Set in a classic Tribeca red brick building, once a candy factory from the 1880s, the apartment is one of five, in a quiet six-story structure. With 18-foot ceilings, original timber beams, and a large skylight, the space is full of charm and character. Initially the space felt more like an industrial loft than a home - beautiful in scale, but a little intimidating.
A key part of the client’s brief was creating a home that could be both a retreat and a place for hosting. That duality shaped many of the team’s design decisions - from the open light-filled kitchen and dining spaces to the moodier zones like the bar and powder room.
The studio’s work places a lot of emphasis on the floorplan before diving into the details of design. The flow, the sequence of spaces have to feel intuitive and balanced from the start. In this case, the work on the floorplan was truly transformative.
The original staircase, a narrow metal spiral, once awkwardly positioned where the kitchen is now, disconnected the second floor from the living spaces, suggesting a mezzanine rather than a true extension. As a larger architectural intervention, the sculptural plaster staircase reoriented the layout to anchor the space. It now serves as both a functional core and a visual centrepiece, connecting the floors and reinforcing the home’s sense of scale and fluidity.
