Carriage House. New York, USA
Carriage House pre-existed as an abandoned 1897 carriage house off Park Avenue in New York. It now stands as a living space for a young family and their extensive and enviable contemporary art collection. The façade remains true to its history and landmark status, while the interior has witnessed the removal of the old building and excavation of a deep cellar. Directly behind the façade hides an inner courtyard and sounds of the central fountain. The fountain sits as an open-air atrium beside the floating staircase that leads up to a roof garden, planted with sedum and moss; a combination which thrives through the winter and summer.
Building into the basement makes the six story building externally appear to be lower than it really is. Black concrete is the primary material used throughout the house offset against a number of different materials to define each space. It lines the interior of the carriage house and provides structural support to the existing façade. Despite its role as a unifying framing element, its appearance remains highly ambiguous. The concrete, for example, is irregular and roughly textured whereas the historic elements are finely preserved – reversing the nature of the contrast that often falls between old and new.
