Carriage House
New York, New York, USA
- Status
2010 - Category
Residential - Design Architect
Adjaye Associates - Client
Private Client - Mechanical/Plumbing Engineer
Altieri Sebor Wieber - Structural Engineer
Dewhurst Macfarlane & Partners
Technical Info +
The concrete is irregular and roughly textured whereas the historic elements are finely preserved – reversing the nature of the contrast that often falls between old and new.
Carriage House pre-existed as an abandoned 1897 carriage house off Park Avenue in New York. It now stands as a living space for a young family and their extensive enviable contemporary art collection. The façade remains true to its history and landmark status, while the interior has witnessed the removal of the old building and excavation of a deep cellar. Directly behind the façade hides an inner courtyard and sounds of the central fountain. The fountain sits as an open-air atrium beside the floating staircase that leads up to a roof garden, planted with sedum and moss; a combination which thrives throughout the year.
Building into the basement makes the six-story building externally appear lower than it is. Black concrete, the primary material of the interior, is offset by a number of contrasting materials to define each space. It lines the interior of the carriage house and provides structural support to the existing façade. Despite the unifying force of the black concrete, its appearance remains highly ambiguous. The concrete is irregular and roughly textured whereas the historic elements are finely preserved – reversing the nature of the contrast that often falls between old and new.