Abundant daylight, great views, and a material palette dedicated to sustainability shape the experience of daily life in this landmark pre-war building on New York’s Central Park West. This interior has been modified through selective demolition of walls and ceilings to maximize the flow of space and to create the perception of openness. Three new walls comprised of sliding and stationary latticed screens provide continuity between the spaces in the apartment and, when required, offer flexible means of separating spaces.
The design of the latticed screens is grounded in our prior research employing a computer-controlled laser-cutter to transform ordinary materials, like paper and cardboard, into highly expressive elements with unexpected qualities of translucency and texture. The screens not only alter one’s view, they themselves appear to change with one’s situation within the apartment. Each screen catches light in proportion to the variable depth of the slots and holes cut into it. To accentuate this phenomenon after dark, linear LED fixtures were embedded in the ceiling to graze the surface of each panel.
Extensive use was made of sustainable materials and finishes throughout the apartment, including FSC-certified wood and flooring, low-VOC sealants, formaldehyde-free MDF, and locally-fabricated concrete countertops. Additionally, new windows, glazing, perimeter insulation, Energy Star-rated appliances and more efficient HVAC equipment improve the apartment’s energy performance. Designed by Architecture Research Office.
