This project consists of a gut renovation of a landmarked commercial building, renowned for its cast iron facade, converting it into a luxury condominium with a new two-story penthouse on top. While preserving the historic facade, the existing floor slabs were removed and an additional floor was inserted. The living rooms are designed as double-height spaces, while the slabs for the bedrooms – where lower ceilings are acceptable – were made extremely thin in some places, so as to be hidden by the existing window transoms, thereby ensuring that no new structural elements are visible from the exterior. This precise coordination allowed the project to meet the requirements of the Landmarks Preservation Commission. The facade design of the new penthouse is clean and linear, intentionally contrasting with the historic facade below. However, the rhythm of the window bays mirrors that of the original facade, maintaining a sense of visual continuity. The upper floor of the penthouse is supported by a cantilevered Vierendeel truss, creating a clear articulation with the historic cast-iron building and giving the appearance of floating above it.
