In a prewar building overlooking Central Park, local firm 1100 Architect recently renovated a 2,000-square-foot pied-à-terre. The client sought to transform the two-bedroom abode into an art-filled retreat, all while respecting the historic Upper East Side building. 1100 Architect accepted the challenge and used the structural setbacks to its advantage by creating a sleek new design.
“Constraints—and our response to them—are an important part of the design process,” Ed Parker, project lead and principal at 1100 Architect commented. “They challenge us and often shape the outcome in unexpected ways. In this case, the existing conditions of the apartment essentially generated the form of the project through dialogue of the design language in response to the constraints.” Parker shared with AN Interior that the team was not deterred by the co-op’s strict regulations toward the renovation—if anything, it encouraged the team to push the design into what it is today.
Abundant natural light sweeps through the residence’s open floorplan. Creating more spatial fluidity was one of the more exigent tasks that informed the renovation. To achieve this, the team relocated the kitchen from the back corner to the living and dining areas toward the entrance. In the design of the new kitchen, curvilinear forms conceal service pipes. This is a design language found throughout the home.
The residence illuminates soft luxury through the application of high-quality architectural finishes against a minimalist style. Walnut chevron flooring is met with crisp white walls, allowing the client’s art collection to pop. The wood continues to the kitchen cabinetry where it pairs with the rich Calacatta Viola Slabs used on the backsplash and countertop. Antique bronze lines the curves of the custom kitchen island and the archway, adding a unique texture to the space.
Throughout, the high-quality finishes and golden elements act as stately accents. From the shiny Fernando & Humberto Campana—Scrigno credenza in the foyer to the cabinet handles in the kitchen. This artful language creatively continues in the bathrooms. In the guest bathroom shower a Gloss Glass mosaic tile in various shades of green with brass accents, spans the wall and a portion of the ceiling. Two sconces from Kelly Wearstler complement the intricate tilework. In the primary bath, the walls and sink are encased in distinctive Blue Sodalite slabs and paired with a brass faucet. The colorful bathrooms offer a welcomed contrast to the more neutral base of the home.
1100 Architect also had to contend with the building’s tiered structural setback. The firm approached the challenge by creating the ceiling-scape. Its design allows soft indirect lighting to take center stage. Parker shared with AN Interior, “The building’s terraces create a kind of ‘wedding cake’ condition, which result in awkward ceiling drops, unexpected beams, and structural quirks from room to room leaving the ceilings fragmented and messy. Our goal was to bring clarity and a sense of intentionality to the ceiling-scape.”
Pairing together coves, curves, and faux beams the ceiling-scape too becomes an artful statement of the home. The shapes and geometries crafted on the ceiling also conceal light fixtures and otherwise unsightly mechanical works, like the HVAC system.
Parker added that Central Park Pied-à-Terre’s design is, “the combination of design rigor and collaborative engagement [with the client] ultimately shaped a space that feels both tailored and unique.”
Given the apartment’s age, space constraints, and structural setbacks 1100 Architect managed to deliver a suave design apparatus that was applied throughout the renovation. The final result is simultaneously comfortable and luxurious, allowing the artwork and unique material and texture palette to steal the show in the chic New York City refuge.