Interior design at its best can offer mind-altering—or at least perception-altering—experiences. Approaching existing conditions, an architect may selectively reveal what's already there, plumbing its spatial, metaphoric, or experiential potential. Intrinsic features—such as views, structure, or overall proportions—may appear transformed through their interplay with new elements. Balancing, masking, celebrating, or transcending the so-called flaws or limitations of a place, an interior design may lead you to perceive a space in entirely unexpected ways.

Throughout Record Interiors 2002, the featured projects all began with existing spaces, where such scenarios played out successfully, but with markedly different results.

The way we experience anything is, of course, related to who we are and what we bring to it. But clearly architects and designers can also play significant roles in uncovering, paradoxically, vast possibilities in finite places.

Click on the photographs below for an introduction to the projects and their architects, as well as several floorplan-based walk-throughs of the spaces.

Plus, take a look at additional interior projects found exclusively on our site.

Lee Residence Joel Sanders Soho Skyline Loft Dean/Wolf Beacon Communications Office Klein Dytham

Imagenet Elliott + Associates W Hotel Yabu Pushelberg TBWA/Chiat/Day Marmol Radziner Cruise Landini Associates

Photo credits (from left to right) – top row: Peter Aaron/Esto, Jeff Goldberg/Esto, Kozo Takayama; bottom row: Bob Shimer/Hedrich Blessing, Evan Dion, Benny Chan/Fotoworks, Ross Honeyset.