This Upper West Side apartment by General Assembly is the result of the reimagining of two residential units for a new client - a young family after a 'forever home' in Manhattan's storied neighbourhood. The project, which reorganises the floorplan for two combined, adjacent residences in a majestic, pre-war building, brings together old and new, classical detailing and sleek, contemporary apartment interior design for the 21st century.
Tour this Upper West Side apartment by General Assembly
The home is nestled on the upper levels of an existing structure, which was designed by Gaetano Ajello ('who shaped much of the neighbourhood’s architecture in the early 20th century,' the design team writes). It even was the base of legendary composer Sergei Rachmaninoff at one time.
General Assembly nods to the period context through the design, explaining that here, 'classic pre-war features like grand, ornate facades with intricate architectural details, decorative mouldings, cornices, and stone carvings, are referenced in the material choices and balanced by the clean lines and warm tones of the apartment’s ample custom millwork.'
Working with the original apartments' layout in order to maintain the essence of the historic spaces, the designers tweaked and updated the interior to bring it to the present day, and the family's contemporary needs and requirements of daily life.
Maximising light and views was a priority. Within this approach, there is a balance of large and small, open and flowing living and entertaining spaces, and more cocooning private quarters.
Luxurious, natural materials wrap the interior in a soft, organic feel. These include the kitchen's stone counters, a solid marble island and a built-in white oak table.
Elsewhere, there are custom-designed coffee tables in solid white oak and travertine in the open-plan space; a bar with high gloss finishes; and thick shelves carved into the plaster wall in the hallway.
Founded in 2011 in Brooklyn, General Assembly is headed by founder Sarah Zames and partner Colin Stief.
-
Year in review: the top 10 cars of 2024, selected by transport editor Jonathan BellWhat are our cars of the year? We’ve scoured the archives to unveil the machines that most impressed us over the past 12 months, from retro revivals to high-tech EVs
-
An Indian mud house - and more, on Sketch Design Studio's natural material wondersSketch Design Studio in Rajasthan, India does wonders with the simplest ingredients
-
Experience this Singapore apartment’s Zen-like qualities and cocooning urban havenWelcome to Singapore apartment The Rasidence, a spacious, Zen-like interior by Right Angle Studio
-
A vacant Tribeca penthouse is transformed into a bright, contemporary eyrieA Tribeca penthouse is elevated by Peterson Rich Office, who redesigned it by adding a sculptural staircase and openings to the large terrace
-
We walk through Luther George Park and its new undulating pavilionLuther George Park by Trahan Architects and landscape architects Spackman Mossop Michaels opens to the public, showcasing a striking new pavilion installation – take a first look
-
A vibrant new waterfront park opens in San FranciscoA waterfront park by leading studio Scape at China Basin provides dynamic public spaces and coastal resilience for San Francisco's new district of Mission Rock
-
Tekαkαpimək Contact Station: a building ‘as inspiring as the endless forest and waterways of the land’The new Tekαkαpimək Contact Station by Saunders Architecture with Reed Hilderbrand and Alisberg Parker Architects, opens at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in the USA
-
Entelechy II: architect John Portman's majestic beach home hits the marketEntelechy II, architect John Portman's beach residence in Georgia, USA, goes on the market; roll up, roll up for a home that is as grand as it is playful
-
First look: Honolulu's Victoria Place blends cosmopolitan living with Hawaii life and natureVictoria Place is a new residential tower at Honolulu's Ward Village; take a first look at its interiors
-
A look inside the home of George Homsey, one of the fathers of pioneering California modernist community Sea RanchGeorge Homsey's home opens for the first time since his death, in 2019; see where the architect behind some of the designs for Sea Ranch, the pioneering California modernist community, lived
-
Step inside a Brooklyn Brownstone that bridges old and new'Brooklyn Brownstone' has been refreshed by Jon Powell Architects (JPA) and the result is a contemporary design rooted in modern elegance
