the upper terrace, a planned irrigated organic vegetable garden in planters including composting bins, and rainwater collection will complete the roof terrace design.
In collaboration with the engineering team, low flow fixtures were specified through, exceeding the local water conservation requirements. The air and heating equipment was selected to exceed energy conservation requirements, while energy saving and dimmable light fixtures were implemented throughout. All appliances were selected based on Energy Star ratings.
Materials and finishes were carefully selected to be inert, so off-gassing issues were avoided. Wherever paints were used, zero-VOC formulas were specified (Benjamin Moore Natura and / or ECO-Spec.) Mastics, sealants and caulks were also selected based on lowest levels of toxicity commercially available. The Douglas Fir wood floors, provided by Dinesen, a four generation family sawmill, are FSC certified, and were specifically finished in a lye and soap solution which does not require refinishing with floor stains or sealers in the future. http://dinesen.com/story/forest/
Air quality was carefully considered, so operable windows and skylights provide the loft with fresh air,
weather permitting. Artisan Veneer Plaster over imperial board used a mix of Lime and Plaster of Paris mixture, which helps promote clean indoor air through its innate ionization process. Man-made materials, such as glass and steel were selected, which continue to promote post-industrial recycling through continuous manufacturing cycles.
During construction, waste was recycled and diverted from the landfill, including glass, scrap metal and gypsum.
Materials
The interior of the loft is unified by a reduced tonal palette and edited material selection. The sustainably harvested Danish Douglas Fir wood flooring is featured on floors, walls, ceilings, including the floating staircases and the mezzanine level Master Bedroom platform. Washed in a lye and soap solution, the natural colored wood lends warmth to an otherwise graphically white interior, avoiding harsh synthetic chemicals. This simple indigenous wood was chosen for the emotional connection the client has to the traditional and vernacular Danish residential interiors.
The quality of the interior environment is enhanced by artisan plaster walls, selected for their artisanal beauty as well as operating as a breathable material, which absorbs humidity in the Summer and releases moisture in Winter. This neutral material palette is complimented by the natural stone hearth and bench, in honed Pietra Cardosa. Honed Sivec white marble and plaster bathrooms create a harmonic counterpoint to the more embellished palette which lies adjacent to it. Translucent light diffusing glass is used as sliding doors and partitions allowing for the separation of space as needed, and clear low iron glass used on stair and balcony railings throughout. Gypsum board ceilings are painted in zero VOC paints. Built-in millwork is finished in a VOC-free, non-toxic water based paints.
The exterior palate is also carefully edited to create the twin urban garden roof terraces. The Ipe hardwood, selected for all deck areas and walls, was chosen for its longevity, durability and weathering to a grey color esthetic, so refinishing with sealers will not be necessary. Oxidized steel planters and clear glass railings complete the material selection.
GABELLINI SHEPPARD ASSOCIATES
Gabellini Sheppard Associates is a multi-disciplinary architectural and interior design firm based in New York City.
http://www.gabellinisheppard.com
PHOTOGRAPHER
Paul Warchol
http://www.warcholphotography.com