DESIGN NAME: Pivot
PRIMARY FUNCTION: Apartment
INSPIRATION: Inspired by the Swiss Army knife design; compact and well-crafted with independent functions available when desired. Also inspired by high-tech capsule housing and traditional wood cabins. The cabinetry is like a book-cover binding valued possessions, allowing one to explore each chapter of daily living from serenity when everything is closed, to lush material and detail; a simple haven, visually unencumbered by possessions while supporting various activities effortlessly and attractively.
UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Pivot is a pre-war studio renovated into a modern adaptable space containing a secret bedroom. The brief called for hosting 10 for dinner, sleeping 6, a home office, and an efficient kitchen for a client that loves to entertain, all within 37m2. The project emphasizes open space while overlaying multi- functionality; transforming in response to different needs. Extensive custom cabinetry defines various spatial experiences depending on use ranging from serene white walls to lush wood interiors.
OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: Residents can come home to an airy space where everything has its place while feeling cozy. A table can be used for work or extended into the space when hosting guests, it can also rise up at the push of a button for additional cooking space. Pulling on a wall cabinet divides the apartment in two where either space can be used independently when needed while revealing a wall-bed and containing storage with a pass-thru window in the middle. A pair of sofas expand to allow guest sleeping.
PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: The project is located in New York City, in a classic pre-war building. The apartment is on the 15th floor with distant views over the river with great sunsets. The design began in the Spring of 2012 and construction began that Fall and lasted a year, the client moved in the Spring of 2014.
FITS BEST INTO CATEGORY: Interior Space and Exhibition Design
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PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: All wood is FSC certified, Ash throughout for its lightness and to unify the architecture with the cabinetry, fumed Mahogany is used in the washroom. Fixtures are low-consumption to minimize environmental impact, all finishes are non-VOC. The shower is curbless and overlaps a double sink allowing more than one person to use a small bathroom. The dining area has a home office cabinet and a height adjustable table for additional cooking space with flap extensions for additional guests.
SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: A 37m2 apartment with high-tech hardware utilized throughout: the pivoting wall required engineering and craftsmanship to function seamlessly as the core feature with extensive storage and concealed lighting; the wall-bed supports an orthopedic mattress with a niche for power and lighting; a closet either side of the bed extends out with pull-down rods and drawers; the kitchen backsplash lifts to reveal storage and a pull-out pantry; the foyer closet doors have built-in shelving
TAGS: Pivot, customized, pivoting wall, height adjustable table, Architecture Workshop PC, Robert Garneau, Eric Ansel
RESEARCH ABSTRACT: A studio is typically the less expensive apartment option; a compact single room where the bedroom, living room and dining room occupy the same space which can be awkward when entertaining guests. Investing in multi purpose cabinetry that blurs the distinction between architecture and furniture is a natural evolution that can seamlessly overlay various functions in a small space where guests don’t feel like they’re in your bedroom while eating and the space feels uncluttered.
CHALLENGE: The biggest challenge was to meet the demanding client brief in the small footprint. Sophisticated hardware offered non-traditional solutions which in turn demanded careful study and construction. Designing a wall that can pivot requires structural robustness while also feeling refined. We needed the appearance and performance of a wall with acoustic and visual separation, but we also wanted cabinetry storage, this required a merging of custom steel hardware and wood construction.
ADDED DATE: 2015-02-26 18:48:49
TEAM MEMBERS (2) : Robert Garneau and Eric Ansel
IMAGE CREDITS: Image #1: Photographer Robert Garneau, 2015
Image #2: Photographer Robert Garneau, 2015
Image #3: Photographer Robert Garneau, 2015
Image #4: Photographer Robert Garneau, 2015
Image #5: Photographer Robert Garneau, 2015
Video: Robert Garneau, 2015
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