Bridge For Design Summer 2014 Bridge For Design Summer 2014 Issue | Page 136

DESIGN PROJECTS | Lilian Weinreich

A tired Manhattan duplex with breath-taking views of the city was given a sublime minimalist makeover with a palette of rich, subtle hues

East meets West Side transformation
T
Lilian Weinreich

his transformation of a tired, post-war residential
duplex on the upper west side of Manhattan into a
sublime urban sanctuary is nothing short of breath-taking.
The brief was to design an urban retreat for a retired couple
that embodied the founding principles of Japanese Wabi-sabi
aesthetics, namely: wabi (transient/stark/beauty), sabi (beauty
of natural patina, aging) and yugen (profound grace, subtley).
One of the main challenges was overcoming the prior poor
quality and structural limitations of the building.
Restricted by an eight foot low ceiling height, Lilian H.

Weinrich Architects used dropped ceiling planes, with lit
Sliding, glazed Shoji screens make maximum use of the
mesmerising views by providing a transient yet malleable
backdrop within the large, utilitarian dining/entertainment
space on the lower level.
that sit comfortably alongside the cool patina of galvanised
zinc and steel, creating a space which is both tranquil and
energising. B

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A ingenious design for an age
W

hen Lilian was asked to redesign a 170 sq ft geometric forms, subtly disguising their real
master bathroom with walk-in dressing purpose.
The result is an ingenious blend of style and
room in the famed Hampshire House, NYC, it
would have been easy to be a little daunted by the
no signs of slowing down. B
present owner – noted artist Connie Aronson.
The challenge lay not just in capturing Connie’s
strong sense of personal taste, but in creating an
aesthetically pleasing space that also met her
changing physical needs too.
In her 80’s, Connie’s need for accessibility was
a major consideration, a fact sadly compounded
two weeks into the project when she fell and
broke her hip.
The re-imagined space is a clever mix of customdesigned pieces and practical considerations
such as grab bars paired with towel rails to create Artist Connie Aronson at work

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Bathroom adapted for a clien N(