This multi-level penthouse sits atop an iconic skyscraper in Lower Manhattan (New York City) and is the product of a cohesive collaboration between architect, David Hotson and interior designer, Ghislaine Viñas, both of whom wished to pay homage to the historical significance of the building in a very contemporary way. Flawlessly executed, this wish produced a home that feels like a museum of modern art and cultivates the sensation of being on top of the world, with panoramic views of the famously urban landscape. While it is apparently aware that it remains a series of functional living spaces, whimsy climaxes in the structural heart of the project: the living room, from which an imposing steel column, come rock climbing wall, spans the height of the build, rendering the space positively cavernous, and together with metallic tubular slides, acts as a legitimate method of transport.
The climbing course, slides and stairs that facilitate movement throughout this unique and incredible space do so with such precise purpose that mezzanine nooks, alcoves and annexes can be fully utilized. The floral lounge that hangs above the main living area provides a quiet escape in which to read and relax, or perhaps catch a breath, which will then be stolen by views of the city upon reaching the summit. Angular bedrooms in white and muted neon lie in wait on the upper-most floors and serve as a point from which the residence can be surveyed, and what is noticeable from such a height are the spaces, deliberately empty, that speak almost as loudly as those which have been filled. These spaces, white, sharp and glazed speak to the contemporary form of the architecture and do much to aid the cohesion that makes this project such a remarkable success.
