Uncovering the original concrete surfacing of the columns, which are unusually thick thanks to the building’s original industrial function, was a major undertaking. Covered in successive layers of white paint, a team worked for over a week to expose the concrete, revealing the space’s gritty character.
The bathroom, located just adjacent to the kitchen, features a pattern of gray and turquoise tiles that climbs from the floors up the walls. They serve as a burst of color among the predominately white walls elsewhere, transforming the bathroom into one of the apartment’s most striking spaces.
This compact, modern fifth floor apartment in Gramercy is structured around three levels and the perfect size for couples of single travellers.
A drawing of O'Gorman's building. Note that amazing concrete spiral staircase off the one facade.
Living Area
Bischoff’s team retained the exposed brick on the interior, painting much of it white to help the space reflect sunlight. “There was an interest in having an open, more contemporary layout, but we still wanted some sense of living in this building that’s 100 years old,” Bischoff says. “That motivated us a lot to keep the brick. It’s a very subtle echo of what the house originally was.”
Enclosing the ductwork would have forced the architects to lower the ceiling or install a subpar air-conditioning system. So it was left exposed, contributing to the floor’s loftlike atmosphere.
New meets old with the furnishings as well: An antique barbershop pendant provides contrast to a sculptural lamp and a rug from Anthropologie. Investment buys were made with budget in mind, like the leather sofa scored at ABC Carpet & Home’s outlet store.
The large built-in shelving unit acts as a divider between the dining space and the staircase.
Large skylights provide an abundance of natural light. The operable skylights are by Industrial Skylights.
A few simple pieces of artwork can tie a room together without a huge cost.
In Vancouver’s Strathcona district, two side-by-side lots now hold seven residences—thanks to a thoughtful renovation of a pair Edwardian houses and the addition of a laneway, or alley, building by Shape Architecture. The team salvaged as much 120-year-old siding as they could for use on the street-facing facades.
The Pierre | Olson Kundig
Lara and Ethan Pagnier have hosted over 40 travelers since joining Airbnb, and it's easy to see what attracts them. Apart from owning a spotless home in San Francisco's coveted Mission district, the pair are natural hosts.
Two-year-old Annika and five-year-old Soren make music on the "nap swing," a popular hangout spot for kids and adults alike.
Viewed from the street, the triplex’s brick wall and raised porch echo its neighbors’ visual cues. Its dark grey, Extira-clad upper level and bay window, however, hint at the expansive spaces that lie within. Full-height windows allow light to stream in on all three levels.
The triangle is the home’s leitmotiv, appearing in the cantilevered bedroom module and the steps approaching the entrance.
A circular tower echoes the former gas storage cylinder that once occupied its place. It houses a private study.
Never have we ever wanted to walk (no, leap!) across a rickety bridge with such gusto… If you agree, welcome to the fairytale tree house of your childhood fantasies. Only this one isn't imaginary, it's in Atlanta, Georgia, and it comes complete with chirping birds, a flowing stream, and a canopy of trees. There are three separate structures, all connected by the aforementioned rope bridges.
An outdoor patio provides the perfect setting for morning coffee or a summer get-together. The trail that connects the Sea Ranch community runs behind the house, lending it more privacy in comparison with other buildings.
Karen White, David MacNaughtan, and their sons, Griffin and Finlay, hang out on the front deck, which lines up next to the neighbors' porch.
Though the house is in need of some dire repairs—including leaks and a lack of heat and water—it stands proud with its original architecture built entirely of concrete and glass. It cantilevers over the Silvermine River.
At the end of a dirt road in Bissel Cove, Rhode Island, this 1940s bungalow is surrounded by tall trees and a small horse farm. "It’s very enchanting and quiet—in the best way," note the residents, who own East Surf Co., a surf wax company.
Tasked with transforming a 93-square-foot brick boiler room into a guesthouse, architect and metalworker Christi Azevedo flexed her creative muscle. The architect spent a year and a half designing and fabricating nearly everything in the structure save for the original brick walls. "I treated the interior like a custom piece of furniture," she says.
A maple tree grows through an ipe deck in this garden that Mary Barensfeld designed for a family in Berkeley, California. A reflecting pool separates it from a granite patio, which is furnished with a Petal dining table by Richard Schultz and chairs by Mario Bellini. The 1,150-square-foot garden serves as an elegant transition from the couple’s 1964 Japanese-style town house to a small, elevated terrace with views of San Francisco Bay. Filigreed Cor-Ten steel fence screens—perforated with a water-jet cutter to cast dappled shadows on a bench and the ground below—and zigzagging board-formed concrete retaining walls are examples.
An artist by trade, and gardener by passion, Allison Paschke commissioned Providence-based architecture firm 3SIXØ to build a modest cottage that would allow her to reconnect with nature. She landscaped the home’s lush gardens herself.
These initiatives on state ballots will decide questions about rent control, property tax, and urban development.
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