Located in the heart of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, the building was erected on a shallow commercial lot between two 120 year old masonry buildings and a new residential rental building. 330 Grand Street is a mix of 725 SF 1BRs and 1050 SF 2BR apartments. It also contains a 1100 SF two story duplex as well as private and public rooftop space, large private balconies for most units and two large private terraces for the ground floor units. 330 Grand Street was originally designed and approved at the NYC DOB as a prefabricated modular building. During the pandemic, as shipping costs skyrocketed putting the project at risk, we suggested redesigning the building as a reinforced cast-in-place concrete structure. Concrete was readily available and prices had not been affected by the demand increase that many other materials suffered in the pandemic. We took this opportunity to raise floor to ceiling heights, enlarge high performance windows and redistribute the buildings MEPFS and Structural Systems to create very open floor plans. The challenge was to create a luxurious sensorial living experience with very limited means. In a city with very high construction costs, low cost residential buildings in the area are usually devoid of good quality, design and character. Our approach was to aim high for the end user, prioritizing natural light, open space with long visual perspectives, high ceilings and as always, rejecting the use of predefined building templates. Our biggest challenge was to ensure that the small spaces feel as clean cut, large and bright as possible. Several unique design decisions were made to ensure low cost and high quality; Floor plans were laid out so that spaces were wide open and free of clutter from mechanical or structural interruptions. Therefore all infrastructure was placed in lateral demising walls, which in turn act as the unit’s storage and kitchen. The apartments feel wide open, are super quiet and have more storage space than any other comparable apartment in the city. To solve the problem of the site’s shallow commercial lot which is typically prone to dark interior spaces we focused our attention on the building’s envelope. Instead of the usual small punched window openings, oversized high performance windows were designed to ensure that light penetrated as far as possible into the units. In the smaller 1BR units, the full 50’ depth of the lot is perceived by partitioning spaces with sliding pocket doors that can be retracted to allow deep visual perspectives, making the sight lines in the space feel longer, larger, more ample than normal. In addition to the full height glazing, each unit above the 2nd floor receives a 7 foot covered balcony, adding 120 to 240 sf to each apartment, something unusual in New York City buildings. The space is large enough for a full size dining table, when the weather permits being outside. We also worked hard to ensure modularity. For example, all kitchen units are all identical throughout the building. The idea of modularity and the economy of the repetitive unit is exercised to the maximum through the building. Hardware, appliances, flooring, wall coverings and material finishes are all carefully selected to feel bespoke, high quality and unique. It was important to KURV that the result of this work manifest into something that would deeply connect with the end user and sustain relationships with the consumers of this space. All images by KURV Architecture ©

Design of front of closet with built in handles.
Huge island style gender-neutral walk-in closet photo with flat-panel cabinets and blue cabinets

Bathroom floor - 12 X 24 gray neutral tile. A small, odd shaped & outdated bathroom, gets a renovation & makeover to become a luxury guest bathroom...Sheila Singer Design

FULL CHARGING STATION ON SIDE OF CABINET WITH 2 FUNCTIONING DOORS!!.....NOTE SAFETY CHAIN ON DOOR.....DOORS SWING OUT 110 DEGREES AND WE COULDN'T BUMP CABINET FORWARD (NOR WANTED CLIENT TO PAY FOR CUSTOM DEPTH CABINET) SO THIS DOES THE TRICK.

Installed 24x24 Porcelain tile with a Schluter Ditra heat membrane
Inspiration for a small bathroom remodel in Toronto

Kensho
Garage - garage idea in Portland

straght on photo of drop ceiling with canister light and drop light
Home design - mid-sized modern home design idea in Chicago

New Media Art All works reflect the work of the artist, Carol Ashton, with each piece anchored in acrylic on canvas then further investigated with digital media. Carol draws on her experience as Digital Literacy Specialist with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art to continue her exploration with digital technologies as a relevant and robust means of expressing beauty in the digital age. Significant in her work is the desire to validate the union of art and function, recognizing the role of beauty in the internal conversations we have with our home and work environment.