The Fractal Group spent seven years transforming this traditional brick building on Manhattan’s Upper East Side into a contemporary 5,000-square-foot oasis.
Outdoor space was rezoned to allow for a 17½-foot extension of the residence’s rear wall, and two additional levels were constructed on top of the existing structure. Excavation in the cellar expanded the foundation by another six feet to create functional spaces in the basement, as well as house an energy-efficient Altherma heating and cooling unit, the first residential application in New York.
An elevator and stairway connect the building’s four stories, which highlight an innovative use of materials not typically seen in the staid architecture of the area’s historic townhouses, and large-format porcelain tile conceals a radiant heating system and mimics the appearance of stone, adding warmth without rusticity.
Generously proportioned rooms create a feeling of airy intimacy, and conceptual lighting by German industrial designer Ingo Maurer punctuates the home like sculptures in a gallery.
