Gabellini Sheppard

Light, air, sound, and water: environmental elements guide the design concept for the interiors of 152 Elizabeth Street condominiums, including seven individually tailored residential units and all public spaces. The luxuriously open spaces of the residences are animated by light, humanized by tactile comfort, and distinguished by sensory richness.

Light within these residences is treated as a tangible, material presence that shapes occupants’ perception of space. The artful play of light and shadow begins in the entrance vestibule, where the naturally backlit glass water wall and the softly glowing coves in the lobby signal passage from the street into a more harmonious realm. Inside the apartments, the natural light streaming in through floor-to-ceiling windows is balanced and augmented by a host of ambient illumination features. Translucent light veils, floating pools of light, and perimeter light frames seamlessly integrated into the architecture through a variety of concealed and recessed sources evoke serenity or wakefulness, expansiveness or intimacy at the owner’s pleasure.

Sound is also an important factor in 152 Elizabeth Street’s spatial perception. The building contains acoustical attenuation  between rooms and floors to ensure privacy and airport-grade exterior glass to create an acoustic cocoon of tranquility. Within each apartment, wide-plank oak flooring and matching wood-paneled storage walls contribute to the soft, rich acoustical quality of the space. Water, introduced with the entrance vestibule’s illuminated water wall, reappears in the reflecting pool of the penthouse terrace and its cascading water walls creating a white noise feature on top of this urban oasis. Water also inspired the design of the bathrooms, particularly the master bathrooms, where spa-like relaxation chambers with Japanese-style soaking tubs, radiant-heat flooring, and full-height windows and skylights speak to calm and modern simplicity.

Finishes and fixtures are selected to enhance the performance and comfort of everyday life, with an overall emphasis on natural materials. In keeping with the project’s elemental and connection, the wide-plank oak flooring from Dinesen, measuring an extraordinary 16 to 20 inches wide, is hand-picked and harvested in Germany using sustainable forestry techniques. Honed white Bianco Sivec marble in the bathrooms implicitly contrasts with striking black Pietra Cardosa stone encasing the fireplace and elevator volumes. Artisan plaster walls surrounding the fireplace, wood wall paneling, and floating white wall and ceiling planes framed by minimal reveals complement walls of glass and exposed concrete. The kitchens are furnished with custom cabinetry, counters of honed Fango marble, appliances by Gaggenau, and the island's custom sliding countertop opens to reveal additional working area when needed. In the few residences where the kitchen does not directly receive natural light, softly glowing privacy glass along the kitchen backsplash is calibrated to capture the color temperature of daylight.