Studio Rick Joy’s latest project, a five-story apartment building with two separate units, is set on a quiet street in the thriving, upscale neighborhood of Polanco, in the heart of Mexico City. It’s a departure from the firm’s usual work—the Tucson-based studio tends towards poetically minimalist homes surrounded by sweeping natural landscapes. In Tennyson 205, the firm successfully instills a sense of place and greenery within an infill project set in a bustling city.

"Beauty," Olafur Eliasson, 1993. In this work, a spotlight shines through a layer of mist to create a rainbow that's only visible from certain angles.

When Jean-Guy Chabauty and Chris Barrie of Atelier Moderno began tackling the space, they decided to stay true to the character and grace of the old autobody shop. "We wanted to retain the spirit and the grit of the original space as much as possible, while creating something modern, comfortable, and alluring," says Barrie. "Sometimes you really need to work to get that character." After playing with a few options for the 1,600-square-foot building, they decided to keep the existing envelope untouched, instead focusing the bulk of the $250,000 renovation project on building out an open interior that included reclaimed and rich materials.

The kitchen area was built around the concept of different surfaces working together: stainless steel countertops for work, white Corian for preparation, and solid white oak for storage. A landscape painting by Chabauty's grandfather hangs above the sink, adding a note of serenity to the room. The kitchen contains a Viking range and oven, a Bosch 800 Plus Series dishwasher, a KWC Eve faucet, a Liebherr HRB 1100 refrigerator. Artek A110 Pendants hang above the dining table, a custom oak piece surrounded by chairs from HAY.

The open living space showcases the bright, streamlined furniture pieces of Chabauty's own creation (apart from a few vintage pieces, the bulk of the furniture in the home is custom-made).

In the bathroom, a small bioethanol EcoSmart burner, along with radiant hydronic in-floor heating, provides warmth in a stark space.

Chabauty chose a black door on the outside of the structure to maintain the original, unassuming exterior. It can still throw off guests who aren't sure what to expect when they walk inside. "People still think it's a business or an office," he says. "They're always surprised."

A close-up of the steel counter shows the Artemide Miconos lamp hanging near the sink, as well as the diffused light that streams in via a set of skylights arranged throughout the roof.

An example of a space with good bones, the original shop floor provided the designers with a blank canvas.

Reclaimed materials, such as this discolored door, play against the sleek modern touches inside. "You can really feel the old shop," says Chabauty. "It’s a great contrast."

1993, Pierluigi Cerri.

A photo of Verner Panton from 1993. © Panton Design, Basel

The old shop, which they purchased in 2009, is located in Mile Ex, an up-and-coming neighborhood in Montreal. The renovation required a great deal of permitting and rezoning, and during the long wait they "let the pot stew with their ideas," according to Chabauty. They decided to keep the facade simple to preserve its character.

Vitra Fire Station, Weil am Rhein, Germany, 1993

Ada, a second design by Norske Mikrohus, measures 205 square feet and is set on wheels.

The Waterloo International Terminal, 1993, in London. Image courtesy Jo Reid/John Peck.

Kellogg spent five years working on the house, and the structure was completed in 1993.

Rineke Dijkstra, Long Island, N. Y., USA, July 1, 1993, 1993; chromogenic print; 66 1/8 in. x 55 11/16 in.; Courtesy the artist and Marian Goodman Gallery, New York & Paris; © Rineke Dijkstra

dwell Residency: 205

Bench 205. Small curved bench.

San Diego California Temple — 7474 Charmant Dr., ldschurchtemples.com/san...

Classic 205: www.blueair.com/us...

Each of the 205 units in Granville1500 has an exterior, operable window — quite the opposite of the Munger project.

The residence at 205 Lake Drive in Kensington, California, overlooks Wildcat Canyon and Tilden Park in the Berkeley Hills of the San Francisco Bay Area.

A photo of Verner Panton from 1993

GreenSlate _ 12121 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 205, Los Angeles, CA 90025 US _ 310-789-2001 _ gslate.com

An aerial view of Washington, DC, circa 1993.

GreenSlate _ 12121 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 205, Los Angeles, CA 90025 US _ (310) 789-2001 _ gslate.com

GreenSlate _ 12121 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 205, Los Angeles, CA 90025 US _ (310) 789-2001 _ gslate.com

Products from Rudy’s Barbershop, which started in Seattle in 1993, are available in the shower.

Chief Real Estate Solutions LLC _ 233-A Merchants Circle, #205, Hampstead, NC 28443 _ 910-370-1206 _ www.getcashfairoffernc.com

When Rob and Mary Lubera started pulling threads to uncover the origins of their new home—the lone midcentury house amid rows of Tudor Revivals in suburban Detroit—not even architecture scholars could have anticipated what they would find. Theirs is the last surviving residence by Alexander Girard (1907–1993), a modernist visionary who made his name in textiles but tried his hand at virtually everything, architecture included. The shoji-like laminate screens, seen in the entryway, are characteristic of his Japanese-influenced work.

Brook West Family Dentistry _ 7950 Main St #205, Maple Grove, MN 55369 _ (763) 561-2273 _ www.brookwestfamilydentistry.com

1993 Stefano Giovannoni designs Merdolino toilet brush for Alessi.

Earrings and light fixtures have more than a few things in common, and this set reminds us of some of our favorite chandeliers by Workstead or Lindsey Adelman. From $205 at Pamela Love

Orgone Stretch and Lounge, 1993. Photo by Fabrice Gousset/Courtesy of Galerie Kreo.