New York City

This 1848 Gramercy Park townhouse renovation presented challenges for the architect (who is also the client). The building had been converted into a triplex crowned with three loft residences. But the architect wanted two dwellings, one atop the other, of equal value and scale. At the same time, the structure's deteriorating condition meant investing in a new steel frame, as well as the replacement of electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems. By adding a penthouse, the architects got a 620-square-foot open plan house with a floor-through kitchen/dining/living space, media room, office, three bedrooms, and three and a half bathrooms.

Inside, the living room and kitchen ceilings are punctuated with sculptures by Emilio Garcia and exploding light fixtures by Ingo Maurer. The bricks-and-mortar rear wall has vanished, replaced by a glass curtain fitted with tiny diodes, invisible by day, but glinting at night. The outdoor terrace leading from the living room has a glass floor and overlooks the private gardens below. The house features two more terraces as well as a roof deck.

People

Owner: Christina Isaly- Liceaga

Location: Manhattan, East 17th street  

Completion Date: May 2007

Gross square footage: 2400 sq.ft.

Architect:
Fractal Construction
23 East 7th Street, Ground Floor
New York, NY 10003
T: 212.228.5617
fractal-construction.com 

Personnel in architect's firm who should receive special credit:
Principal Designer – Ulises Liceaga
Project Manager – Annemarie Moerl
Not Registered Architects**

Architect of record:
Ogawa and Depardon Architects
69 Mercer Street, 2nd Floor
New York NY 10012
T: 212.627.7390

Interior designer: Fractal Construction LLC

Engineer(s):
Hage Engineering- Structural Engineer
560 Broadway, #501 New York, NY 10012
(212) 358-7778
       
Mechanical Electrical Plumbing Engineer: Charles G. Michel Engineering
180 South Broadway, Suite 300
White Plains, New York10605
914.949.5112

Consultant(s):
Lighting: Ingo Maurer

Other: Artist Emilio Garcia was brought in to assist with decoration, art and sculptures.

General contractor:
Ross Lee Renovations
139 Mulberry St # 4
New York, NY 10013
(212) 219-0657

Photographer(s):
Eric Laignel
Ericlaignel.com
917 204 4338

Paul Warchol
Warcholphotography.com
212 274 1953

Image with LED lights at night, Ulises Liceaga (Architect)

Renderer(s): Fractal Construction LLC

CAD system, project management, or other software used: AutoCad

 

Products

Structural system
Steel Frame

Doors
Metal doors: Hollow metal doors

Hardware:
Valli & Valli
www.vallivalli-us.com/

Interior finishes
Cabinetwork and custom woodwork:
Kitchen is by Valcucine
www.valcucine.com/en/

Paints and stains: Benjamin Moore

Floor and wall tile:
Main floor, Kitchen, Living Room: St’ Agostino tile
Bathroom Floor Tile: Nemo Tiles- Mikado
Bathroom Wall Tile- Island Stone

Carpet: Rug by Pachamama,
ABC Carpet
www.abccarpet.com
212 473 3000

Special interior finishes unique to this project.
Fractal Construction LLC collaborated with Emilio Garcia, artist and Sculptor. Garcia sculpted the elements for the master bedroom’s wall installation from a type of resin used to make car dashboards.

The Living  area’s wood burning fire place has a granite hearth and a 24 karat gold-leafed surround. Above is a plaster wall installation by Emilio Garcia Plascenica, Liceaga’s friends from growing up in Mexico.

Furnishings
Office furniture: Rimadesio (bookshelf) www.rimadesio.it

Fixed seating:  
Ueli er Berg, Eleanora Peduzzi-Riva, Klaus Vogdt and Heinz Ulrich Couch by Desede
www.desede.ch 41 56 268 01 11

Chairs:
Dining Room Chairs: Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe Chairs by Knoll www.knoll.com 877 615 6655
Kitchen Bar Stools by Cico www.cor.de 49 52 42 41 02 40******
Master Bedroom Chair by De Sede www.desede.ch 41 56 268 01 11
Boys Room Chairs by Fritz Hansen through Design Within Reach
Chairs in Living Room Terrace- Tord Boontje

Tables:
Kitchen Table by Ingo Maurer www.ingo-maurer.com 212 965 8817
Master bedroom Side Table by DCC www.ddcnyc.com 212 685 0800

Other furniture: Deck furniture: Rausch Classics

Lighting
Interior ambient lighting:Ingo Maurer- Ceiling Fixtures (Den, Kitchen, Boy’s Room), Chandelier

Down lights: Schlitz Lights, Ingo Maurer

Dimming System or other lighting controls: Lutron Electronics www.lutron.com/

Conveyance
Elevators/Escalators:
Tri-state Elevator
511 5th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11215
(718) 220-1500

Add any additional building components or special equipment that made a significant contribution to this project: 
For the back façade, the glass in the steel- framed windows and sliding door is embedded with dimmable LEDS lights.