state building, NYC Commercial Architecture
Additions & Alterations A Robert Scarano
state building, NYC Commercial Architecture
Additions & Alterations A Robert Scarano
state building, NYC Commercial Architecture
Additions & Alterations A Robert Scarano
state building, NYC Commercial Architecture
Additions & Alterations A Robert Scarano
state building, NYC Commercial Architecture
Additions & Alterations A Robert Scarano


West 20th Street

Project Manager/Designer
Eugene Drubestskoy
Completion Date
November 2003
Location
Chelsea
Visit Site
www.blessoproperties.com

The owner of this Chelsea building wanted to maximize it’s potential. Our solution was two triplex apartments, for which the fifth floor was gutted and renovated, and new sixth and penthouse floors were added.

Breathtaking views of the midtown Manhattan Skyline and Empire State Building on one hand, and the picturesque neighborhood on the other were a guiding factor in the design, which was based on capturing views.

In order to provide equal views to both apartments, they are built in a “zigzag” pattern rather than front and back apartments, resulting in equal exposures.

A grand room with a kitchen, dining and living area is located on the fifth floor, with two bedrooms leading to a roof terrace on the sixth floor.

Rather than a straightforward continuation of the existing 19 th century brick and fenestration rhythm, the addition creates a dialogue between its neighboring buildings by bridging them visually in height, materiality, and scale.

Materials used include applied cement stucco, aluminum cladding, glass, and restored brick. The 2700 s.f. addition brings the building to 9500 s.f., at a total cost of $400,000.

The exterior of the building introduces a breath of fresh air as the slanted window reflects the empire state building, and the new angled façade literally takes a bow to the neighborhood. On the interior, people standing inside the apartment can look down into the neighborhood and onto the skyline through a single opening, observing both the immediate context and the Skyline in a true hierarchy of views.