Sited in a historic, Art Deco landmark building, the Riverside Residence offered a design opportunity unique to Manhattan living. The client lived in one unit within the building, and when the unit below her was placed on the market, she inquired about the possibility of vertically combining the two units. Bryan Pravda was the Junior Architect/ Designer on this project, while employed with Michael Davis Architects and Interiors. After conducting a Feasibility Study, in which we visited the condominium and carefully examined the existing conditions, we advised that it would be possible to combine the two units; and we were anxious to meet the challenge. Having proposals approved by the building’s board and the city’s Landmarks Department, our team worked to come up with the best possible design, combining the client’s desire for a modern feel with the boards’ demands of no changes to the building’s exterior. We located the staircase in a position to maximize natural light and ideal circulation, placing the kitchen and dining area on the lower floor, with the living room flowing above, and a programmatic procession towards privacy, with the bedroom and master bath on the second floor. Simplicity in materials and color create an oasis of escape from the chaos twenty-five stories below. In addition to the design, several problem-solving decisions had to be made throughout the process, including how to generate phases to keep a portion of the unit livable for our client throughout demolition and construction. This project’s success was a result of a truly collaborative effort from everyone in the office.
Residential
