Regional Modern: Vibrant Layers of Old and New in NYC
Urban life mixes with history in New York's lofts, townhouses and apartments
Houzz Contributor. I am an architect and writer living in New York City. I have Bachelor of Architecture and Master in Urban Planning degrees, and over ten years experience in architectural practice, split between Chicago and NYC. Currently I'm focused on writing and online pursuits. My daily blog can be found at http://archidose.blogspot.com
Houzz Contributor. I am an architect and writer living in New York City.... More »
When looking at the residential architecture of New York, it's necessary to split it into two groups: urban homes and suburban/country homes. Here we look at the first, which encompasses apartments, lofts, and townhouses. Most of the examples that follow are lofts, because they are such a unique part of New York City's transformation from an industrial to a post-industrial city. New York is host to a good deal of stunning new architecture, but it also has a strong tradition of preservation that embraces conversions of old buildings into new uses. Dealing with that history inside is one aspect of the interiors in this ideabook.
More regional modern architecture:
Boston | Chicago | Austin | NY Metro | Seattle | Oregon | No. Calif. | San Francisco | L.A. | Coast L.A.
More regional modern architecture:
Boston | Chicago | Austin | NY Metro | Seattle | Oregon | No. Calif. | San Francisco | L.A. | Coast L.A.
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by Jane Kim Design
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| The term loft may be battered around by developers serving up new construction or renovations, trying to appeal to the desire for open space. A true loft is open because it was gutted from its old use to its essential elements: columns, beams, floors, windows, and party walls. This loft in Tribeca in Lower Manhattan keeps the steel columns and the wood beams and joists exposed. New construction is limited to white drywall and a steel-and-glass canopy over the kitchen. Raw, indeed. (Note the duct that is tucked between the joists in the left-center of the photo.) |
| Much of the character of a loft space is derived therefore from the structure. In this case, another Tribeca loft, the timber columns and beams are whitewashed, giving them a distinct appearance that borders on the ancient. The articulation of the column is something of note, as is the way the plan uses this row of columns to separate kitchen and living/dining areas. It's a porous separation but a strong one nevertheless. |
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| A lot of loft renovations focus on furniture as the means of layering new on top of old. This Tribeca loft inserts storage in various forms (cabinets, shelves, counters). In some cases they actually intersect with the old structure. The dynamic forms, visible in front, strengthens the difference between old and new. |
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This former painting studio in Tribeca — what can be seen as a loft twice removed from its industrial origins — uses operable walls to close off spaces and create some privacy.
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| Another way of treating the existing is to give it a consistent finish, what then becomes the backdrop for furniture and any new construction. The white columns, beams, and ceiling lighten the space. The translucent glass walls on the left ensure that spaces far removed from the windows receive some natural light. |
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by Specht Harpman
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| A first view of this Tribeca loft shows a minimal space, ideal for displaying artwork, and the ever-present columns. |
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by Specht Harpman
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| Another view reveals an extremely important aspect of loft living, what helps make them so appealing and expensive: big windows and lots of natural light. |
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| Here is another view of loft's windows, in this case in SoHo. Compared to the previous photo, we can see how the shape and size of the windows affects the space. Less character is found here in the shape, but the denser and larger openings brings in LOTS of light. |
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| Also in SoHo, this and the next example illustrate how even new construction embraces some of the loft's ideas. Openness and large windows are found, but exposed construction is nowhere to be seen, especially because raw concrete does not have the same appeal as exposed wood or steel structure. |
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by Elliott Kaufman
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| Located in a SoHo building designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, this residence features large expanses of glass that are occasionally framed by colored glass panes. Instead of the cast iron or brick of its neighbors, glass is the means of making a curtain wall more colorful and interesting. |
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| This residence overlooking Central Park is a sparse white space that is activated by "using ash finished in four different ways." We see at least three uses here: the shelf below the bookcase, the floor, and the door in the distance. |
by Robert Granoff
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But not all Manhattan interiors are single-floor insertions among the stacked floor plates pervading just about every building. Some manage to unite more than one floor.
This triplex illustrates the appeal of vertical living in the dense city, for those who can afford it: grand spaces and lots of light.
This triplex illustrates the appeal of vertical living in the dense city, for those who can afford it: grand spaces and lots of light.
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Yet another Tribeca loft and another triplex, this double-height living space shows something more house-like than apartment-like. The finishes may be minimal and the windows limited to the ends, but vertical living approaches another side of NYC living: the townhouse. (Note the glass ceiling in the top left corner, skylights from the roof terrace upstairs.)
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by CWB Architects
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| The most popular place in NYC for townhouses is easily Brooklyn, where rows of old brownstones are prized and fixed-up by people appreciative of the low-scale fabric they create. Since they are basically rowhouses, windows are still limited to the front and back (with the occasional lightwell on the side), but the biggest appeal is located out back... See more of this house |
by CWB Architects
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Backyards in Brooklyn give city dwellers a slice of grass and sky to call their own. Sure, they're small compared to suburban yards, but most NYC residents don't have any outdoor space, save a stoop or bit of fire escape. And what better way to segue to the next ideabook on New York's regional modernism, next.
More lofts:
Geometry and Art in Chelsea
An Art Lover's Inviting Abode
San Francisco Minimalist
Industrial Loft Meets Luxe
More regional modern architecture:
Boston | Chicago | Austin | NY Metro | Seattle | Oregon | No. Calif. | San Francisco| L.A. | Coast L.A.
More lofts:
Geometry and Art in Chelsea
An Art Lover's Inviting Abode
San Francisco Minimalist
Industrial Loft Meets Luxe
More regional modern architecture:
Boston | Chicago | Austin | NY Metro | Seattle | Oregon | No. Calif. | San Francisco| L.A. | Coast L.A.
Ideabook updated on Nov. 10, 2011.
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Tall ceilings are definitely a priority in my dream house, with big windows. I want to see more of the first loft as well.
leighspencer - Glad to hear it!
http://nymag.com/shopping/guides/homedesign/04/barns/8.htm
You'd be amazed at how many rural abandonments have been, or are in the process of, being turned into rural lofts. It's the best of both worlds while maintaining that rural authenticity.
-Jason