Tanya Wexler and Amy Zimmerman linger in the breezeway designed to draw eyes, and footsteps, from the driveway through the house to the gently sloping backyard and swimming pool beyond.

The New Project Group renovated a cramped, uninviting space on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The company gave the 400-square-foot apartment a gut renovation, with a new kitchen and bathroom designed for efficiency. A parallelogram-shaped window pane, rescued from an architectural salvage yard, was outfitted with steel edges and casters, and repurposed as a coffee table.

The homeowners, who are avid cooks, worked with a design duo and contractor for the home's renovation. To make the kitchen seem larger than it is, the team decided to place the largest cabinets and appliances near the entryway, making less clutter toward the window.

Abbes and Davison removed drywall to expose the brick on one wall in the living room. "As we began to expose that brick, we found the old metal framing that they used to use," Daivson says. "They used to stick chicken-mesh wire on it and put plaster on top. When we exposed the brick, we found this metal detail and decided to keep it." Photo by Alan Gastelum.

"In the kitchen, we changed the layout," Davison says. "It was a galley kitchen, extending lengthways into the room. We spun it back along the back wall. The tiles are Moroccan concrete tiles that came from a supplier here in Manhattan. The idea was to inject some color and playfulness into the space with the blue cabinetry." Photo by Alan Gastelum.

A geographic lime-green tile pattern was incorporated into the bathroom to complement the sink, which was found in an architectural salvage yard and retains its original color. Photo by Alan Gastelum.

The kitchen combines varying storage types, from white lacquered cabinets and glass-fronted ones to a floating shelf above the sink. The countertop is Calacatta Caldia marble, and the subway tile that clads the backsplash is from Heath Ceramics.

All of the artwork was created by the New Design Project. Photo by Alan Gastelum.

The cantilevered shelving in the bedroom was fashioned from vintage metal panels that were purchased online, Davison says. Photo by Alan Gastelum.

Another view of the master bedroom shows more original artwork by the New Design Project. Photo by Alan Gastelum.

An updated bathroom features a mix of tiles: Carrara marble tiles on the floor, green subway tiles from Heath Ceramics on the inner shower walls, and white subway tiles from Daltile on the exterior walls. The fixtures are from Grohe.

Dlandstudio and ARO advocate a soft coastline filled with barrier islands and wetlands. Walkways would allow for additional green space for city-dwellers. Image provided by dlandstudio and ARO.

“I regard the Vineyard as one of the most beautiful places on Earth—blurring the boundary between inside and outside is just the wise thing to do.”—Peter Rose, architect

The navy floor tiles in another bathroom are from Mosaic House.

The +POOL concept aims to bring a giant floating pool to the East River of Manhattan. It will filter up to a half million gallons of river water each day, and serve as a public amenity.

East Side Showroom (Austin, Texas) Designer Mickie Spencer is behind some of Austin’s most fashionable bars and eateries. Featuring such whimsical touches as a nautical porthole and hanging banker pendants, East Side Showroom is her kitchiest, most lovable work yet.

Östra Kyrkogården (East Cemetery).

Vacant lots and derelict houses aren’t terribly hard to find in East Kensington, a neighborhood where more developers are starting to pay attention.

The surrounding neighborhood of East Kensington is mostly brick facades.

A custom unit with handleless, lacquered doors conceals a small workspace and ample clothes storage.

East River Chair by Hella Jongerius, designed 2014. Loaned by Vitra.

The living room is furnished with Modernica’s Split Rail loveseat and sofa and a walnut Eames stool from Herman Miller. The dining area features Vico Magistretti’s Maui chairs and an Antonio Citterio Glossy table, both from plastics expert Kartell.

A before shot of the kitchen.

The first commissioned work by "star architect" Charles Gwathmey after his seminal Gwathmey Residence and Studio, the widely published Sedacca House is a two-bedroom modernist "living sculpture." Fully original and modernized in consultation with Gwathmey, the home features unique design elements that execute a complete the geometric composition.

The living, dining, and sleeping spaces occupy the northern and eastern edges of the house, following the direction of the southern hemisphere sun. Niches and overhangs in the building protect it from the hot, dry summers and harsh winters.

A large unit provides book and media storage in the living room.

In another project, Benjamin worked with SHoP Architects, Natalie Jeremijenko, and the New York City Economic Development Corporation to install sensors on live mussels in order to track water quality in the East River in New York City.

“A big, long bar cuts off the front, where the cars are, so the kids can just run free in the back,” he says.

St. Bride's Chapel, 1963. East Kilbride, Lanarkshire.

An exterior view of the connection between the East Wing and the existing farmhouse.

The Upper East Side hotel is described as a embodying "sophisticated whimsy."

The aftermath of winter storms on the east coast. Photo by the Associated Press.

The east entrance of the Kukje Art Gallery by SO – IL. The removed lobby gives the netting an opportunity to show its flexibility. Seoul, South Korea. Photo by Iwan Baan.

This Upper East Side aerie by Cecilia Dupire of Cezign boasts some of New York's most in-demand ammenities: lots of light and a lush outdoor space.

Visible from the house's rear sundeck is Kingston Beach to the east.