From dated NY studio to liveable showcase for art and design

Renovation by Alex Gorlin, Alex Gorlin Architects

From the architect:

New York City-based architect Alexander Gorlin decided it was time to find a home that looked out at more than a brick wall.

His search criteria for a new home included finding somewhere that had plentiful daylight, city views, and was located within walking distance to his eponymous office in the Soho neighbourhood of downtown Manhattan.

Eventually, he stumbled upon a hidden gem in nearby Greenwich Village. To the uninitiated eye, the unrenovated penthouse in a mid-century modern mid-rise apartment building, with its mirrored built-in closets crowding out the living room, dropped ceilings, bulky Murphy bed and outdated kitchen and bathroom, held zero charm.

However, it came with a highly sought-after wraparound terrace and had unobstructed views of Lower Manhattan and the West Village.

Gorlin realised that only someone with a strong design vision could see beyond the apartment’s obvious lack of appeal and fully comprehend its sizeable potential. This was going to be his new home.

Gorlin’s vision for the apartment’s transformation was inspired by Eileen Gray’s villa E-1027, a Modernist house she designed in 1929 in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin in the South of France.

The villa was both open and compact, and seamlessly melded public with private, architecture with decoration.

Thus, in collaboration with interior designer Bachman Brown, Gorlin set out to create one big, open lounge space.

The gut renovation simplified and opened up the floor plan and rebuilt the interior with natural hardwood floors and clean white surfaces to serve as a neutral backdrop to a collection of bold statements ranging from furniture to artwork.

Notable items include:

Living room:

A pair of Karelia armchairs by Liisi Beckmann for Zanotta; the Gabrielle Wing Sofa for Dunbar ; Goffedo Reggiano surfboard floor lamp; 5.1m x 1.5m mounted digital reproduction of Bartholomeus van der Helst’s “Militia Company District VIII Under the Command of Captain Roelof Bicker” that is part of the permanent collection at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

Dining area: 

Dining chairs: Beetle chairs, GamFratesi, 2013, for Suite NY; dining table: Eero Saarinen for Knoll.

Bedroom:

Jack Lenor Larsen fabrics are used for a shear curtain that divides the bed and living room as well as for covers for the custom designed headboard surrounding the bed.

Foyer:

Gaetano Pesce’s Open Sky Crosby Chair; Lee Brown’s Split Mirror.

By day, sunlight streams into the apartment and Gorlin can gaze out over unobstructed views of the One World Trade Center to the south and the historic Jefferson Market Library to the west.

By night, the famous architect can view the starry heavens above from his rooftop perch.

Designed by: Alex Gorlin

Story by: Trendsideas

Photography by: Eric Petschek